From the Steel Curtain to this new-aged Pittsburgh Steelers defense under head coach Mike Tomlin—changes are inevitable.
This is especially the case for a Steelers crew forced to move on without Pro Bowl linebacker Ryan Shazier, and Tomlin isn't afraid about discussing the changes and developments, according to Missi Matthews of the Steelers official website.
“We’re developing in a lot of ways,” Tomlin recently said of his defense. “More than anything, we’ve got some significant young talent that we’re infusing into the group and learning their skill set. Guys like our top draft pick in Edmunds, free agents like Morgan Burnett and others. I think part of us determining what we’re gonna be in ’18 is getting a sense of who and what those guys are. Their strengths and leaning on those things that highlight what they do and stay away from things that maybe minimize the best of their capabilities.
In 2017, the Steelers defense finished fifth in the NFL in total defense, relenting just 306.9 yards per game. That, coupled with one of the most explosive offenses in the leauge, allowed Tomlin's team to dominate its regular-season schedule.
Out of the 3-4 defense, Shazier played a critical part in the middle as one of the two inside backers. More importantly, he represented the subpackage linebacker who could use his speed and cover just about anywhere on the field.
“You can’t get away from the personnel element of it. Who is available to us and how we’re gonna utilize their talent. You know we’re going through a transition at the inside linebacker level obviously, going into a season without Ryan Shazier and his unique talents. So we’ll do some things differently. We’ll plan differently. We’ve done that, and I look forward to watching it unfold inside the stadium.”
It'll be a work-in-progress all summer long.
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