For years, Cam Heyward has been the Steelers’ defensive constant - the guy you stopped worrying about because he just kept showing up and producing. Even after he turned 37 in May, there wasn’t much reason to think that would change.
Two games into this season, though, the picture looks a little different.
Heyward has still flashed the skill that has defined so much of his career, especially when he gets his hands up and bats down passes. But he hasn’t been the Steelers’ most effective defensive lineman, and he hasn’t been the name driving the conversation up front.
Against the Patriots in Week 2, he was moved off the ball several times while finishing with one pressure and one tackle on 41 defensive snaps. Pro Football Focus gave him a 47.1 overall grade, and his 39.5 run-defense grade was even lower.
Through two games and 73 defensive snaps, including 35 pass-rush reps, Heyward has only two pressures and four tackles, according to PFF.
That opens the door for two younger Steelers defensive tackles who are starting to make their presence felt in a big way.
Keeanu Benton has been excellent through the first two weeks under new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham. There are still a few clips floating around of Benton getting knocked backward, but the broader picture is much better than that.
He’s playing the best football of his career. PFF has him third among all NFL interior defenders with an 89.8 overall grade, and his 91.5 pass-rush grade is ahead of Dexter Lawrence, Quinnen Williams and Jeffery Simmons.
The production backs it up. Benton had three pressures against the Patriots alone, and he did it on just 17 pass-rush snaps.
Derrick Harmon is also starting to find his footing. The Steelers’ 2025 first-round pick didn’t have a clear pass-rush plan in Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, but he took a noticeable step forward in Week 2.
Against New England, Harmon logged four pressures, a sack and two stops on only 32 defensive snaps, including 16 pass-rush snaps. He’s also shown solid run defense at the point of attack.
It’s still early, and Heyward has earned the benefit of the doubt. He could easily turn this into another season where he reminds everybody not to count him out. But right now, Benton and Harmon look like they’re beginning to move ahead of him on the depth chart of impact.
Heyward isn’t going anywhere in 2026, and he’ll remain a major part of the Steelers’ defensive line rotation. Still, the long stretch where he was the unquestioned centerpiece up front may be nearing its end.
In Other News...
Steelers Suddenly Have A QB Trade Chip Worth Watching
The Steelers suddenly have a quarterback situation worth monitoring as Will Howard emerges as a name that could appeal to the Giants. New Yorks need for depth has grown after the injury to Jaxson Dart, and Howards profile is easy to understand from afar. He won at the college level and arrived in the NFL with some intrigue, even if the transition has brought its share of early challenges.
For Pittsburgh, the idea of moving Howard is less about giving up on a player than about weighing roster value and timing. For the Giants, it would be a chance to add another arm to a room that could use it. Nothing official is in place, but the possibility alone gives the Steelers another subplot to track as they continue sorting out their quarterback room. [Read more 🡒]
Jordan Rodgers Just Reignited The Steelers Aaron Rodgers Debate
Jordan Rodgers stepped onto ESPNs First Take and did what brothers often do when the spotlight turns harsh: he went to bat for Aaron Rodgers. With the Steelers coming off a Week 2 loss to the New England Patriots, Jordan pointed to the throws Aaron did make and argued that the quarterbacks night was shaped as much by drops and missed calls as anything else. It was a familiar kind of defense, but one that landed with extra weight because Aaron is now in his second season in Pittsburgh.
The timing only sharpened the conversation around the Steelers offense, especially with the Rodgers family relationship back in the public eye after years of estrangement. Jordan and Aaron have recently reconciled, and now the debate around Aarons play is being filtered through that renewed bond. For Pittsburgh, it adds another layer to an already watched quarterback situation, with outside voices quick to either excuse the loss or use it as another reminder that the offense still has questions to answer. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Backfield Plan Just Got More Interesting For Bengals Game
A week after shuffling bodies in the backfield, the Steelers added another layer to their running back situation ahead of their Week 3 matchup with the Bengals. Pittsburgh elevated Lew Nichols from the practice squad on Saturday because of Rico Dowdles toe injury, a move that comes after Travis Homer was already elevated and then signed to the 53-man roster when Gennings Dunker landed on injured reserve.
Doneiko Slaughter was also brought up again, marking his third elevation and using up his practice squad call-up limit. For a team trying to keep its roster flexible this early in the season, the additions suggest Pittsburgh is still sorting out who will be available and how it wants to manage depth heading into a division game that could demand more from the backfield than originally expected. [Read more 🡒]