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ESPN ranked the 10 best edge defenders in the NFL in their continuing preseason series. The Steelers haven’t seen much love in these lists but you had to feel confident Pittsburgh would get some respect here. But no such luck.
No, I’m not saying they were shut out. Linebacker T.J. Watt made the list. But the best he could muster after their votes was No. 7. Really? Here’s what they had to say about Watt’s placement.
Not many players maximize their abilities quite like Watt, who was wildly productive with 14.5 sacks and a league-leading eight forced fumbles (tied with Jones). If that wasn’t enough, Watt won on 27.7% of his pass rushes, tops among this group.
“He does it in every category,” a veteran NFL defensive coach said. “If he had Josh Allen’s athletic ability, he would be No. 1 on this list.”
That’s really the only knock on Watt: Some prefer the raw explosion from the players ranked higher. But Watt still got several top-five votes while surprising many along the way.
How Myles Garrett, who was suspended for six games and Von Miller who saw his production nosedive in 2019 is beyond me. There’s no way Watt isn’t a Top-5 talent at his position.
Let us know if you think ESPN was fair in their ranking of Watt or was he too low.
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