The goal of any NFL offseason is to improve. You cannot stand pat in this league or you lose. For a team like the Pittsburgh Steelers, this means eyeing the teams at the top of the AFC and figuring out what must be done to keep pace.
Last season the Steelers defense was among one of the best in the NFL. But there have been some changes and we need to go unit by unit and see if this group is better or worse.
Defensive line
This one takes a little deduction and confidence for the future. Losing defensive tackle Javon Hargrave hurts. He was easily one of the most underrated players on the roster. Simply the addition of Chris Wormley and Carlos Davis to replace him wouldn’t be enough to say this group is better.
But the healthy return of Stephon Tuitt puts this group over the top. Tuitt missed 10 games with injury last season but when he’s 100 percent is as good as any 3-4 defensive end in the league. I’m not sure we can count on him making it through a full season but for now, this group is improved.