Additions: Patrick Queen
Losses: Markus Golden
Returners: T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Cameron Heyward, Larry Ogunjobi
While the Pittsburgh Steelers haven't made a bunch of moves to improve their pass rush during free agency, adding Patrick Queen will help them put pressure on the quarterback. Queen might be an off-ball linebacker, but he is an effective blitzer with 13.5 career sacks in four seasons, including 3.5 last season.
Also, Pittsburgh didn't need to make many significant changes.
When healthy, Watt has been arguably the most consistent producer among the league's edge rushers. He's posted double-digit sacks in five out of seven seasons, including an NFL-best 19 last season, which is a big reason why he's finished in the top three for Defensive Player of the Year Award four times and won it once.
Watt by himself makes the Steelers worthy of landing on this list, and he's not alone. Highsmith has been a great compliment on the other side of the line, racking up 27.5 sacks since becoming a full-time starter three years ago.
On the interior, Heyward was banged up last season but is still a force when healthy as he posted 10 and 10.5 sacks in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Then there's Ogunjobi, who can also collapse the pocket in the middle of the line with three sacks and 35 pressures a year ago, per Pro Football Focus.
Between not losing much in free agency, adding a blitzing threat at linebacker and already having a strong unit, it's easy to see why the Steelers rank so high despite being relatively quiet last week.
