Pundits have long assumed that the Pittsburgh Steelers would add a wide receiver at the NFL trade deadline. League insiders have reported the team is pursuing a receiver on the trade market.
Even after signing veteran Marquez Valdes-Scantling, a receiver trade for the Steelers makes sense.
But the way 2025 has gone, Mike Tomlin’s roster appears to have an even bigger need than receiver.
That’s what ESPN’s Dan Graziano argued Tuesday morning. Graziano said on SportsCenter that the Steelers should make adding players to their defense an NFL trade deadline priority.
“I don’t think enough people realize how bad their defense has gotten,” Graziano said, via Steelers Depot’s Ross McCorkle. “Every time you put on a Steelers game, the talk that you hear is like, ‘Oh, well of course the Steelers are known for great defense.’ I’m sitting here thinking this is not 1976.
“This is a group that got very old, very fast. And this isn’t like the 49ers where half of them are hurt. This is their group basically.
“One or two guys have missed some time, but this is what they have.”
Steelers Defense Significantly Struggling Near Midseason Point
Graziano isn’t wrong — the Steelers defense practically got old overnight. But the ESPN insider failed to mention that it was the organization’s own doing.
Pittsburgh’s two biggest defensive additions this past offseason were cornerbacks Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay. Both are at least 31 years old. Slay will turn 35 before the end of the regular season.
After years of All-Pro and Pro Bowl level play, both Ramsey and Slay didn’t make the Pro Bowl last season. Yet, the Steelers still acquired them to play major roles in 2025.
Along the defensive line, Keeanu Benton hasn’t developed, and Derrick Harmon is still a rookie. So, the Steelers are still counting on 36-year-old Cameron Heyward to be the team’s best defensive lineman.
At edge rusher, T.J. Watt is either in a slump, dealing with an injury or also feeling the effects of being 31 years old. Watt has four sacks through seven games and hasn’t posted the splash plays he often does.
It all adds up to a defense that’s not up to normal Steelers standards. But it’s also not even average.
Pittsburgh is 22nd in points allowed and 30th in yards yielded per game. Tomlin’s defense is last in pass defense and 24th in third-down conversions allowed.
The unit’s only saving grace this season has been takeaways and red zone defense. The two are related, as the Steelers have forced some turnovers in the red area.
Without that, the Steelers would have a below .500 record.
Could Steelers Upgrade Defense at 2025 NFL Trade Deadline?
It’s easy to diagnose Pittsburgh’s defensive problems. However, it’s much more difficult to fix.
Unfortunately for Tomlin and Steelers Nation, it might not be fixable. That’s what McCorkle argued in response to Graziano’s claim the Steelers should acquire defensive players at the trade deadline.
But due to such a small window at quarterback with Aaron Rodgers, the Steelers probably can’t afford to just punt on this season. The team might only have this year to try and go on a run with Rodgers.
Trading future assets for more defensive veterans is going to combat Tomlin’s current problem. But the Steelers don’t appear to have a choice if they want to win the AFC North for the first time since 2020.
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