One constant in the NFL is the most important player on the roster is the starting quarterback. But who is No. 2? This is the question Pro Football Focus asked of all the teams in the AFC. For the Pittsburgh Steelers, the answer was pretty obvious.
PFF went with outside linebacker T.J. Watt and here’s what they had to say about the pick:
The Steelers just don’t function the same when T.J. Watt is off the field. Watt missed Weeks 2-9 in 2022 due to injury, and the contrast in success was stark. When he played, Pittsburgh went 8-2 with a 79.0 team defense grade. Without him, they went 1-6 with a 56.3 team defense grade — the fourth-worst mark in the NFL in that span.
Watt is the second-highest-graded edge defender over the past four seasons. He is a former Defensive Player of the Year and tied the single-season sack record in 2021. His credentials speak for themselves and he is, by far, the most indispensable player on the Steelers’ roster.
Given the Steelers conservative offensive approach and emphasis on the run game, a case could be made that Watt is more valuable than quarterback Kenny Pickett. His value cannot be denied and might be the most irreplaceable guy on the roster.
