ESPN analyst Jordan Rodgers praised the Pittsburgh Steelers defense during an appearance on Get Up on July 30. He highlighted new schemes and personnel after just one day of training camp. The comments come amid high expectations following major offseason changes.
Rodgers stated, “The Steel Curtain is back, baby,” while noting the unit is the highest-paid defense in the NFL. He referenced last season’s rankings of 17th in points per game and 29th in pass yards per game but expressed optimism about the new setup under defensive coordinator Patrick Graham.
The Steelers have added cornerback Jamel Dean, safety Jaquan Brisker, and others after previous investments including Darius Slay, Jalen Ramsey, and Derrick Harmon. At Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, practices showed T.J. Watt moving around the formation alongside Nick Herbig and Alex Highsmith.
Depth players like Asante Samuel Jr. and rookie Daylen Everette impressed on the first day. Joey Porter Jr. remains on the Active/PUP list due to a back issue from Tuesday’s conditioning test.
