A new ranking from SI places the Pittsburgh Steelers' top defensive trio at No. 11 in the NFL. The group includes edge rusher T.J. Watt, linebacker Patrick Queen and secondary player Jamel Dean.
The ranking comes after the Steelers made several defensive changes this offseason. Dean, signed as a free agent from the Buccaneers, is viewed as the team's top secondary option ahead of players such as Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey. SI writer Gilberto Manzano noted that new defensive coordinator Patrick Graham will need to find creative ways to use Dean, who showed inconsistency in his final seasons in Tampa Bay. Queen enters a contract year after an inconsistent stretch, while Watt's production dipped last season. For comparison the Baltimore Ravens' trio of Trey Hendrickson, Roquan Smith and Kyle Hamilton placed 10th. The Steelers' overall defense is viewed more favorably than the Ravens' unit despite the one-spot difference in the triplets ranking.
