T.J. Watt sees Steelers' defense heading in right direction

T.J. Watt doesn’t want to put the cart before the horse, but he sounds pretty optimistic about what the Steelers are putting together on the defensive side of the football for the 2023 season. He shared some encouraging words on Ben Roethlisberger‘s podcast, Footbahlin with Big Ben.

Watt didn’t want to make any promises while talking about Pittsburgh’s potential. What he did say, though, was that he’s encouraged by what he’s seen so far.

“I think it’s still too early to have a true sense of ‘This is the year,’ because they always say you don’t want to be the guy who’s just crushing it with no pads on — you don’t really know the personality of everybody yet,” Watt said.

“So it’s too early for that, but I’m very encouraged with the direction we’re going, especially on the defensive side of the ball, which is what I can speak for. Guys are flying around, having a lot of fun, communicating and making a lot of those splash plays, and that’s all you can really ask for this time of year.”

The Steelers concluded last season with a 9-8 record, narrowly missing out on a playoff berth. Pittsburgh hasn’t won a postseason contest since 2016, so the goals are pretty clear in the Steel City.

But Watt doesn’t want to ramp up expectations too high just yet. Although, one of his teammates had no trouble doing exactly that.

Alex Highsmith believes Steelers possess major potential

Fellow Pittsburgh linebacker Alex Highsmith had no difficulty in expressing high expectations for his squad in 2023. He believes the Steelers have all the pieces to have the best defensive unit in the NFL.

Because of all the new pieces around the team, there’s some skepticism about how quickly the defense will jell. But Highsmith said he’s excited about the potential in the locker room.

“I know 100 percent we can be the best defense in the NFL, especially if we all stay healthy,” Highsmith said, per Steelers.com. “I am excited about the guys that we have. We have depth at almost every position. It’s been good seeing guys come together and get better and better every day. The sky is the limit for us. I am excited to see how we continue to grow.”

There’s a chance Watt feels the same way but doesn’t want to feel the pressure of having to deliver on those high expectations. Either way, the word is out there. A lot of eyeballs will be on the Steelers this fall — especially on the defensive side.