The Pittsburgh Steelers are doing something this offseason that they haven’t done in nearly two decades; look for a new starting quarterback. Ben Roethlisberger officially announced his retirement this week, meaning the Steelers need to find a new signal-caller.
A lot of attention will be given to that side of the ball, and rightfully so. A lot of the team’s shortcomings this season were from unspectacular quarterback play and an underwhelming offensive line.
However, there was one area of the team that may have trumped both of them, and that would be their run defense. Pittsburgh had the worst rushing defense in the NFL in 2021, giving up 2,481 yards on the ground and surrendering five yards per carry.
Injuries to Tyson Alualu and Stephon Tuitt derailed the team’s rushing defense. They were unable to slow down any opponent on the ground, which put the team in some tough predicaments.
This offseason, shoring up the run defense is probably the most important thing for the team after finding a quarterback. They have the makings of an elite defense, but they need to get better at slowing down opponents on the ground.
That is why Curt Popejoy of Steelers Wire believes that Akiem Hicks is someone that Pittsburgh should pursue in free agency. The 32-year old Hicks has spent the last six seasons with the Chicago Bears and has been one of the more consistent defensive tackle performers in the NFL during that span.
Hicks’ sheer size makes him a good run blocker, but he provides a lot more than that along the defensive line. He has some pass-rushing juice as well, registering at least three sacks in seven out of his 10 seasons in the league.
With teams focusing so much attention on trying to slow down T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward, Hicks could find himself in some one-on-one opportunities that he is more than capable of taking advantage of.
The addition of Hicks to the middle of the defensive line would be a huge boost for Pittsburgh. This is a defense that could be truly elite with improvements against the run as they have a vaunted pass rush and playmakers all over the unit.
