What is the best position group for the 2022 Steelers?

The 2022 Pittsburgh Steelers have plenty of talent on their roster. Sure, there are position groups which are better than others, but it begs the question — which position group is best?

When you look at the current roster, there are several position groups which could be considered “the best”. Recently, the talking heads at ESPN put together the best position group for all 32 NFL teams, and it should come as a shock to no one what aspect of the team they picked for the black and gold.

Before getting to the position group they selected, here is a little background on how they made their decision:

It’s important to note that we set a rule for ourselves not to consider the quarterback position. You don’t need us to tell you that Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen are the best and most important players on their respective teams. We chose to dig a little deeper.

So, what position did they pick? You guessed it, the pass rush.

Here is what they had to say about the best position group:

Pittsburgh Steelers

Pass rush

It’s a bit of a cheat, since the pass rush in Pittsburgh incorporates both edge-rusher linebackers like T.J. Watt and down linemen like Cameron Heyward. We list the pass rush here for the Steelers largely thanks to the brilliance of those two players. Watt and Heyward combined for 31.5 sacks, 21 hits and 61 hurries in 2021.

The Steelers have been forever defined by getting after the passer, and lately they have done it as well as at any point in their proud history. Last season, they led the NFL in sacks for the fifth straight year, and they have been first or second in adjusted sack rate each season in that span.

Pittsburgh’s defense was hardly dominant otherwise, finishing 27th in DVOA against the run, for example. It’s likely that the pass rush will again be the key element to defensive success in 2022.

When you think about other positions which could have been labeled the best, here are a few which could have been considered:

• Tight End
• Wide Receiver
• Starting RB
• Outside Linebackers

What do you think? What would you consider to be the Steelers’ best position group? Let us know in the comment section below, and be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the team as they prepare for training camp to start tomorrow, Tuesday, at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA.