The Pittsburgh Steelers have undergone a lot of change defensively this offseason, with almost a whole new staff and new additions such as Jamel Dean, Sebastian Joseph-Day and Jaquan Brisker. Dean was the biggest free agent signing by the Steelers this offseason, and SI’s Gilberto Manzano believes he’s Pittsburgh’s best secondary player. In ranking the team’s defensive “triplets,” with one EDGE rusher, one linebacker and one secondary player, Manzano listed Dean along with T.J. Watt and Patrick Queen, ranking the trio 11th best in the NFL.
“[Steelers DC Patrick] Graham will also need to find creative ways to utilize Dean, a free-agent addition who was inconsistent at times during his final seasons with the Buccaneers,” Manzano wrote.
It’s interesting Manzano has Dean as Pittsburgh’s best secondary option, ahead of Joey Porter Jr. and Jalen Ramsey. Ramsey isn’t a lockdown cornerback anymore but he’s still a versatile defensive piece, while Porter had a strong season in 2025 and enters 2026 as Pittsburgh’s projected No. 1 cornerback.
Regardless, the ranking isn’t off base. Queen has been inconsistent, while Watt’s production slipped last season. Of course, the problem with a ranking like this is it’s limited. Pittsburgh’s EDGE group as a whole is one of the best in the NFL and solely grading it off Watt doesn’t capture the entire picture.
But No. 11 still seems fair, based on the criteria. Queen is still talented, but he isn’t at the All-Pro level he was during his final season with the Ravens. Entering a contract year, a big season from Queen could really elevate Pittsburgh’s defense. But picking one individual pass rusher, linebacker and secondary player means the Steelers’ trio gets brought down.
I don’t think anyone would argue that the Ravens have a better pass-rush group than the Steelers, and their defense as a whole was shaky at times last year. But their trio, which includes the newly signed Trey Hendrickson along with Roquan Smith and Kyle Hamilton, came in at No. 10 on the rankings. Smith and Hamilton are All-Pro-level talents and, when healthy, Hendrickson is one of the best at getting after the quarterback.
But the Ravens’ overall defense doesn’t compare to the Steelers’, so take this ranking with a grain of salt. The Steelers’ ranking could also wind up looking low if Watt returns to form and once again becomes one of the NFL’s premier pass rushers.
That very well could happen with how Graham might be planning to use him.