Keith Butler has a lot more to work with this season than he has in his past years as defensive coordinator. Along with a stronger secondary, he has an assortment of linebackers who can bring heat on the quarterback from different spots.
We can talk about T.J. Watt and Bud Dupree another day, but today is about the inside linebackers. Primarily, Devin Bush and Vince Williams.
You're all familiar with Williams' resume as an interior pass rusher. His eight sacks in 2017 and 4.5 sacks in 2018 have boosted a defense scrambling for answers. Williams relishes the opportunity to rush the quarterback, especially when he matches up with a running back.
Here he is blowing past Christian McCaffrey. Williams knows he has the matchup and plays it like a pro. McCaffrey knows he's outmatched and goes for the only move available, a cut block to Williams' legs. Williams doesn't even hesitate to use his hands to shove down McCaffrey, a textbook move, and hop over him to sack Cam Newton:
I attribute Williams' 2018 drop in sacks to the team's lack of coverage linebackers. Jon Bostic and L.J. Fort were not premier players who could be relied on against the pass, thus forcing Butler to use Williams more in coverage than usual.
But both Bush and Mark Barron can fill that role nicely, and the Steelers' improved secondary should allow for the linebackers to be more aggressive. Butler has longed for the ability to send creative blitzes with effective pass rushers. Having one or two guys who can create from their natural positions is one thing, but having players who can move between gaps creates headaches for offensive coordinators.
Williams does that between the tackles and can pick his spots, but the prospect of Bush's talents shows he can go anywhere on the line and be a threat. If that translates to the NFL, Butler's blitzes will be much more dangerous.
Here's Bush in a play I broke down in his draft article, but from a much better angle. Bush had 10 sacks in his last two years at Michigan and they came from different positions. Here's a play where Bush lined up as a traditional inside linebacker, but just before the snap he jumped down to the edge and beat the right tackle for the sack.
Watch how deliberate his rush is, emphasizing his inside shoulder while using his hands to create separation against the tackle, allowing him the space to finish the play:
There's no guarantee that Bush's wide array of skills will immediately transfer to the NFL, but the Steelers felt confident enough to trade up to the 10th pick to make sure those skills were in Butler's defense.
When a defense can force an offensive line into a guessing game about where pressure is coming from, they increase their chances for miscommunication and open gaps to attack the quarterback. If Butler is ever going to excel as a defensive coordinator in the NFL, this is where he has to make it work.
