It's no secret one of the biggest questions for the Steelers' defense this season is who will back up T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith as the team's edge rushers. I've written about Cassius Marsh wanting to 'do everything' the Steelers ask of him and the skills rookie sixth round draft pick Quincy Roche brings with him from Miami in a Carter's Classroom.
The Steelers had looked at Ryan Kerrigan as a potential option before he was snatched up by the Eagles, and I've gone over in a Talking Point different options who are still available in free agency. It's clear they know they need more options on the edge.
Defensive coordinator Keith Butler made that even more clear when he spoke at Heinz Field Tuesday before the Steelers opened up their first minicamp practice.
"We're looking for a third guy," Butler said. "We've always wanted to have a third guy. Last year that guy was Alex. When we lost Bud (Dupree), he was a big part of our defense. We hated to lose him but that's the nature of this game sometimes when it comes to money and salary cap. We're looking for a third guy who can step up. Hopefully Cassius can help there too. We think he can help us but we'll see as we go along and how we can stay healthy."
Butler wouldn't sound off on how the Steelers might find that answer, as those are questions for Mike Tomlin and Kevin Colbert. But he did say the Steelers would be taking the next few months to look at who they have to evaluate what moves would be needed with the team's remaining approximate $7.3 million in cap space.
"That's going to be up to Mike and Kevin to look elsewhere and give us some depth," Butler said about potential edge rusher additions. "We'll see as we go along. We've got four preseason games, but the good thing is it gives us more of a chance to evaluate who we've got. Hopefully we can find someone who we think is capable of being as good as we have been in the past. I'm sure Kevin and Mike will look around."
Beyond just being prepared for injuries like how the Steelers had on the edge with Dupree going down late in the season and Highsmith being hurt at the start of their playoff game, depth is needed just to give the starters rest during games so they can be fresh and ready at the right times."
"Those guys have to tell us that themselves," Butler said of Watt. "And they do, he's always been good about saying when he does and doesn't need a break. To me, a player like that needs to be in the game in nut-cutting time. When is nut-cutting time? Usually early in the fourth quarter to the middle of the fourth quarter when it's real tight. We've got to be aware of where he's at and how he's feeling that day and where he can be most productive in that critical time when we win football games."
Watt also didn't attend OTAs the past three weeks, opting to practice and train on his own before showing up for mandatory minicamp at Heinz Field, not that his decision bothered Butler.
"T.J. is a big part of our defense and our team," Butler said of Watt. "He's doing what he thinks is best for him and I support him as much as anybody. I was once a player too doing the same thing. There's a reason the players' association got what they got in terms of free agency. We're hoping we can get him signed before training camp."
As for what players might be showing good signs in minicamp and OTAs? Butler won't be sold on anything he sees until the pads go on in late July and August. That's when he and the coaching staff will see the things about these players they really want to know that might hint either way as to how they'll fit into their defensive plans.
"The only thing you can tell with guys in shorts on is how fast they are, how they react and how smart they are," Butler said of evaluating players in OTAs and minicamp. "That's fine, but our coaching staff wants a physical team and a physical defense. We're not going to know where we are until we put the pads on, play the preseason and let them play real people, hit and work against offensive linemen trying to block them. We'll wait and see on those guys and see if we got some guys who can be physical."
