Have the Steelers done enough on defense this offseason to address their “Baltimore problem?”

Steelers’ defensive coordinator Teryl Austin made an interesting comment to reporters after one of last week’s mini-camp practices. When asked about the struggles of his unit down the stretch last season, when Pittsburgh surrendered an average of 27.5 points over their final five games, all of which were losses, Austin said:

“We had a Baltimore problem last year. There’s no way to get around it. They ran the ball down our throats, and we have to fix that if we want to contend in this division.”

The fact that Austin singled out the Ravens in a question that addressed a broader topic says a lot about Pittsburgh’s off-season focus. Two of those five losses were to Baltimore, and in those games the Steelers gave up 519 combined rushing yards, including an astounding 299 in their Wild Card playoff defeat. No team is built to withstand that kind of gouging at the hands of an opposing rushing attack, much less one that prides itself on stopping the run like the Steelers. To put it bluntly, those Baltimore losses were embarrassing, not simply because the Steelers were outscored by 31 points but because they were physically dominated.

Austin’s comment was consistent with the team’s focus this off-season on preventing a repeat of that Baltimore dominance in 2025. Have the Steelers done enough on defense to accomplish this? We’ll see. But they’ve certainly made a concerted effort. Here’s a look by position group at how Pittsburgh has addressed its “Baltimore problem.”

Defensive Line

The most obvious move has been the addition of first-round draft pick Derrick Harmon, whom the Steelers selected 21st overall out of Oregon. Harmon is 6’5-312-pounds and has the size to hold up against a physical Baltimore offensive line. But he plays with the explosiveness of a much smaller man. Harmon’s best traits are his hand usage and his ability to shed blocks. He rarely stays blocked for long, which will be refreshing after watching several of the team’s defensive linemen stick to blocks last season as though they were magnetized. Harmon will start immediately in Pittsburgh’s base 3-4, and will rotate with Cam Heyward and Keeanu Benton when they play their 2-4-5 sub-package. His presence should help stabilize a unit that was pushed around far too easily by the Ravens last season.

Fifth-round pick Yahya Black, from Iowa, could see time as a situational run-stopper as well. You have to believe Black was drafted with the Ravens in mind. At 6’6-336 pounds, he’s a massive human being who will, if nothing else, clog up space in the A and B gaps. Black plays too high at present and will have to work on lowering his pad level to command the double teams the Steelers would like him to. But with some seasoning, he could be provide much-needed beef to combat Derrick Henry and Company.

Finally, one of the under-the-radar signings of the off-season was Daniel Ekuale, a 6’3-300-pound veteran who started 16 games in New England last season. Ekuale is not a sexy name, and he won’t make many splash plays. But he provides valuable experience and should be an upgrade over depth pieces from last season like Montravius Adams and Dean Lowry.

The Steelers got bigger, younger and deeper on the defensive line this off-season. That should pay dividends in combating the Ravens.

Edge

T.J. Watt did not attend mini-camp, and may hold out, or hold in, or do whatever veterans do these days when they don’t want to get injured while negotiating a new contract. I’ll go on the record in saying the Steelers will get a deal done with him over the summer, and when we kick off in September he will look and play like T.J. Watt.

Elsewhere, the only change to this group is the addition of fourth-round pick Jack Sawyer, a high-energy, high-motor edge from Ohio State. Sawyer may not be a major impact player this season, but his presence, as well as that of Nick Herbig, could be significant. The Steelers had just two total sacks in their two losses to Baltimore last season, and Watt appeared to wear down late in the year. If Sawyer and Herbig can command enough reps to keep Watt and Alex Highsmith fresh, Watt’s production, and the production of the group as a whole, should rise.

Linebacker

One veteran run-thumper, Elandon Roberts, left in free agency, while another, former Raven Malik Harrison, was signed. Otherwise, this unit returns intact. That is significant, considering the group was overhauled last season and the new pieces took time to gel.

Patrick Queen should be more comfortable with Austin’s defense this year, and Payton Wilson should take a leap in his second season. Harrison should be valuable as a younger, more athletic version of Roberts. The most significant addition will be the return of Cole Holcomb, who played solid football for the Steelers in 2023 before missing all of last season with a knee injury. If Holcomb is back to form, this unit will be well-suited to match up with Baltimore. It will have a combination of thumpers to combat the inside run and athletes to run down plays in the alley. It may, when all is said and done, be Pittsburgh’s best linebacking corps in years.

Secondary

One player who turned heads at last week’s mini-camp was free agent signee Juan Thornhill. The veteran safety was used in a variety of roles and gave the Steelers the ability to make extensive use of their three-safety package. Having Thornhill, Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott on the field together could be a great way to combat Baltimore. The Ravens feasted in the run game last season when Beanie Bishop was on the field for Pittsburgh as a nickel corner. Baltimore ran right at Bishop and made the 5’9-180-pound rookie fight off blocks and tackle Henry. That worked decidedly to Baltimore’s advantage.

Thornhill is bigger (6’0-205) and stronger than Bishop and will hold up much better against the run. He may not be as accomplished in coverage, but he shouldn’t be considered a liability. And, with Fitzpatrick and Elliott on the field, as well as starting corners Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay, he’ll have plenty of help. If Pittsburgh wants their best defenders in the lineup when Baltimore goes 11-personnel, the three-safety nickel package could be the way to go.

Overall

The Steelers seem much better positioned to defend Baltimore’s offense than they were a year ago. They are bigger and stronger on the defensive line, deeper at edge and at linebacker, and better suited to match up with Baltimore in the secondary. At worst, the Steelers should not get trampled by Baltimore’s run game the way they did late last season. At best, they may now have the pieces to stymie the Ravens in their quest to take back the AFC North division title.