PFF Highlights ‘Top-Tier’ Steelers Duo Among NFL’s Best Positional Pairings

The Pittsburgh Steelers made some flashy offensive upgrades this season, but the defense could remain the team’s fulcrum point in 2025.

For the second straight season, the Steelers went 10-7 with a defense that finished inside the top 10 of points allowed. Their stars return to anchor a ferocious pass rush that tallied 40 sacks last season.

Zoltán Buday of Pro Football Focus identified the NFL’s best pairing at each position (excluding quarterback and special teams) entering the 2025 season. For edge defenders, Buday chose T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith.

“The Steelers feature arguably the best defensive line in football, led by a top-tier edge defender pair,” Buday wrote. “While Highsmith was hindered by injuries last season, he was still among the most effective pass rushers in the league when on the field. His 89.3 PFF pass-rushing grade ranked seventh among 109 edge defenders. On the other hand, Watt led the position with a 90.3 PFF run-defense grade and ranked sixth in PFF pass-rushing grade (90.1), one spot ahead of Highsmith.”

Highsmith emerged as another lethal rusher when he registered 14 sacks and five forced fumbles in 2023. He played in all but one game through four seasons before missing time with groin and ankle injuries last year.

The former third-round pick returned from a late absence to record a sack in three straight December contests. Highsmith notched another sack in Pittsburgh’s first-round loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

By his lofty standards, Watt took a step back by only collecting 11.5 sacks last season. He still finished fourth in the Defensive Player of the Year voting with 31 pressures, 27 quarterback hits and six forced fumbles.

Entering his final year under contract, Watt skipped Pittsburgh’s mandatory minicamp. However, there’s optimism of the Steelers reaching a new deal with the four-time All-Pro before starting their 2025 season against former teammate Justin Fields and the New York Jets on Sept. 7.

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