“Your 2024 Walter Payton Man of the Year, Cameron Heyward – Pittsburgh Steelers!” Man, that has a nice ring to it and has been a long time coming. We are all so proud of Cam for what he does for the team and community. Cam has been the heart and soul of the Pittsburgh Steelers for a long time. With all the success Cam has had, he is at a point in his career coaches and front office executives do not look forward to. Will Cam’s play match his pay? Heyward will have a 2024 cap hit of over $22 million according to spotrac.com. Along with Cam Heyward, the main pieces of the Steelers defensive line consist of Larry Ogunjobi (who has a 2024 cap hit of over $13 million according to spotrac.com) and Keanu Benton. Between Heyward and Ogunjobi, they account for an expected 2024 cap hit of $33,869,883; that is a large number between the two. Cam is 34 years old coming off a torn groin that affected him all season as he is also on the back end of his career. We may have already seen the best of Heyward with most dominant playing days most likely behind him, but I have confidence he will still be very productive in his role. Larry Ogunjobi is 29 years old and does not have the cleanest bill of health either, although he was pretty healthy this past season. Ogunjobi is a definitely a solid player but is he worth the money he is earning; this past season he was good but not great. Keanu Benton is no doubt the future of the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive line but sooner than later he is going to need help. Another name to keep an eye on if the Steelers decide to bring back is Armon Watts, who will be an unrestricted free agent.

The Steelers have always looked for a certain body type in their defensive tackles which is in the 6’ 4+, 290+ lbs. area. Can the Steelers find another dominant defensive lineman in this years draft?  I have put together a list of 2024 draft prospects that physically fit the mold of a Pittsburgh Steeler.

Some of the top players to keep an eye on in the first two rounds:

• Darius Robinson – Missouri
• Leonard Taylor – Miami
• Ruke Orhorhoro – Clemson
• Michael Hall Jr – Ohio State

More players of note that may be drafted in the later rounds are: Kris Jenkins – Michigan, Brandon Dorlus – Oregon, McKinnley Jackson – Texas A&M, DeWayne Carter – Duke, Braden Fiske – Florida State, Keith Randolph Jr – Illinois, Jordan Jefferson – LSU, Justin Egoigbe – Alabama, Gabe Hall – Baylor. I would keep an eye on these players throughout the NFL Combine, their pro days and especially during the 2024 NFL Draft. Along with Keanu Benton, one of these names could be the next Pittsburgh Steelers to terrorize opposing offenses for years to come!

Stay Blessed and Stay Positive… “Here We Go”