Around the AFC North: Steelers Continue to Boost Formidable Defense

The Steelers' defense has ranked among the top five in the league in each of the past two seasons and will be even more formidable this season.

Pittsburgh continued to reinforce its linebacker room, acquiring former Pro Bowler Joe Schobert from Jacksonville.

The Steelers will be even tougher with the return of Devin Bush and the addition of outside linebacker Melvin Ingram, who had 43 sacks for the Chargers between 2015-19. Ingram and T.J. Watt, a runner-up for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, will create difficult matchups for opposing offensive linemen.

"I've just been excited about getting to know him as a player and looking at his skill set and figuring out ways that we can infuse him into what it is that we do," Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said about Ingram. "It's been a fun process. He's a football lover. He's a competitor. He likes to work. He's been fitting in nicely with the guys. It's been a fun process."

The Steelers defensive line is also stacked.

Defensive end Stephon Tuitt had 11.0 sacks, 10 tackles for a loss, and 25 quarterback hits over 15 games last season. The front includes three other stalwart players — Cameron Heyward, Tyson Alualu, and former Raven Chris Wormley — that will be dominant against the run.

The secondary is led by safety Minkah Fitzpatrick, who has been already been named First-Team All-Pro twice over his young career. Fitzpatrick, 24, is a vital cog for the Steelers' defense that is aggressive flying to the ball.

Fitzpatrick has nine interceptions, three fumble recoveries and two forced fumbles in less than two seasons with Pittsburgh.

“I’m just trying to take that challenge," Fitzpatrick said. "I’ve been a starter since the day I walked into the league, so I think I could impart a lot of my wisdom on younger guys, and even older guys.”

This could spell trouble for the Ravens

Quarterback Lamar Jackson was sacked four times and threw two interceptions in his only meeting with Pittsburgh last year.

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