Malik Reed appears to be top choice to replace T.J. Watt, but Steelers may have other options

Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt is now officially on injured reserve. So he is out of action for at least the next four weeks.

How do they get around the problem at left outside linebacker? Well, we know recently acquired former Denver Broncos linebacker Malik Reed is the first option.

What other choices do they have? Here’s a look at other ways the Steelers may try to offset the loss of the reigning Defensive Player of the Year.

Moving Malik

The acquisition of Reed was widely applauded as a good depth move. But the concern is that the somewhat undersized Reed may get exposed and worn down as games — and Watt’s extended time on IR — grind along.

Reed is 235 pounds and listed at 6-foot-2. He may be an inch or two shorter than that. Watt is about three inches taller and almost 20 pounds heavier. Reed has 15 sacks in 34 career starts. His pass rush skills are good. But Watt will be missed against the run.

Don’t be surprised if teams (especially the New England Patriots this week) emphasize a rush attack directly at Reed on the left side of the Steelers defense. Not only would that be potentially exploiting Watt’s absence — and Reed’s presence — but it would be running away from Cameron Heyward’s side too. That’s never a bad idea.

One thing the Steelers may want to consider is flip-flopping Reed and Alex Highsmith on occasion so that the opposing offenses can’t just sit back and target one side of the field in the rush game nonstop and slide all their pass protections toward Highsmith.

It may not be a terrible idea, every now and again, to bring backup OLB Jamir Jones into the game and blitz Reed from the inside.

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Next in line

If the Steelers are worried about Reed against the run, they aren’t showing it.

“I think he was solid when he had to go in there. He got down on a couple of runs, chasing things down,” defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said of Reed’s performance Sunday. “He gave you some decent rush, some decent pressure off the edge. It’s not T.J., but it was pretty good for a first time out. I look for him to be better now that he’s going to have some more reps under his belt.”

Should the Steelers want to try a bigger body or just a change of pace to keep Reed and Highsmith fresh, we may see more of Jones.

He was a training camp darling at Saint Vincent College in 2021. As a rookie free agent, Jones had four quarterback sacks in four games and led the NFL with six QB hits and 13 total QB pressures. Plus, he was tops on the Steelers with six special teams tackles, earning a place on the 53-man roster.

But he was waived at the end of September and was eventually claimed by the Los Angeles Rams. He stayed on their roster until Christmas and then was picked up by the Jacksonville Jaguars until August of this year. The Steelers claimed him for a second time on Sept. 1.

“We had a good experience with him last time,” coach Mike Tomlin said of Jones. “We had an opportunity to reconnect, and usually we will do repeat business if it’s a good relationship. He’s one of those guys. He’s back here for a second time, and usually they’re back here for a second time because they have some things that we value, not only in terms of talent, but in approach to business that are in line with our mantra.”

Jones is a little bigger than Reed (6-foot-3, 255 pounds). So he might be more stout against the run. But Jones has yet to register an NFL sack.

Look at Leal?

Hear me out on this one.

Rookie DeMarvin Leal got 17 snaps in his first game last week at Cincinnati. Austin seemed relatively impressed with what he saw.

“I think he did OK for a young guy in his first game getting in there,” Austin said. “I think he had the first game jitters, but like Mike (Tomlin) said (of fellow rookie Jaylen Warren), he didn’t go in there and, what was it?”

Um, I believe the quote was “urinate down his leg,” coach.

“Yeah, that didn’t happen. That’s on both sides of the ball. We’ve got dry pants. So, we’re good,” Austin said.

Well, that’s a start.

Leal has always been described as a tweener coming out of college. He was renowned as a pass rusher more than anything at Texas A&M. He had 8.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss in his junior year. At 290 pounds, Leal could give you more beef at left outside linebacker and stand up on occasion on the edge.

Not for a full game. But maybe a play or two? A drive or two? Just for an experimental look? I think it’s worth a try.

Blitz more

If the Steelers find themselves in need of generating more pass rush without Watt, one way of doing so could be to blitz more.

Even though the Steelers got seven sacks against the Bengals last week, they were able to do so without blitzing very often. According to Pro Football Reference, the Steelers only blitzed nine times. That’s 13% of the Bengals’ dropbacks Sunday. Only the Saints, Bears and Bills blitzed less frequently in Week 1.

Obviously, blitzing more could expose the Steelers on the back end. But so could an ineffective pass rush that doesn’t disrupt the QB as frequently with the Defensive Player of the Year on the shelf for at least the next month.

For Friday’s “Breakfast With Benz” podcast, TribLIVE radio alum and WEEI (Boston) host Ken Laird joins Tim Benz to preview Sunday’s home opener at Acrisure Stadium against the New England Patriots.

Listen: Tim Benz and Ken Laird preview the Steelers-Patriots game