Steelers defense is NFL's MOST EXPENSIVE again? Can T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward get elite results?

On the Wednesday episode of the North Shore Drive podcast, presented by FanDuel and Edgar Snyder & Associates, the Post-Gazette's Christopher Carter and Noah Hiles ponder reasonable expectations for the Steelers' defense as it enters the 2026 season as the NFL's most expensive yet again. Are fans entitled to expect elite results from T.J. Watt, Cam Heyward, Jalen Ramsey, Alex Highsmith and Nick Herbig as they lead the unit on lucrative contracts? Or is it more complicated than that as new DC Patrick Graham takes the reins from departed coaches Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin on coach Mike McCarthy's first-year staff? Our duo tackles those question, then wonders whether QB Aaron Rodgers will continue to rely on short passes like he did in 2025. Or look to push the ball downfield more to an improved pass catching group that includes names like Germie Bernard, Michael Pittman Jr., DK Metcalf, Rico Dowdle, Jaylen Warren, Darnell Washington and Pat Freiermuth. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.