Steelers 6-week stock report for the defense

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Over the past few seasons, the Pittsburgh Steelers have been carried by the play of the defense. This is a group that has led the league in sacks for multiple seasons and created scores of turnovers. This season has been up and down, mainly due to some injuries but this group is also coping with the adjustment of several new starters. Here’s our bye week stock report for the defense as the team prepares to come off the bye week.

Stock up: Cam Heyward

Philip G. Pavely-USA TODAY Sports

Defensive tackle Cam Heyward might be having his best year in his 11th season. Heyward is elevating the play of those around him and doing his best to hold together a defensive line ravaged by injuries.

Stock down: Stephon Tuitt

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

By no fault of his own, defensive end Stephon Tuitt makes this list. Tuitt missed almost all of the offseason and remains on the IR with his knee injury. This season was an opportunity for Tuitt to ascend and maybe even better Heyward but at this point it’s hard to say if he will even play this season.

Stock up: Alex Highsmith

(AP Photo/Fred Vuich)

Last week outside linebacker Alex Highsmith took a huge step forward in proving he belongs as the Steelers full-time outside linebacker. We have seen him taking more of the reps and after his performance against the Seattle Seahawks, you have to be optimistic Highsmith’s arrow is pointed way up.

Stock down: Melvin Ingram

Speaking of outside linebacker, Melvin Ingram had a huge first week with the Steelers but his impact has dwindled each week after. Highsmith’s emergence is only going to further cut into Ingram’s impact. I’m banking on a bounceback down the stretch, especially if the Steelers have something to play for.

Stock up: Tre Norwood

(Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)

Pittsburgh is leaning heavily on its rookie class and this includes defensive back Tre Norwood. Norwood was always a big-play threat at Oklahoma and he is bringing that mentality along with his versatility to the Steelers secondary.

Stock down: Devin Bush

(AP Photo/Don Wright)

There are two ways to look at the struggles of inside linebacker Devin Bush. Coming off of a torn ACL, Bush’s slow start could simply be a by-product of this recovery. Or it could be that even prior to his injury, Bush wasn’t the impact player the Steelers traded up for even prior to the injury. Either way, Bush is seeing a reduced role and for a player who costs so much, it’s never good.

Stock up: T.J. Watt

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This one might be too obvious. But it’s remarkable how outside linebacker T.J. Watt continues to elevate his game and find new ways to impact the defense beyond rushing the passer. Watt got a massive contract extension at the start of the season but hasn’t let up one bit.

Stock down: Terrell Edmunds

(AP Photo/Matt Durisko)

The Steelers chose to not pick up the fifth-year option of safety Terrell Edmunds. This means Edmunds is playing for a new contract this season. Edmunds hasn’t been great this season and he gets a stock down is because he’s playing very average when he has so much to play for.

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