After the departure of the veteran pass-rusher Melvin Ingram before the trade deadline, the Pittsburgh Steelers were left in a tough spot in trying to find another player to replace Ingram's ability as a pass-rusher. The depth at the outside linebacker position is one of the concerns for the Steelers, and with a 17-game season, there needs to be extra depth at the linebacker position in order to maintain success through the season and also through the playoffs. On the depth chart, it seems like Taco Charlton will be the third outside linebacker and will get significant reps during gameplay.
“He’s doing well. He’s still got some things to do in terms of the passing game,” defensive coordinator Keith Butler admitted. “What’s hard sometimes for our guys to understand is outside linebackers, and they are outside linebackers. They’ve got to do linebacker things, not defensive end things, all the time. They’ve got to get in coverage and understand coverage. There’s a little bit more to it than playing with your hand down all the time.”
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Charlton, who has had 11 sacks in 45 career games, is definitely more well-known as a pass-rusher, but with his new role in the Steelers defense, may have an opportunity to be dropped into pass coverage.
In order for the second line of defense to succeed, specifically Charlton, they need to understand their role. With Charlton, he needs to understand he does not need to be an all-time pass rusher when he has Cam Heyward and TJ Watt playing alongside.
What do you think Charlton needs to do in order for his stint in Pittsburgh to be a success? Remember, Ingram totaled one sack in six games. Will Charlton be able to outperform this number? Comment below!
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