Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin was already on record as saying his defense can do more in 2020.

Even in the turnover department, where the franchise led the NFL last year with 38.

“It’s reasonable to expect us to improve in that area and to improve in all areas,” Tomlin said back in June. “We have a young nucleus defensively, guys that have been here.”

Now defensive coordinator Keith Butler is doubling down on that prediction.

“Hopefully, we will be better wholly than last year,” Butler said last week.

That’s a tall order, given that the Steelers defense also had 54 sacks to lead the NFL. It allowed the third-fewest pass yards per game (194.6), third-fewest rush yards per carry (3.8), and fifth-fewest total yards per game (304.1). And it was tied for fifth-fewest defensive points allowed per game (18.9).

“I think we had a pretty good defense last year,” Butler continued. “You look at the stats of what we did last year and all that stuff. I think we could be better this year, really, if we keep people healthy.”

OK, then, which players, or positions, specifically need to improve?

We’ll go by process of elimination.

T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward and Minkah Fitzpatrick were All-Pros. Joe Haden made the Pro Bowl. Steven Nelson and Bud Dupree should have made the Pro Bowl, after having the best years of their careers. And slot corner Mike Hilton continues to be an undrafted free agent gem.

So let’s look elsewhere on the defensive roster where the club may be able to get more defensive production.

Terrell Edmunds

Two years after being a first-round pick, Edmunds has proven to be durable and reliable. Unfortunately, his freakish athletic ability has failed to manifest in many big plays.

Edmunds has been steady enough to log 31 starts, 2,002 defensive snaps and 183 total tackles. However, in all that time on the field, he has managed just one interception, one fumble recovery and one sack.

It’d be great if Fitzpatrick’s magnetic draw to the football is just as powerful this year. Short of all that good fortune happening, some of those turnovers are going to have to come from Edmunds at the other starting safety position.

“We feel like he can help us,” Butler said. “I think he is going to get better. I think having Minkah across from him is going to help him in terms of communication, the way they play and how they can complement each other.”

Stephon Tuitt

Tuitt can offer more just by being available to play.

The defensive lineman’s skill isn’t in question; his health is. Tuitt has missed 16 total games over the past three years.

“If he stays healthy and if we can get those guys up front to be healthy, I think we have a pretty good front and secondary, too,” Butler said.

Tuitt has been a game wrecker at times in limited snaps over the past three seasons. If he can keep his body from getting wrecked, look for the run defense to improve, the loss of Javon Hargrave to be mitigated, and Watt’s numbers to get even better on the left side of the defense.

The nose tackles

This is less about improving and more about offsetting.

Hargrave’s free-agent departure for Philadelphia is significant. But Tuitt’s return in sub-package snaps should minimize that loss in the pass-rush department.

Between Tyson Alualu, Carlos Davis, Dan McCullers, Isaiah Buggs and Chris Wormley, that group just needs to capably replicate Hargrave’s effectiveness in the run game so as to manage down and distance situations for the pass rush on second and third down.

As well as in goal-line packages.

The inside linebackers

Devin Bush was pretty good as a rookie, and an expected jump in comfort throughout his second year should yield better pass-coverage results and some more splash plays.

As well as being more stout in the run game.

“Things won’t be new to him,” Butler said. “He’s done it before. We are going to expect more out of him. We are going to want him to help make calls and get the communication down. We think he’s capable of doing that.”

Then it’s a matter of what is going to be done at the other spot. If Vince Williams plays more, he’s going to have to show he’s more than just a run stopper and a blitzer. If safeties absorb that role in a hybrid fashion, they’ll have to be able to handle the run responsibilities as well as cover.

The memories of James Farrior and Larry Foote as a tandem are getting grainy, and the quest to fully replace Ryan Shazier continues.

Ola Adeniyi

In the good ol’ days of the Steelers defense, there was a clear line of succession at the outside linebacker position.

Players such as Jason Gildon, Joey Porter, LaMarr Woodley and James Harrison were always starting capable and just waiting their turn.

Not so much now. Adeniyi is usually great in August, but not often impactful in the snaps he gets when Watt or Dupree sit down. Similarly, that’s in part why Anthony Chickillo was released.

A job will likely be open next year when Dupree hits free agency. Adeniyi can lay a good foundation for it now. Otherwise, maybe rookie Alex Highsmith finds himself as a starter next year.

Regardless, depth production is necessary at that position so as not to exhaust Dupree and Watt and to buffer any serious injuries they may have.

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