Welcome to the terrible take a daily segment telling Steelers Nation what's on our mind.

I'm Ross McCorkle.

With just 17 days until the 2024 NFL draft, we have 20 of the pre-draft visits that count against

the 30 visit limit accounted for and five of

those players are defensive linemen. Anyone from day one or two guys like

Braden Fisk, Darius Robinson, and Mason Smith to later round prospects like

Logan Lee and Christian Boyd have been brought in and beyond those brought in a guy like Clemson defensive linemen Rook or Oro could be in play with a strong contingent at Clemson's pro day.

The old saying, football is one in the trenches is said for a reason.

No position group depends on others to do their job less than the big guys up front.

The Steelers figure to invest heavily in their offensive line early in the

draft but they need to do the same on the defensive line. Cameron Hayward is

turning 35 and likely in the last couple years of his career Larry Ogan Joby

is turning 30 and hasn't exactly lived up to his

contract extension he was given last season. The team re-signed Montrevious Adams and

signed Dean Lowry but they are more bridge players until the Steelers inject

more youth into the unit.

As it stands now, it is Keanu Benton and a bunch of question marks for the future of the defensive line.

The defensive line enables so much of what happens on defense, whether whether is commanding a double team to free up edge

rushers or inside landbackers to roam more freely, or providing that interior pressure to speed up the

offense's internal clock to force errors that the secondary can capitalize on, the defense doesn't work without good defensive

line play.

And if they don't invest in the position this year, it becomes arguably their biggest need next

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