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NFL Analyst Says Chargers LB Daiyan Henley Can Be a Difference-Maker for Steelers
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- NFL Analyst Says Chargers LB Daiyan Henley Can Be a Difference-Maker for Steelers
Steelers fans have watched Patrick Graham's defense carry a 4-2 start, but the middle hasn't held up its end. The Athletic's Daniel Popper sees a possible fix in Los Angeles, listing the Pittsburgh Steelers among the best fits for Chargers linebacker Daiyan Henley on his trade deadline big board .
Popper wrote that Henley, at his best, can be a difference-maker in coverage, as a blitzer and as a sideline-to-sideline tackler.
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Pittsburgh stands out among his fits, which also include the Bills, Bengals and Cowboys, because its inside linebacker play hasn't matched the record.
Patrick Queen carries a 51.7 PFF overall grade , 67th among 75 qualifying linebackers, and a 44.8 coverage grade.
Why the Steelers make sense for Daiyan Henley
Queen is also in the last year of the three-year, $41 million deal he signed in 2024. Payton Wilson has been better, especially against the run. His 79.3 run defense grade ranks eighth among 75 linebackers, though his 53.1 coverage grade ranks 50th.
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Behind them, the team's website deemed veterans Malik Harrison and Cole Holcomb as the primary backups in July. Henley would give Graham another starting-caliber option who has worn the green dot helmet in Los Angeles.
Henley, a third-round pick in 2023, is in the final year of his rookie deal and hasn't agreed to an extension. Popper projects a $1.84 million cap hit for an acquiring team on deadline day, using Over the Cap figures. He led the Chargers with 103 total tackles in 2025, adding 3.5 sacks and two interceptions despite a severe illness early that season.
This year has been uneven. His PFF overall grade sits at 54.1, with a 66.1 pass-rush grade and a 44.2 coverage grade, though Popper noted he found better form starting in Week 3.
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For Pittsburgh, the first question is whether to buy at all after Mike McCarthy hinted at a cautious approach to the deadline . The Chargers' side is simpler. Popper wrote that Los Angeles might view Henley as a building block but also has depth at linebacker, and a team stuck in a winless season , with some fans hoping for a tank , could value a pick over Henley's next contract.
This story was originally published by Athlon on Oct 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the NFL section. Add Athlon as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
