More than either side of the ball, special teams is very much cyclical in nature. While there are some personnel decisions that are made largely based on players’ special teams abilities—assembling the best 53-man roster, and not the best 53 players—the unit largely plays second fiddle to players’ primary positions on either offense or defense, and receives whatever is left over.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have taken more hits, and significant hits, to their special teams units over the past two years than is typical. Just this offseason, they lost three of their biggest names over the past four years in that phase, namely Tyler Matakevich (who led the league in special teams tackles over that span), Anthony Chickillo, and Roosevelt Nix.