Steelers Running Out of Free Agent Options at Safety

[Steeler Nation]

The Pittsburgh Steelers have a huge hole at free safety next to superstar Minkah Fitzpatrick. That’s a hole that they reportedly tried to fill last week with Denver Broncos‘ safety, Kareem Jackson. Jackson wouldn’t of been a long-term answer for the Steelers, though, he is 34 years old and likely would’ve been on a one-year contract. That makes me believe that they’re targeting their next long-term answer at safety in the 2022 NFL Draft.

They need a backup plan, though. And the backup plan options are quickly drying up. In the last few weeks, Keanu Neal, Ronnie Harrison, Jabril Peppers, Duron Harmon, Anthony Harris, Jayron Kearse, Deon Bush, and Michael Thomas all have been signed. That leaves the market pretty bare for value. Outside of Tyrann Mathieu who the Steelers are reportedly interested in, there isn’t a lot to offer. Landon Collins is the other big name available, but his coverage skills are limited.

Seriously, besides Mathieu, the only player two players that I’d even consider signing are Terrell Edmunds and Damontae Kazee. The Steelers reportedly have a contract offer out to Edmunds, but he isn’t interested at the moment. From the sounds of it, it’s likely a minimal contract for one year. ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler connected the Steelers to Kazee in March, but that’s still the only report of Pittsburgh’s interest.

Damontae Kazee returns an interception against the New Orleans Saints. | FanSided


Don’t believe me that the available safety market is bare? Let me give you some of the top names left outside of the ones already mentioned:

Tashaun Gipson (31 years old)

Brandon King (28 years old)

Nate Ebner (33 years old)

Jaquiski Tartt (30 years old)

Curtis Riley (29 years old)

Do any of those players sound like a good starter opposite of Fitzpatrick? No? I didn’t think so. Riley actually was signed by the Steelers in 2020 and didn’t even make it out of training camp.

The negative part about that is the market for Mathieu seems to be heating up with the Philadelphia Eagles conducting a virtual interview with him, and him visiting the New Orleans Saints last week. Teams might get a little desperate soon and that might be what Mathieu’s camp is waiting for.

Now obviously the Steelers are still interested in Mathieu, but it seems like he’s more of a plan C than he is a plan A. We reported a few weeks ago that Mathieu and Tomlin have talked, but it seems the conversation may have been more like ‘hey, if you don’t see what you like, we are here’ type of deal.

The market could cause the Steelers to do something drastic on Draft Day if they’re not able to do anything at safety between now and then. Notre Dame product Kyle Hamilton was considered a sure fire top 5 pick up until his Pro Day in late March. At his Pro Day, he ran a rough 4.79 40-yard dash, and according to sources, some teams have dropped him way down their boards. The Steelers will bring Hamilton into Pittsburgh for a visit on April 19th.

It’s very unlikely that Hamilton will fall much outside of the top 10 if he slides at all. So going up to get him might be their only option if they strike out with Edmunds, Mathieu, or Kazee. The last time they traded up for a safety, it worked out pretty good for them… just saying.

Notre Dame’s Kyle Hamilton runs with the ball / Forbes.com


Another target could be Penn State safety, Jaquan Brisker. But is he a day 1 starter? The jury is out on that. Brisker will likely be an early Day 2 pick, and like Hamilton, they’d probably have to trade up in the second round to grab him. The Steelers need as many draft choices as they can get, and they don’t have a surplus to begin with to be trading them away to move up. They might’ve backed themselves into a corner by not striking a deal with Jackson.

MORE STEELERS STORIES​

Ike Taylor and Ryan Clark Begged for Tyrann Mathieu, Pre-Draft 2013
Kinkhabwala: Mathieu Enticed by Thought of Playing for Steelers and Mike Tomlin
Steelers Bring Back Safety Karl Joseph For Depth

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[slashsteel]

I dunno but it would be nice if they got off their keister's and solved the problem before the draft.

 

[TDX27]

Mathieu is not even a consideration unless he comes in under $10 million per and probably around $8 million per. They will probably wait until after the draft. Sign Edmunds for $4 or maybe $5 million per. They probably have that on the table now and I wouldn't go any higher. We are only looking for a complement to Minkah, not another all pro. Edmunds can do that just fine. A 2nd or 3rd round draft pick might be able to do that as well. DL and WR are still bigger needs since we are going to sign Minkah and just signed Joseph.

 

[Shane Falco]

Mathieu is not even a consideration unless he comes in under $10 million per and probably around $8 million per. They will probably wait until after the draft. Sign Edmunds for $4 or maybe $5 million per. They probably have that on the table now and I wouldn't go any higher. We are only looking for a complement to Minkah, not another all pro. Edmunds can do that just fine. A 2nd or 3rd round draft pick might be able to do that as well. DL and WR are still bigger needs since we are going to sign Minkah and just signed Joseph.

This. Nobody wants to pay a safety quarterback money. That’s what they’re wanting. After the draft- it could become easier to sign a safety

 

[Drink IRON City]

I'm with slash about getting something done but I think the article has it pegged in nothing will happen till after the draft. Money is the issue in that the player wants above market value.

We ay get enough of a player in the draft to do the job.



Salute the nation

 

[BLITZ]

I totally forgot we drafted Jarvis the year Mathieu was drafted.

I would prefer Edmunds back. I think he is a decent fit for a lot cheaper.