Defensive backs
The Steelers have had problems in the secondary ever since Ike Taylor retired and Cortez Allen suddenly fell off the face of the earth. From Senquez Golson never seeing the field to Artie Burns regressing from a promising rookie year to being a bench warmer in 2018, the Steelers have struggled with defensive backs.
The Steelers signed Joe Haden last season and he has been a beacon of consistency in his two seasons with Pittsburgh but they have failed to find someone opposite him. Burns’ regression vaulted Coty Sensabaugh into the starting role and he did decent but is not a long-term answer.
Mike Hilton fell off some from his breakout 2017 season but still played well enough to be retained in the slot in 2019. Cameron Sutton has shown flashes but he really needs a good camp and preseason next year to keep himself on the field.
The team decided to move on from Mike Mitchell in the offseason and signed Morgan Burnett to fill the void left by the veteran. A signing that excited me then now makes my head hurt as Burnett stayed hurt most of the season and was not good when he was healthy,
Burnett is rumored to want released from the team citing unhappiness with his role in the defense. I guess he doesn’t like how cold the metal benches are in the Pittsburgh winters?
After Terrell Edmunds was picked in the first, I wanted to run head first into a brick wall but he came out and played very well for a rookie in 2018.
He showed flashes of why the Steelers went ahead and picked him even though most viewed him as a huge reach. His game has plenty of room for improvement but his youth and athleticism will allow for a lot of growth moving forward.
Sean Davis earned my award for most improved player on the team. His 2017 season was one of the worst I have seen from a safety in Pittsburgh since Anthony Smith and his guarantees.
Davis showed great improvement in his tackling this year and that was a huge knock on him in 2017. I knew Davis was a Steeler the moment I watched his draft tape and, after switching to free safety where he fits better, I saw more of what I liked and saw from him at Maryland to make me want the team to select him in the draft.
The team has pieces to work with in the secondary to work with but they need to go all out to get players who can make impacts now. With their draft position they could get a corner there or go for a bigger splash in free agency than they normally do.