Pittsburgh Steelers to release safety Morgan Burnett

The Pittsburgh Steelers will release safety Morgan Burnett by April 1, according to reports from Burnett’s agent.

What comes as no surprise, the Pittsburgh Steelers are moving on from safety Morgan Burnett after one year. Burnett signed a three-year deal with the team last offseason but didn’t see much playing time due to injuries and a quickly emerging Terrell Edmunds.

Burnett requested for the team to release him back in January, saying he’s looking to play more of a traditional safety role. According to Adam Schefter, the Steelers tried to trade Burnett over the last two months before deciding to cut him.

With Edmunds playing strong in his rookie season and the possibility of drafting another safety this April, Pittsburgh doesn’t have much of a need for Burnett. An aging veteran who dealt with injuries over the last two years, the best decision for the team was to look for another option before August.

The Steelers still have second-year safety, Marcus Allen, on the roster. Many believed Allen would be a contributor in his first NFL season but after a disappointing start he spent most of the season on the inactive list. With a year under his belt, the team might hope he can fill some sort of role as a fifth-round pick.

For Burnett, he hits a market that was, at one time, crowded with safeties. He and Eric Berry will remain two of the top veterans available, but he should find a home before the start of the year. Much like Mike Mitchell the year before, Burnett is hoping to re-amp his career after leaving Pittsburgh.

This could be the last transaction for Pittsburgh for a little while. The team has added plenty and removed even more. They’re looking forward to the draft and adding younger talent to their roster before moving into summer workouts and training camp.