8 offseason moves Steelers will regret not making in 2021

Steelers should have signed Kazee

While all the names to this point are a little more hit or miss, the last three are really frustrating cases of what could have been. Starting first with former Falcons and now Cowboy’s safety/slot cornerback Damontae Kazee would have been a huge boost to this secondary. He has the versatility to play a variety of roles on defense as well as chip in on special teams if need be. While injuries are a concern with him, he led the league in interceptions in 2018 with seven and had another three in 2019 when he was healthier.

Now, Kazee isn’t the best pure coverage player, but he has a ball-hawking personality that makes him a weapon for defenses. While he traditionally plays free safety, he has the size and experience to serve as a slot defender for any defense. Considering the Steelers’ obvious hole at slot cornerback, adding a player like Kazee for next to nothing would have made this secondary less of a question mark heading into the season.

Most frustrating yet, Kazee signed for a minimum salary contract. After the draft, the Steelers signed a similar style of player (a free safety/slot cornerback type) in Arthur Maulet for a minimum deal as well. They essentially got a worse version of Kazee for essentially the same price. Had the team been more proactive with their resources and time, they could have gotten a better player who could have legitimately started in the slot this season. Instead, they still have major questions about the slot cornerback and backup-free safety role heading into training camp.