With the Steelers defense lacking a strong safety, one of these five free agents would make a lot of sense to bring in.
The Steelers entered this offseason with their starting strong safety, Terrell Edmunds, heading into free agency. As of now, there hasn’t been a deal struck between the two parties, and as a result, the team currently has no viable strong safety options.
Luckily for them, there are still a slew of free agents available to be signed. Here are five strong safeties the Steelers can sign if Edmunds signs elsewhere.
Steelers may sign Kearse
What a difference a single season makes. Last offseason, the Cowboys added Jayron Kearse as a depth piece to their secondary. He earned a role early on the defense and quickly became a starter. He never really looked back either, as he became an impact defender in the secondary. While it has taken quite a while, it seems as though Kearse has finally come into his own as a player.
Known for his unique size and incredible athleticism, Kearse was a project coming out of Clemson. He finally found his footing with the Cowboys though, and it seems like he should be a quality starter for any team that signs him going forward. He was a capable tackler, a decent pass rusher, and on top of all of that found a way to pick off two passes.
The main concern with Kearse is his limited starting experience. Signing him to any sort of major deal is banking on 2021 becoming his normal level of play, not an outlier. Assuming his next deal doesn’t break the bank (a safe assumption with the first wave of free agency wrapped up), Kearse should be a viable option to be signed to replace Edmunds.
Steelers may sign Harrison
A familiar face who would also make sense for the Steelers strong safety job is former Browns safety Ronnie Harrison. Built similarly to Kearse, Harrison has been a far more consistent and stable piece to a secondary. He has essentially been a starter since midway through his rookie season and while not an impact player, he is rarely a liability.
Where Harrison excels at is in the box and covering bigger tight ends man-to-man. He isn’t a dynamic coverage player, but when tasked with less athletic options, he can keep up and hold his own. In terms of run defense, the closer he is to the line of scrimmage the better he is. He can read a play and make aggressive stops.
The issues with him lie in his ceiling and his health. He has never played for an entire season as of now, and that would mean the Steelers would have to find a capable backup to play over him in case of injury. In terms of his play, he isn’t an exceptional player. He is a safe defender that poses little risk in the secondary. Assuming he would sign for a reasonable deal, Harrison makes a lot of sense in this secondary.
Steelers may sign Peppers
Another former Browns safety (albeit he has been with the Giants since he got dealt in the Odell Beckham trade), Jabrill Peppers was hot on the Steelers radar in the 2017 draft. Luckily for the team, the Browns took him five spots ahead of Pittsburgh, who turned around to draft T.J. Watt with their selection. That said, Peppers has become a viable starter in the secondary.
What made Peppers so unique as a player was his athleticism. He was a returner, safety, cornerback, linebacker, and offensive gadget during his three-year stint at Michigan. While he has settled in as a return man and safety in the NFL, that athleticism still flashes. It has allowed him to cover up some of his other flaws, as a bad read can be covered up by Peppers still getting to the ball-carrier because of his speed.
Peppers was injured for most of the 2021 season, meaning he may be willing to join the Steelers on a shorter deal for less money in order to try and rebuild his stock. This would work well for the team, as Peppers would instantly slot into the strong safety role and be effective there. While there are some better names on the market, Peppers would be a low-risk signing for the team.
Steelers may sign Mathieu
The name that almost everyone is swarming to, Tyrann Mathieu has been one of the most dynamic defensive backs in the league since getting drafted. He has played all over the secondary and has made an impact wherever he settles in at. He is a top defensive back in the league for a reason, as his play on the field consistently ranks him as one of the best in the game.
Despite there not being a lot of weaknesses in his game, I don’t think Mathieu is a great fit for what the Steelers want in a strong safety. While I’m confident he could do a fine job there if given the chance, his body size and play style are much better suited to be a free safety. I don’t view him as the best strong safety fit because of that.
Add in his cost, which is likely to be in the double digits even if he would be playing out of position, and Mathieu joining the team would certainly have some warts. While his talent alone would make him a talented member of this secondary, his fit does raise some questions. That said, if the team wanted to try to get him to play out of position, Mathieu is a name that at least has to be considered.
Steelers may sign Collins
A name that I genuinely believe makes the most sense if Edmunds leaves is Landon Collins. The former early second-round pick has been a stout run defender to this point and does some great work when in the box. As well, he was cut this offseason, meaning that he won’t count towards the compensatory formula (although it seems unlikely the Steelers get anything next season based on their signings).
Where Collins has fallen off recently is in coverage. While he doesn’t have the best ability to cover one on one, he can serve as an option to cover tight ends if need be. That said, the more zone coverage he is in, the more of a liability he becomes. When in the box, he can make plays in the running game and as a blitzer though. He would serve in the role the Steelers typically like their strong safety to serve in.
While Collins is coming off a mega-contract, it seems unlikely he earns nearly that much in 2022. Instead, Collins could be signed to a moderate two-year deal to serve as a transitional starting strong safety as the team looks to develop someone else eventually. He plays like how the team wants their safeties to, and he would be a fine replacement for Edmunds if he ends up walking this offseason.
The Steelers have quite the situation brewing at strong safety right now, as it is the only spot on their defense without a secure starter. While the team may be trying to bring Edmunds back, assuming he opts to leave, these five current free agents make a lot of sense. Keep an eye on these names as free agency continues and the Steelers try to fill their last true defensive need.