There seems to be excitement about what the Pittsburgh Steelers have done so far this offseason, and understandably so. They've made some great moves, both at the core of their roster and around the margins, including (but not limited to) veteran safety Jaquan Brisker.
Brisker is coming off back-to-back disappointing campaigns with the Chicago Bears, enabling the Steelers to add him on a "prove it" contract. However, we've seen what the Pittsburgh native can do when right; his track record speaks for itself.
The reputation Brisker has earned as a hard-hitting playmaker is why there appears to be faith in his redemption arc. He comes in at No. 49 on Sports Illustrated's (SI) collection of the top-50 2026 NFL free agency transactions. The rankings "factor in the player's quality, the team's need at the position, and the value of the deal."
Yet, all it took to sign Brisker was a one-year, $5.5 million pact, and SI believes the Steelers got a bang for their buck:
"A bargain for the Steelers, Pittsburgh managed to shore up its secondary with a one-year deal for Brisker, who has four interceptions, 21 passes defensed and seven sacks in 52 career games."
Pittsburgh Steelers' Jaquan Brisker addition is already looking like a 'bargain' in 2026 NFL free agency rankings
Coverage has never been Brisker's strength, but he was particularly ineffective in this area last season. The 2022 second-round pick gave up career-highs in receptions (36) and receiving yards (374) while tying his benchmark of touchdowns allowed through the air (four). Be that as it may, the Bears found creative ways for him to make an impact, giving the Steelers a replicable blueprint to follow.
Chicago deployed Brisker like a chess piece, highlighting the versatile asset that the Steelers were able to take a low-risk swing on. Most of his snaps have come in the box or as a free safety. Moreover, he's even taken reps on the defensive line, from the slot, and as an outside corner.
Aligning Brisker all over the formation proved to maximize his skill set while masking the limitations we saw with the Bears. He finished 23rd and 34th among 98 qualified safeties in Pro Football Focus' pass-rush (73.2) and run-defense (73.7) grades, respectively, in 2025.