The Pittsburgh Steelers' secondary has undergone a significant facelift over the past few seasons. If you go back just two seasons ago in 2024, only Joey Porter Jr. and DeShon Elliott still remain from that group. This offseason saw a number of new names brought in to hopefully make the unit a strength in 2026, headlined by new starting cornerback Jamel Dean.
The Steelers also brought in Jaquan Brisker to pair with Elliott at safety, seemingly with the idea that Jalen Ramsey will move back to the slot after needing to fill in at safety last season. A starting lineup of Porter Jr. and Dean at outside corner, Ramsey in the slot, and Elliott and Brisker at safety could be a potential top 10 unit, but the depth is where the issues start to pop up.
The corner depth is solid, with Asante Samuel Jr., Brandin Echols, and third-round rookie Daylen Everette. However, the safety depth is...concerning, to say the least. If the coaching staff wants to keep Ramsey in the slot, the first player off the bench would be Darnell Savage, who has never lived up to his first-round potential.
Unless the Steelers find another suitable option on the open market during training camp, they will need someone to step up behind the starters at safety. If anyone currently on the roster is going to do that, my money is on seventh-round rookie Robert Spear-Jennings.
The Pittsburgh Steelers need Robert Spears-Jennings to prove he can be the primary backup at safety
Spears-Jennings is a classic height-weight-speed, developmental defensive back prospect. He put up very impressive numbers at the NFL Scouting Combine, including a 4.32 forty and a 35-inch vertical jump at just under 6'2" and 205 pounds. His tape at Oklahoma showed that his speed translates to the field, where he made some impressive plays flying downhill from his safety spot.
The reason he lasted until the seventh round, however, is his lack of fluidity and instincts in coverage. He is much better and more comfortable moving forward than he is moving backwards, making him an ideal backup for Elliott as the primary box safety.
Spears-Jennings will first need to make the team with his ability to play special teams, something that his skill set is perfect for. With former special teams ace Miles Killebrew now in Tampa Bay with former Steelers special teams coordinator Danny Smith, someone needs to fill his role as an elite kick coverage player and blocked kick threat.
If he can earn a roster spot doing that, and the Steelers see enough from him in practice and the preseason at safety, Spears-Jennings could be in for a much larger role than most seventh-round picks could ever hope for as a rookie.
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