4 changes Mike Tomlin must make if he remains the Steelers head coach
3. Build a better secondary
Pittsburgh has struggled, since players like Ryan Clark, Troy Polamalu, and Ike Taylor moved on from football, to find a good secondary. They have had some good players here and there but they have never found a complete unit that could defend the pass as well as necessary in today's NFL.
Minkah Fitzpatrick came aboard in 2019 via trade and hasn't looked back. He's been a three-time first-team All-Pro since joining the Steelers and gave them stability at safety they haven't seen since Polamalu.
Fitzpatrick is one of two secondary players that will be back in 2024 for certain. The other is Joey Porter Jr., the rookie corner Pittsburgh selected with the pick they received from Chicago in the Chase Claypool trade.
Having these two positions set is a huge head start in rebuilding a secondary that can compete with the offenses the league has. This will allow them to focus on another safety and two corners.
Pittsburgh has Corey Trice Jr., who was having a good camp before he was lost for the season to an injury, and they also signed Darius Rush off the Chiefs practice squad in October. These two are rookies and provide youth in the cornerback room but they alone cannot be counted on alone to make the impact needed in 2024.
The Steelers need to find a proven boundary corner and slot corner to bring into camp for 2024. If Trice and Rush prove their ability, the signings would only bolster the overall depth of the room if everyone on the depth chart pans out.
Safety could have been addressed already if the Steelers paid Terrell Edmunds to continue pairing him with Minkah. Edmunds got a bad rep due to being raw as a first-round pick but he was a steady presence and allowed Fitzpatrick to do what he does best, roaming the field and making splash plays.
They need to upgrade from Kazee and Neal at safety if they want to improve. The draft would be the best option but another veteran couldn't hurt.
A better secondary would go a long way in limiting the yards the Steelers give up and maintain their splash play ability. In today's pass-happy league, speed and ball skills are something the Steelers must inject into their defensive backfield.