Ranking the Room: Who is the top safety for the Steelers in 2024?

With July officially here, I will be taking the time to rank the Steelers roster by positional group before training camp gets underway. The ultimate goal will be to create a ranked list of every play on the roster before camp gets started.

The rankings will be a mix of criteria. Mainly, I am looking at what players will put the Steelers in the best position to win this year. While long-term potential is considered, I care less about what a player can provide in 2025 as opposed to what they can do for the team this year.

For rookies, their level of pro-readiness will be taken into account as well as their projection on the roster. We are finishing with the safeties, a room that should be a key group in this secondary.

Steelers seven safeties ranked

7. Nate Meadors

The bottom name on this roster isn’t a hard one to find, as Nate Meadors is a relative unknown despite being in the league since 2019. He lacks the ideal size to play strong safety, meaning that he would be a backup-free safety only. He could play in the slot but has little experience there. He has struggled to stick to a roster and I don’t see that changing with the Steelers.

6. Ryan Watts

Fans are higher on Ryan Watts than I am right now. While the potential is there, he is making a position switch from cornerback to safety. He has the rare size and length to be something down the road, but I can’t see him impacting the defense right away. Where he could shine is on special teams, and that is realistically his path to the roster right now.

5. Grayland Arnold

I struggled with where to put Grayland Arnold in these rankings. The Steelers list him as a safety but most of his experience comes in the slot. I decided to rank him with the group the team lists him with, and his ability to play in the slot could give him a clear path to the roster. The slot cornerback room is desolate right now, so he could secure a spot on the team if he does well there.

4. Miles Killebrew

It is telling just how impactful Miles Killebrew is on special teams, as his ranking on this list takes into account the fact that he is a non-factor on defense. He is a leader and an impact player on coverage units though, and he was a core signing for this team because of that ability. With the revamped kickoff rules, his impact could be even further felt.

3. Damontae Kazee

Damontae Kazee is what he is at this point in his career. He is a versatile defensive back who can wear multiple hats and rotate in certain looks. As a backup, he can also serve as a starter for short periods of time if an emergency arises. He isn’t a player you want starting everydown, but he can offer this defense a lot as a versatile defensive back.

2. DeShon Elliott

One of the Steelers notable signings this offseason, DeShon Elliott won’t make headlines as an elite safety. What he does, he does well though, excelling in the box as a run defender while having the coverage skills to match up against opposing targets. He also has experience in the slot, which could lend to him seeing some snaps there given the team’s needs.

1. Minkah Fitzpatrick

Similar to the edge room, the top safety for the Steelers isn’t up for debate. Some would argue that he is the second-best defender on the team, and potentially even the second-best player overall. Minkah Fitzpatrick has been a great asset on this defense as a rangy free safety with elite coverage skills.

He is coming off a down year, but a lot of that was due to the team forcing him into a role he doesn’t do as well with. Fitzpatrick is at his best covering the deep portion of the field and tricking quarterbacks into mistakes. He was forced into the box last year because of injuries. Add some injuries to himself and it was a forgettable year. Expect a rebound this season as he gets back to what works for him.