With Minkah Fitzpatrick gone, the Steelers are perilously thin at the safety position, with no obvious plan to address it. As we speak, they are one snap away from a potential starting duo of Juan Thornhill and Miles Killebrew. And Killebrew is a Pro Bowl player, but not for what he does on defense—when he does anything.
Although the Fitzpatrick trade was great news for Sebastian Castro, it puts the Steelers’ safety room in a bind. Barring a full-time position switch for Jalen Ramsey, it seems they have no choice but to make some move. Although DeShon Elliott is a nice player, is he your star safety, or more of a complementary piece?
The Steelers like Juan Thornhill, but did they sign him thinking he would start at safety? He has significant starting experience, but there’s a reason he signed for $3 million. They brought him in to replace Damontae Kazee, not Minkah Fitzpatrick. And Kazee is with the Browns now, so it’s not like they can circle back.
Let’s drive this point home as clear as possible: the Steelers’ backup safety options are Miles Killebrew and Sebastian Castro. Killebrew is a player they seem to actively avoid playing, as they did in 2023. Castro may be an interesting college free agent, but coverage is not exactly his strong suit.
Castro thought he would hear his name on draft weekend, but the Steelers signed the Iowa safety after the draft. While he is a talent, you’ll notice that his highlight reels don’t feature a ton of coverage plays. He can blow up a screen and blitz and make sure tackles, but put him on a tight end, and he’ll have problems.
When the Steelers traded Minkah Fitzpatrick, though, they surely knew their safety options. While they don’t have a great in-house option, there are some significant free agents available. The two that everybody names are Justin Simmons and Julian Blackmon, either of whom could be a nice addition.
Unless the Steelers intend to sign one of them, it seems they are really counting on Jalen Ramsey’s safety flexibility. He may not start there, but he could be the primary backup. They already have two outside cornerbacks, and Beanie Bishop Jr. could play in the slot.
As we approach the start of training camp, we are more likely to see them make a move. The Steelers have already made an abundance of moves, but their biggest one left them with a hole at safety. And it’s a bigger hole than you might even realize.
The Steelers only have four true safeties on the roster, including Killebrew and Castro, without factoring in Jalen Ramsey. Starting Juan Thornhill isn’t even ideal as it is, but you can at least get by. But you also need depth, and what they have right now should concern them.
