The Pittsburgh Steelers have one of the best defenses in the NFL. However, they have one glaring weakness: the secondary. While Minkah Fitzpatrick is still an elite safety and Joey Porter Jr. looks to be the future, they have little depth at any of the positions. The front office is still looking to build depth this offseason. The Steelers signed Grayland Arnold on Tuesday to help strengthen the secondary.
Pittsburgh Steelers Sign Grayland Arnold
The Pittsburgh Steelers hope that Grayland Arnold can find a home with the team. He played for the Eagles and Texans previously and appeared in a handful of games for each. The former Baylor product can play safety or come down as a slot corner. For the last three seasons, Arnold has been with the Texans, and in 2023, he posted a 71.4 PFF grade. The Steelers hope he can fill in a void on the roster and maybe provide some special teams help.
This move shows what the Pittsburgh Steelers think of their secondary. They throw anything at the wall and see what sticks. The good news about the signing is they are not expecting Grayland Arnold to be the star of the defense. TJ Watt, Porter Jr., and Patrick Queen will take on much of the load, and Arnold simply has to come in and play solid defense. His speed could also be helpful on special teams, as he returned punts in college.
2024 Outlook
The Pittsburgh Steelers spent this offseason retooling the roster. They moved off of Kenny Pickett after last year’s poor performance. While there are still questions surrounding Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, they have a higher upside than what Pickett was showing. While the defense has questions in the secondary, 2024 is more about the offense than it is about the defense. We know what the defense can bring. The question is whether the offense can score enough points.
Mike Tomlin has made his career on having winning squads. The Pittsburgh Steelers franchise is one that can take players like Grayland Arnold and get them to overperform because the culture of the franchise is healthy. The AFC North is one of the toughest divisions in football. However, it is tough to doubt the Steelers until we see issues on the field. This team is gunning for the division crown. Can they take down the powerhouses of the AFC?
