The 2021 offseason has seen the Steelers make number of changes, most notably at the quarterback position. Another area of the roster which has become a priority, though, is safety. As ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports, the team has a number of options at the position. 
Fowler notes the connection some have made between the Steelers and the top remaining option at safety, Tyrann Mathieu. Given his pedigree and versatility – not to mention the unusually-large amount of financial flexibility Pittsburgh has this offseason – a deal between the two sides would make a good deal of sense. However, Fowler cautions that he is unsure how “real” that connection actually is.
That could lead the Steelers to a familiar face at the position. Fowler states that “a reunion is not off the table” between the team and Terrell Edmunds. The 25-year-old started 60 of his 64 games with Pittsburgh, racking up 340 tackles and five interceptions. With fellow safety Minkah Fitzpatrick only under contract for one more year, bringing back Edmunds on a short-term deal would at least provide continuity at the position for 2022.
Lastly, Fowler names Damontae Kazee as another noteworthy option. The 28-year-old spent last season in Dallas after four in Atlanta. For his career, he has totalled 12 interceptions (including a league-leading seven in 2018) and 7 pass deflections. Fowler reports that the Steelers “have him on their radar”.
Pittsburgh currently has just under $16MM in cap space; fitting in any of the three players named above should be relatively straightforward, then. Whether the team decides to add one of them, or go in another direction, could go a long way to helping their defense rebound from an overall disappointing performance in 2021.
Steelers should use some of this year’s cap space to extend minkah and highSmith.
Steelers only have 15 million left and they need at least $5 million for the draft and also money for emergency in case someone goes down and they need to replace him for the remainder of the season.
Have they restructured anyone’s contract yet?
This isn’t Madden where you can spend all of the money. It’s a business and they need to budget accordingly. Makes me wonder if you know how to budget.
Well I mean the Steelers have consistently spent at the cap. Not like there isn’t a large amount of precedent.
It’s actually easier than Madden since they can restructure contracts more creatively and do void year extensions. Makes me wonder if you know how they’ve been creating cap space in the years they’ve had NEGATIVE $15M.
They could add $5-10M in cap space tomorrow if they wanted to without even doing anything to stupid/drastic.
Talk about pouring cold water on the idea of Matthieu coming here. Shame. Edmunds isn’t the answer and this secondary has a great many probs
Defense isn’t exactly the 2000 Ravens, no, but lets not pretend the offense isn’t the far weaker link still…
Is Karl Joseph a possibility?
Yes!!!! Whatever happened to him? WVU star, 1st round pick, washed out in Oakland and only played a few snaps here? Anyone know the story?
Is Karl Joseph a possibility?
We need speed. We played the KC offense when the fastest four players on the field were all Chiefs.
Yep
Facing the 3 QB’s in the AFC North(Burrow, Watson, Jackson), not to mention the other entourage of great passers in the AFC(Mahomes, Carr, Herbert, Wilson, Allen), and the “potential” young studs(Lawrence, Wilson, Tua), I don’t think them getting Mathieu, or a in prime Ronnie Lott, is going to make any difference with their present QB situation. Save the $ when you, hopefully, need it in the future, and tank this year for the draft slot.
They have something on an o-line now. They have Najee. Maybe Claypool will grow up
Sorry. Disagree. Their secondary is porous, at best
I just don’t see them competing for a Super Bowl, as a legitimate contender, in a conference, and even more so, a division chock full of franchise QB’s, even if Trubisky plays better than expected. As painful as it may seem, there comes a time to tear things down and start fresh, vs trying to find a way to claw your way into the last playoff spot, or finish 8-9, when you won’t have any real chance to get to the Super Bowl, because that is what it is all about. It just hinders your draft position from finding the franchise QB that Pittsburgh will inevitably have to have to be a true Super Bowl contender.