The Pittsburgh Steelers have been dealing with some devastating injuries on the defensive side of the ball. Minkah Fitzpatrick will miss his second straight game with a hamstring injury, and Cole Holcomb is out for the season. While the Steelers have guys that can take their roles as starters, they need depth on the roster in case more unfortunate injuries come up. They have options on the practice squad for now, but at this point in the season, any extra help that they can find will be huge for the Steelers going forward.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Veteran safety Damontae Kazee will have to step up in a big way for the Steelers, as star Minkah Fitzpatrick is out for the foreseeable future.
Steelers Work Out Multiple Defensive Backs
To deal with the injuries piling up, the Steelers brought in four safeties to see who might be able to come in and play in a pinch. The players are Tyree Gillespie, Keidron Smith, Nico Bolden, and Tyler Coyle. There are normally slim picking for depth pieces via free agency, but with all four of these defensive backs being young and promising, there is some hope that one of them would be worth keeping in case Fitzpatrick has to miss even more time, and in case someone else unfortunately goes down.
#Steelers worked out Nico Bolden, Tyler Coyle, Tyree Gillespie and Keidron Smith
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) November 10, 2023
All four of these players have bounced around the league in their short careers, whether they were drafted or not. In fact, some of them bounced around at the college level as well. All of these guys are looking for a team where they can get some practice time and prove they belong in the NFL. Consistency is key, and all of these safeties are looking to stay in a proven system to learn. The Steelers have had success with finding players that are looking for a stable home.
Larry Ogunjobi had a couple of one-year deals back-to-back, and even lost out on another lucrative contract due to failing a physical. The Steelers got him while he was cheap, and he provided a much-needed spark to a weak defensive line. He was rewarded with a three-year contract to lock down the defensive end position. There are plenty of other players who have that same story who ended up in Pittsburgh too.
Matt Durisko | AP
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee celebrates after a big play for the Steelers during the 2022 season
Steelers Plans Until They Sign Someone
For the upcoming game against the Green Bay Packers, Damontae Kazee and Keanu Neal will start at safety with Miles Killebrew coming in as the primary backup. Patrick Peterson has been rotating around every position at defensive back, so he will be expected to get some playing time at safety as well. While Elijah Riley seems to be more of a slot corner than a safety, he might have to go back to his original position for more depth.
The Steelers have also elevated a couple of players from the practice squad. Trenton Thompson and Tariq Carpenter may get some reps due to the injuries everywhere. Thornton helps with the safety depth a bit, while Carpenter will play linebacker, even though he began his career in the secondary. Whether they get quality playing time or not, the Steelers still have to do their due diligence, just in case injuries start stacking up.
AP
Pittsburgh Steelers ILB Tariq Carpenter was drafted in 2022 in the seventh round by the Green Bay Packers.
Whether or not the Steelers find their man in these workouts, on the practice squad, or somewhere else, there is no harm in seeing what is out there and who could be a diamond in the rough. The Steelers have already been searching for those, as they claimed Darius Rush off of waivers as a project with solid upside. It doesn't matter where the Steelers find their "next man up" guy, as long as they can find them somewhere.
What do you think about the players that the Steelers are working out, as well as the defensive depth on the team currently? Let us know in the comments.
#SteelerNation.
