Steelers Are Thrilled With DeShon Elliott So Far Despite Not Making Headlines: "Flown Under A Lot Of People's Radars"

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan has made some splashy player acquisitions this offseason. That includes quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields, and the largest free agent signing in team history, inside linebacker Patrick Queen. As evidenced by the quarterbacks, not all splashes need to come with enormous contracts. 

However, unlike the quarterbacks, not all new players are getting the same attention, including DeShon Elliott. The Steelers picked up Elliott, a safety who has been a bit of a journeyman since entering the league in the sixth round of 2018. The Baltimore Ravens originally drafted him and then he did one-year stints with the Detroit Lions and the Miami Dolphins. The Steelers showed that they desperately needed to add depth at safety during a string of unfortunate events during the 2023 season. Star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick suffered multiple injuries that caused him to miss several games. When he was available to play, his ball-hawking skills were suppressed as he moved all around the field at different positions.

On a recent North Shore Drive Podcast episode, Steelers reporter Christopher Carter for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette chatted with his Assistant Editor Adam Bittner about the improvements made to the secondary during the offseason. Carter called Elliott "a better strong safety than I think they've had in quite some time," and Bittner agreed. The fact that the team now has Elliott on board means that Fitzpatrick no longer has to fill in there. According to Carter, adding Elliott to the room with Fitzpatrick and Damontae Kazee makes them the best safety room in the division. Bittner concurred, saying he believes many people are sleeping on what Elliott brings to the table. 

"I know they [Pittsburgh Steelers] feel really good about DeShon Elliott," said Bittner. "I think he's flown under a lot of people's radars, maybe within the fan base, maybe with some of the media. But a lot of comments are very positive about him."

Elliott just feels like he fits. While some may be looking solely at his stat line and casting judgment, it is also important to look at him as a player in this new situation. When the Steelers signed him, Elliott made it clear to the press how thrilled he was. He said that when he sees Pittsburgh's logo, he recognizes that it means excellence and represents tough, smashmouth-style AFC North football. He has wanted to be a part of that since growing up. After all, Elliott's favorite childhood player was Pittsburgh legend, Troy Polamalu. 

The bulk of his playing time came during the past three seasons. He has three interceptions and 287 combined tackles. While in Miami in 2023, he had one interception, seven passes defended, one fumble recovery, and 82 total tackles. He is in the Steel City now on a two-year deal worth roughly $6 million.  

Steelers' DeShon Elliott Not The Only Secondary Help

Elliott isn't the only player the Steelers brought on board to help patch the holes in the defense. They also brought cornerback Donte Jackson in a trade with the Carolina Panthers for Diontae Johnson. 

While rookie Joey Porter Jr. did a tremendous job in his first season, it was clear he couldn't guard the entire perimeter on his own. While Patrick Peterson was there to provide mentorship, he was a shell of the player he had been during the height of his career. 

Jackson has shown solid skills since being drafted by the Panthers as a second-round pick in 2018. During his time in the league, he has accumulated 14 interceptions, 46 passes defended, three forced fumbles, and 303 combined tackles, 248 of them solo. This is not only a solid stat line; former Steelers safety Ryan Clark recently said that one of the best things about Jackson is that he is a "willing tackler." 

Like Bittner said of Elliott, Clark said of Jackson, calling him an "underrated pickup for the defense." Clark sees Jackson being used in the slot, which he believes will also help free Fitzpatrick up to get back to being the Fitzpatrick of old. 

What do you think about Elliott and his ability to help the defense? Click to comment below.

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