Steelers' Jaquan Brisker Excited With New Opportunity But It May Create A Problem

The Pittsburgh Steelers are coming into a season with a lot of unknowns as well as a ton of new faces in the locker room. From an entirely new coaching staff, as well as a plethora of moves via free agency, it will be a new look in the Steel City in 2026. New head coach Mike McCarthy had Patrick Graham join his staff as the defensive coordinator and the past work Graham has done with the Las Vegas Raiders was pretty impressive. Now Graham will join a franchise that has more resources than Las Vegas and looks to get them back to past standards. 

The organization brought in many players via free agency to help round out the roster ahead of the 2026 season. They also did so on both sides of the football as they look to quickly retool with McCarthy. Safety Kyle Dugger signed with the divisional foe Cincinnati Bengals in free agency, leaving a need at the position ahead of the season.

The organization was proactive in acquiring pieces to replace players that departed this offseason, including the signing of safety Jaquan Brisker, as he left the Chicago Bears in free agency. Brisker recently mentioned that he loves the freedom in Pittsburgh compared to his time in Chicago. However, Chris Carter of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette recently held his weekly chat and it contradicts the comments from the four-year safety.

"I think [Jaquan] Brisker is the ideal free safety option of the three, but he also just told me yesterday he doesn't see himself as a free safety," Carter wrote. "I think that's actually one of the bigger questions still about this roster."

While this certainly could make for that position being one of the bigger questions about this roster, as Carter mentioned, Brisker definitely has the versatility to move around on the field. He is known for his aggressive, physical style of play and can help in the box as well as with stopping the run. He spent two years in college playing at Lackawanna, a junior college, before transferring to Penn State and making a name for himself.

Given Brisker's comments to the media this week and then Carter's chat from what he was told, it remains unclear what exactly his specific role will be in 2026. 

However, given that Pittsburgh is still going through organized team activities and the season is a little over three months away, the organization will have time to figure out what his defined role will be. The versatility of his game gives Graham a great asset to work with in his first year in the Steel City on defense.

Steelers Have Chance To Vastly Improve Defense Under Graham

Graham is often praised for his work with Las Vegas, especially in the 2023 NFL season. Their defense, under his leadership, became a top scoring defense in the NFL. They finished ranked ninth overall, allowing just 19.5 points per game that season. Now he will get to bring his leadership to Pittsburgh where the franchise has more resources and talent on the defensive side of the ball

Brisker is just one of several players he will have at his disposal in a defense with several new faces on the field in 2026. It was recently mentioned that the new defensive coordinator in the Steel City has worked with legendary coach Bill Belichick in different roles for several years with the New England Patriots, which really could provide added value with him on the sidelines in 2026. 

Graham's past successes as well as his enrichment of resources with this new opportunity with the Black and Gold could improve the defense significantly in 2026.

The recent comments from Brisker and Carter make for an interesting situation at the free safety position for 2026. However, considering that the Penn State standout made a name for himself in his first four years in the NFL, he could answer that question Carter referred to. For a defense that struggled at times in 2025 and ranked just in the lower half of scoring defense in 2025, they have a chance at a great turnaround with new leadership.

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