The Pittsburgh Steelers need a safety, and apparently they were trying to sign one in the last couple of days.
According to a report by ESPN Insider Jeremy Fowler, the Steelers made a hard push to sign veteran Kareem Jackson.
Kareem Jackson back in fold in Denver - Steelers made a push to sign him but Broncos closed it out.
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) April 8, 2022
RT @Broncos: pic.twitter.com/QSrjhFWWaZ
Jackson, who is 34 years old, agreed to a one-year contract with the Denver Broncos on Thursday evening. Last season as a starter, Jackson recorded 88 tackles and one interception.
Jackson obviously isn't breaking the bank at 34 years old, but it says a lot about what the Steelers current plan may be in regards to the safety position. If they were willing to sign a player nearing the end of the line, then maybe they are planning to draft one to be groomed.
Steelers not out on Tyrann Mathieu?
It also says that the Steelers aren't necessarily out on Tyrann Mathieu who is turning 29 and looking for his fourth NFL contract. Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert mentioned a few weeks ago that the team would prefer a safety coming off of their first contract to add into the mix, but their interest in Jackson goes against that logic. We also now know what Jackson's contract details are, and what a contract for someone like Mathieu might look like.
Per source, Kareem Jackson's one-year deal is worth up to $5 million. He made $5 million last year. Arguably the hardest hitting pound for pound defender in the league, Jackson returns for a fourth season with the Broncos, 13th season in NFL. #9sports
— Mike Klis (@mikeklis) April 7, 2022
Jackson is a player that is still playing at a high level despite his age. He's the case of a cornerback moving to safety and continuing to be successful, even though he's lost a step.
Some might remember Jackson from this past season for his tackle on JuJu Smith-Schuster that ended his regular season.
JuJu Smith-Schuster is brought down awkwardly on his collarbone/shoulder area. | YAHOO!
The Steelers search for a replacement to Terrell Edmunds will continue on. If they don't find a veteran replacement, it could be Edmunds that is back in the black and gold. They could also move up to draft safety Kyle Hamilton if he falls out of the top 10 after a poor 40-yard dash time at his combine.
Each day we get a little bit closer to finding the answer at safety. Stay tuned.
#SteelerNation
