Jaquan Brisker's Role in Steelers Defense

The Pittsburgh Steelers learned last year that they were certainly lacking when it came to the secondary.

The secondary not only was unable to stay healthy, but when healthy, tended to offer a disappointing product on the field. The Steelers allowed the fourth-most passing yards per game of any NFL team in 2025, leading them to go on a free agent signing spree to land secondary talent. One of those moves was to land safety Jaquan Brisker, a local product.

In addition to Brisker in the secondary, the team added Jamel Dean at cornerback, Darnell Savage at safety and re-signed 2025 Steeler Asante Samuel Jr. to a one-year deal. Now with Brisker on the squad, the team can begin to figure out the setup of how their secondary will play. Departures included Miles Killebrew and James Pierre.

How does Brisker fit on the Steelers?

Brisker is now likely to be a starter on the Steelers for the coming season, despite him being signed to a short-term, relatively inexpensive one-year deal for $5.5 million. Recent news of a possible long-term knee injury to Steelers veteran safety DeShon Elliot creates an opening for Brisker, who would otherwise be a direct competitor when it comes to training camp.

Brisker is one of the more versatile safeties across the league, as he has shown proficiency in both the backfield and near the front seven. He was a top safety when it came to pressures in 2025, finishing in seventh among safeties with 12 total pressures. He also offers possible cornerback upside, if injuries determine that the team will need depth at the position. He made this clear last season, when a new coordinator in Chicago led Brisker to mention his versatility and ability to be a "Swiss army knife" as a player.

Brisker comes to the Steelers after four seasons with the Chicago Bears, where he started every game he was healthy. In 2022, 2023 and 2025, Brisker started in 17 games each season. In 2024, Brisker experienced a season-ending concussion during Week 5, leaving him off the field for the final 12 games of the season.