Steelers Safety Problem May Be Even Worse

The Pittsburgh Steelers have one "big" name behind DeShon Elliott and Jaquan Brisker at safety, but aren't very deep at the position. After last season ended with several injuries and some disappointing additions, the team is looking to fix the problem. But it may be worse than believed.

Right now, Darnell Savage is the primary backup to Elliott and Brisker. However, Savage hasn't practiced with the team outside of light work during minicamp. It took him roughly three months to sign his contract after agreeing to terms because of things he needed to get fixed before the team would put pen to paper.

And he's all the Steelers have got.

Behind him, Sebastian Castro and rookie Robert Spears-Jennings will compete for a roster spot. Spears-Jennings didn't look back during OTAs and minicamp, and may be a diamond in the rough as a late-round pick, but he's a seventh-rounder, and until he proves himself, he's not a name the team can rely on.

Castro looked like he took a step forward in his second season. Leaving OTAs for the final time, he was a name that many were talking about as he impressed during the month at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex. So much so, that people believed he could be a name to watch for a bigger role.

Maybe the team is about to realize that he's out of position, though.

Castro moved to safety at the NFL level, but that's not the role he played at Iowa. And Steelers insider Mike DeFabo is making that case that he should move up to a new position.

"The next guy taking those snaps was Sebastian Castro," DeFabo said on the Yinziders podcast. "He's a guy who's 5-11, not a tremendous amount of size. Did not run a particularly fast 40. He played more of what the Steelers now call the star position, kind of that closer, when he was at Iowa. I think that probably is where he fits best as a sub-package defensive back, not neccessarily as your backup strong safety to DeShon Elliott. Or even a free safety - think ideally you'd have a free-safety body type."

Things Just Got More Complicated

The Steelers already had a problem with the depth at safety. Elliott is coming off a major leg injury that he suffered in 2025 and Brisker is playing his first season on a new team. Everyone is playing in a new system in general with Patrick Graham taking over as defensive coordinator.

What they need is at least two safeties behind them that they can rely on. And maybe Jalen Ramsey plays a little of the position, but Ramsey is also the starting slot corner and you'll want him there as much as possible.

Castro looked like the light that could solve things, but that hope may be gone if the team feels the same way as DeFabo. And maybe with a new staff, they come to that realization when Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin didn't.