Steelers work out ex-Saints, Bengals safety

The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to bounce back after their disastrous collapse against the Green Bay Packers. To help fix their secondary woes, the Steelers are looking into a standout safety still available in free agency.

Pittsburgh brought in Vonn Bell for a tryout on Tuesday, via Adam Schefter of ESPN. While there is no word on a potential deal between player and team, Bell will at least have an opportunity to prove himself to the Steelers.

The safety spent the 2024 season with the Cincinnati Bengals, appearing in all 17 games with 11 starts. Bell put up 55 tackles, two passes defend and an interception. His numbers didn’t jump off the page, as Bell’s 62.1 grade from Pro Football Focus ranked 98/171 safeties. However, he would come to Pittsburgh with plenty of experience.

Since joining the league in 2016, Bell has appeared in 139 games, making 117 starts. The safety has put up 760 tackles, 39 passes defended and eight interceptions. The fact he has been available in free agency this long is telling. However, an impressive showing in front of Steelers brass could earn Bell another opportunity.

Coming off of their Week 8 loss, Pittsburgh ranks 30th in total defense, allowing 386 yards per game. Pass defense has been their biggest downfall, as the Steelers rank dead last by allowing 273.3 YPG.

Bell certainly won’t be able to fix all of Pittsburgh’s problems on his own. However, he would give the Steelers a trusted veteran they can plug in to at least help remedy the issue. Ultimately, it’ll come down to if the franchise is impressed by Bell during his Tuesday tryout.