Steelers 2-a-days: Special-teams captain Miles Killebrew, ball-hawking safety Damontae Kazee

Editor’s note: From the end of minicamp through the day the team reports to training camp at Saint Vincent College, the Trib will be running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, assessing each player’s outlook for the 2023 season. The breakdown will go through the roster in mostly alphabetical order, (at least) two per day, between June 16 and July 26. Contract data courtesy spotrac.com.

S MILES KILLEBREW

Experience: 8th season

Contract status: $2.48 million cap hit in 2023, after which scheduled for free agency

2023 outlook: Though he was far from the highest profile of signings, Killebrew made an immediate impact upon joining the Steelers via unrestricted free agency in 2021. He blocked a punt in his Steelers regular-season debut, leading to a touchdown in their upset win at the Buffalo Bills. Killebrew then later that season blocked a punt in a game at the Los Angeles Chargers, twice proving his block as a member of the Detroit Lions in 2020 was no fluke.

In part because of those efforts Killebrew was re-signed to a two-year deal during the spring of 2022, and he was elected a special-teams captain that summer. Particularly after the departures of Derek Watt, Marcus Allen, Benny Snell and Jamir Jones, the gutted Steelers special teams units could be relying more than ever on Killebrew to stabilize their punt and kickoff units. Talking to Killebrew, it’s easy to see why he’s so endeared by teammates and coaches.

While Killebrew tied Watt for the most special-teams snaps played for the Steelers last season (290), he made it onto the field for only 13 defensive snaps, mostly in goal line-type situations. That was a drop-off from when he played 44 defensive snaps for the Steelers in 2021. It’s unlikely Killebrew sees much, if any, of a boost in his playing time on defense.

For that reason, it’s at least theoretically on the table that the Steelers might choose to pass on paying Killebrew the $2 million he’s owed under the terms of his contract for the 2023 season. But coach Mike Tomlin has shown many times how much he prioritizes special teams, and for his steady intangibles and “splash” potential, Killebrew would seem well worth the investment.

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— Chris Adamski (@C_AdamskiTrib) June 22, 2023

S DAMONTAE KAZEE

Experience: 7th season

Contract status: $2.125 million cap hit in 2023, signed through 2024

2023 outlook: On face value, it might appear that Kazee is a less-than-ideal fit to play on a team that has Minkah Fitzpatrick because their games are similar. After all, there was a reason why the Fitzpatrick/Terrell Edmunds tandem seemed to work so well: Edmunds thrives in the box, and Fitzpatrick is a terrific “center fielder.” And as proven of an NFL commodity Kazee is, he’s not in the class of a possible future Hall of Famer in Fitzpatrick.

So when Kazee was a free agent this spring, it was thought he would be departing the Steelers. It was something of a surprise when he came back on a two-year, $6 million deal. But after further examination, it makes sense. The Steelers prioritize “ball-hawking” skills from their secondary, and it showed when, in Kazee’s debut season with the team, they tied for the NFL lead in interceptions with 20 in 2022. Kazee said the Steelers secondary has a philosophy of going after the ball.

So having Kazee and Fitzpatrick together almost doubles their “splash play” potential. Fitzpatrick feels more free to be versatile with another free safety on the field. The addition of Keanu Neal gave the Steelers a more natural strong safety to deploy, and as the game evolves, the usage of three-safety looks is becoming increasingly common in passing situations.

Kazee is not a star, but he’s a proven playmaker in the NFL (14 interceptions over his past 59 games). After being limited to nine games in his first season with the Steelers because of injury and suspension, Kazee might be counted on for even more big plays over a full 17-game schedule.

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