Steelers 2021 offseason positional outlook: Safeties

Editor’s note: This is Part 11 of a 12-part series breaking down the Pittsburgh Steelers at each position in the offseason. All salary cap information courtesy spotrac.com or overthecap.com:

Starting safety is one position where the Pittsburgh Steelers don’t need much improvement.

They do, however, have a couple of options they need to exercise.

The Steelers can feel comfortable with their starters at safety for at least the next two seasons because Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds have proved to be a duo that can be considered in the top tier of the NFL. The pair will go into its third season starting together in 2021.

Since they were first-round picks in the 2018 draft, Fitzpatrick and Edmunds have fifth-year options the Steelers must exercise before May 3. It is a near lock they will do so for both. Fitzpatrick has been AP All-Pro each of the past two seasons, and Edmunds was graded 17th among the NFL’s 64 starting safeties in 2020 by Pro Football Focus.

The formula to determine the 2022 salaries for Fitzpatrick and Edmunds as devised in the collective bargaining agreement is the franchise-tag allotment for safeties in 2021 for Fitzpatrick, and the average of the third- through 25th-highest salaries at safety for Edmunds.

That means each will receive a significant raise, but each also would be eligible — per Steelers team policy — to ink a long-term extension in 2022, too.

But that’s a discussion for next year. In 2021, the Steelers are set with their starting safeties. But what about the backups? That is where decisions need to be made.

Both of the veteran reserves from this past season, Sean Davis and Jordan Dangerfield, are unrestricted free agents. They combine for 12 years of institutional knowledge within the organization, and each is respected by teammates and coaches in the facility. While neither is viewed as a starter nor long-term piece of the defense, each has excelled on special teams (Dangerfield was the unit’s captain in 2020), and it wouldn’t be surprising if one or both is brought back at a minimum salary.

Antoine Brooks was used sparingly as a rookie sixth-round pick. He appeared in four games, and 28 of his 29 defensive snaps came during a November win against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Steelers targeted Brooks because they felt he could handle an in-the-box role, perhaps in passing situations. If Cameron Sutton leaves in free agency, it will be interesting to see if the Steelers give Brooks the first crack at Sutton’s dime duties.

A three-year starter at LSU, John Battle spent 2020 on the practice squad after going undrafted the year before. Perhaps he can develop into a special-teams role in 2021.

Regardless, the Steelers will need to add bodies at safety in the coming months, probably later in the draft rounds or by signing undrafted free agents or bargain veterans.

Starting safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds were both drafted among the first 28 picks of the 2018 draft.#Steelers https://t.co/JFSXck96tG

— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) January 14, 2021

Offseason outlook: Safeties

Returnees

Minkah Fitzpatrick, 1 year (plus an option) left on contract, $2.7 million cap hit for 2021

Terrell Edmunds, 1 year (plus an option) left on contract, $3.4 million million cap hit for 2021

Antoine Brooks, 1 year left on contract, $780,000 million cap hit for 2021

Also under contract

John Battle, 1 year left on contract, $780,000 million cap hit for 2021

Free agents

Jordan Dangerfield, Unrestricted, $825,000 cap hit in 2020

Sean Davis, Unrestricted, $910,000 cap hit in 2020

Tomorrow: Specialists

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