Pittsburgh Steelers safety, Damontae Kazee is one of the team's many free agents. The Steelers were able to sign Kazee prior to the 2022 season at a bargain basement price. He was arrested during the bye week of 2021 for a DWI while playing for the Dallas Cowboys. That surely impacted his free agency prices.
Matt Freed/Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Damontae Kazee
That means for $1,187,500, the Steelers acquired a starter-caliber player on a one-year contract. However, Kazee was injured, breaking his forearm, during the final game of the preseason. He spent the first nine weeks of the season on the injured reserve. While on the IR, Kazee was handed a three-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy.
Pittsburgh Steelers Found A Dual Threat In Kazee
Once Kazee finally returned to the field, he showed he was worth the wait. He brought some much-needed flexibility to the safety position. No one is disputing the talents of starting safeties Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds, but they finally had a backup that could play both the center of the field and in the box.
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Pittsburgh Steelers safety Minkah Fitzpatrick
Kazee has been through a lot in his career - the DWI, multiple injuries, and several team changes. He did bring a spark of life to the Steelers' defense when they needed it most. His return coincided with the return of the also-injured TJ Watt, but it would be hard to dispute the positive effect Kazee had.
He is only 5'11" and about 174 lbs, but Kazee plays like a much larger player. One of his biggest assets is his ability to hit hard. Despite only playing nine games he logged 20 tackles. He also has a nose for the ball and has a gift for interceptions, getting 2 during his half-season with the Steelers.
Now NFL Insider for Heavy.com, Matt Lombardo is saying that the Steelers and Kazee have a "mutual interest" in reaching a new deal. Lombardo also says fans should expect a strong market for the 29-year-old Kazee:
Per Sources, there is mutual interest between the #Steelers and free agent safety Damontae Kazee in reaching a new deal. Expect a strong market for the 29-year-old.
— Matt Lombardo (@MattLombardoNFL) March 3, 2023
Kazee is coming off a strong finish in 2022, intercepting 2 passes with 20 tackles in 9 games | @HeavyOnSports pic.twitter.com/u9rEYMgMAY
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Terrell Edmunds #34 of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers will have a lot of free agency choices to make and obviously cannot keep everyone. Both Kazee and fellow safety Edmunds are free agents this year. Kazee might have had a rocky road, but he has shown that he has the skills to be a starter and surely his goal is to land the #1 spot on a team.
The Steelers might have to decide between their two talented young safeties and it is hard to imagine them being able to keep both. While Edmunds has been a solid starter across from Fitzpatrick, he is not the splash player that teams want. This makes his market value somewhat murky.
The Steelers were able to sign Edmunds to a one-year $2.5 million deal for 2022 and might perhaps look at a similar deal for 2023. If he is going to demand much more than that, it seems like a better idea to take a chance on Kazee. If Kazee can stay healthy, and out of trouble, he brings more of the big play potential to the field.
What do you think the Steelers should do at safety - Edmunds, Kazee, or draft? Do you think there is any chance they keep both Edmunds and Kazee? Who do you think is the better safety? Click to comment below.
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