Steelers Valuable Week 3 Move In Free Agency Should Not Go Unnoticed

The Pittsburgh Steelers made another dip into free agency and signed former first-round pick, safety Keanu Neal. It is a new two-year deal for Neal which helps adds another piece to the secondary. With the loss of Terrell Edmonds, the signing of Neal gives flexibility to the secondary. The signing of Neal was announced late Thursday afternoon. 

Steelers were rumored to draft a defensive back in the first round by multiple outlets, but the signing of Neal is a sneaky good pickup. Neal will be only 28 years old this year and has a lot of "tread on the tires" left. Another aspect that Neal brings is experience. Neal was a five-year starter for the Atlanta Falcons and also started for the Dallas Cowboys and last season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Steelers also signed defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko. Fehoko played for the Los Angeles Chargers last season. Fehoko comes in with two years of experience.  

What To Expect From The Steelers Secondary In 2023

Looking forward, the Steelers now have two former Falcon safeties in Keanu Neal and retaining Damontae Kazee in the first wave of free agency. Both come with starting experience and will allow Minkah Fitzpatrick the opportunity to be freer to provide that "Minkah Magic" that gives the spark on the backend of the defense. 

Last season Kazee had two interceptions after missing half the year with an injury and knows the system. Neal is known more to be an in-the-box style of safety who is not afraid of contact. I can see Neal being utilized as a nickel linebacker and true box safety to help in run support. Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin should be excited to design packages to highlight strengths of Neal. 

Not to be overshadowed by all these moves in the secondary is third-year safety, Tre Norwood. Norwood is a versatile piece in the secondary that can play both nickel and free safety. Tre showed flashes in his rookie season of what he could bring to the table and I expect him to be more of a dime package player in 2023. The Steelers' secondary is loaded with experienced guys that can play man coverage, zone and hybrid looks which can be completely unique in ways that will disguise coverages.

Steelers have been quietly making moves to address key needs this offseason in free agency. With the addition of Patrick Peterson, resigning Kazee, and the newest addition of Neal, the Steelers addressed holes in their secondary. The loss of Cam Sutton and Terrell Edmunds left holes in the secondary and also in starting experience. Signing these veterans allow the Steelers to have more flexibility in the upcoming draft. 

Cornerback is still at play for Pittsburgh in the first two picks (pick 17 & 32) and don't be surprised if they select a corner at 17. The offseason that the Steelers have had thus far pre-draft has provided optimism for what this team could be in 2023. Acquiring veterans on the defensive side of the ball in linebackers Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts, Omar Khan and Coach Mike Tomlin have a clear plan on how they want to build this roster for the 2023 season. Overall, Pittsburgh's plan seems to be physical at the point of attack on both sides of the ball. 

So Steeler Nation, how do you feel about the newest additions prior to the draft? Do you think this changes the plans for the draft? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!

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