Steelers' Secondary Seriously Underrated, "Will Be Better Than They Were In 2023"

The Pittsburgh Steelers' 2023 defense was good, but after having their passing defense exploited, the team knew it needed to make offseason changes. While the biggest change might be bringing in Patrick Queen, the franchise didn't ignore the needs in the secondary. 

They released Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson after only one season after it was clear that Father Time was catching up to him. Having him alongside Joey Porter Jr. at cornerback was night and day. The Steelers needed more stability in the secondary, and they hope they added it with safety DeShon Elliott and cornerback Donte Jackson. 

Recently Ray Fittipaldo joined his co-worker from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Chris Carter, on the North Shore Drive Podcast to discuss the Steelers' secondary. Carter mentioned the additions and the secondary is one of the most under-appreciated units on the team. The way Carter sees it, the infusion of youth will hopefully help them get back to a place where they are creating a lot of turnovers.

"I certainly think you could see an upswing on this. I mean, there is a reason they moved on from Patrick Peterson and brought in Donte Jackson; there is a reason they moved on from Keanu Neal and brought in DeShon Elliott. Now it is up to Jackson and Elliott to perform at a higher level than their predecessors," Fittipaldo said. "But yes there is certainly a reason to think that this secondary will be better than they were in 2023."

Fittipaldo said he just looked up the numbers for yards allowed in 2023, and the Steelers were right in the middle of the league at 16th. He expects the group to perform better, adding that they are definitely younger and faster.   

He believes finding a partner for Minkah Fitzpatrick is the lynchpin of the whole defense. The Steelers have struggled in this area, and it has shown in the number of team interceptions. They went from 20 total interceptions in 2022 to 16 in 2023. 

"They've been trying for years to find Fitzpatrick's ideal partner at strong safety, and yeah, [Terrell] Edmunds did a lot of the dirty work for a while, but there was some stuff that he didn't do well, so they moved on from him. And it's been [Damontae] Kazee, and it's been Neal, and it's been different guys. Can Elliott step in, and he's young enough to grow with Fitzpatrick, can he step in and be that all-around strong safety that they've been looking for?"

According to Fittipaldo, the Steelers being forced to move Fitzpatrick around the field hurt his game and the entire defense. They were doing their best with injuries and older players to cobble things together, but it showed in Fitzpatrick's interceptions. He went from a career-high of six in 2022 to zero in 2023. 

Fitzpatrick has been present for Organized Team Activities (OTAs) and working with Elliott. Fittipaldo told Carter that this helps build the chemistry between the two and will improve their partnership on the field. Having Elliott will allow the Steelers not to "compensate" so much, which should have a trickle effect that helps the entire defense. 

Steelers Are The Perfect Fit For Donte Jackson

After the recent OTAs, Jackson spoke with the media and said he sees himself as a perfect fit in the AFC North. Jackson has been in the league for six seasons, all with the Carolina Panthers, and 2023 wasn't his best statistical year except for his tackling numbers. 

While he failed to haul in any interceptions in 2023 for the first time since entering the NFL, he did improve his tackling from 2022, making 59 combined tackles. Jackson said that he sees tackling as his strength, and that's a strength the Steelers need on their side. Having Jackson at corner should help improve a pass defense that got picked apart in 2023. This is critical with such a tough schedule in 2024.  

Do you think the secondary is under-appreciated? What do you think of the changes that were made? Is this secondary better than last year? Click to comment below.

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