The Pittsburgh Steelers have filled plenty of holes in their roster in the last week. They upgraded both sides of the ball, but the moves they made on defense could be the most significant. They added an excellent cornerback in Jamel Dean and very solid depth at defensive line with Sebastian Joseph-Day. Safety Jaquan Brisker however, may be the most intriguing. Brisker was part of the Chicago Bears secondary, which led the NFL in takeaways last season. He helped the Bears reach the NFC Divisional Round, where they fell short to the Los Angeles Rams. Brisker is a Pittsburgh native and will now return to his hometown.
Matt Marton / Imagn Images
Former Bears safety Jaquan Brisker pumps up the crowd at Soldier Field during a playoff game at the end of the 2025 season.
The former Penn State standout is just 26-years-old. He is in the prime of his career and it was shocking that the team got him on such a small deal at one year, $5.5 million. Brisker didn't have a great season in coverage, as he tallied just one interception and allowed a rough 118.1 passer rating. His specialty is actually his run defense and blitzing ability. He had 11 pressures on the 2025 season, which was ninth in the NFL. He also had a sack.
Brisker is typically a strong safety, and the Steelers still have DeShon Elliott on the roster. A move to free safety is unlikely, considering his skill set. The team also still has Jalen Ramsey, and he is likely to stay in that spot following his switch during the 2025 season. With that, Brisker's role on the team is left uncertain, but one Steelers insider may have revealed what Brisker's role likely will be.
Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette posted his live chat transcript from March 18th. He was asked about the secondary and who the guys on the field would be. Dulac assures the fan that Brisker's role will not exceed Ramsey's.
"Brisker will be a backup and sub-package guy," said Dulac. "Ramsey will be on the field. If not, they would have cut him or traded him. That's not happening."
Brisker has plenty of versatility; he can play at sub, nickel, and boundary safety. He has never been an All-Pro-caliber player, but he is certainly solid enough to be a starter. He should be more than just a third safety that plays on third and fourth downs.
Jacob Funk / Chicago Bears
New Steelers safety Jaquan Brisker scans the field during an NFL game in his rookie season in 2022.
With Patrick Graham as the defensive coordinator now in Pittsburgh, there's currently no telling what Brisker's true role will be. The team could potentially run more sub-packages to allow him to play more, but only time will tell.
Steelers Need To Maximize Their Use Of Brisker
Brisker may only be on a one-year deal, but he could be the team's long-term answer at strong safety. Elliott is set to become a free agent in 2027, and by then, he will be 30-years-old. The team also has an out on his deal in 2026, so he may not even make it that far. Elliott was a rock-solid player for the team in 2024, as he was the heart and soul of the Steelers defense that season. Unfortunately, he suffered a season-ending knee injury in the middle of the 2025 season, but he already didn't look like the player he once was.
Associated Press
Steelers safety DeShon Elliott is suffering a knee injury during Pittsburgh's 35-25 loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 8 of the 2025 NFL regular season.
Elliott has dealt with injuries for most of his career. He has missed several games the past two seasons, and he is not getting any younger. Many fans are clamoring for Brisker to be the team's starting strong safety, with Elliott being the third safety. It will keep youth on the field, in a secondary that could use it. Hopefully, Graham can maximize Brisker's talents to the fullest, and he has the opportunity to be a Steeler for a long time.
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