The Pittsburgh Steelers have a great idea of what the roster is going to look like for the 2026 campaign, and that is due to the front office doing a pretty decent job throughout the offseason. The organization caught a lot of flack for allowing the Aaron Rodgers saga to carry on for as long as it did, but general manager Omar Khan and the rest of his staff did a good job of patching up the holes on the roster. The wide receiver position is now more stable, and the fans should feel more confident in the secondary and the offensive line. Quality additions were made in both areas.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Steelers General Manager Omar Khan and Owner Art Rooney II on the field at a team practices while having a discussion.
Khan added cornerback Jamel Dean to the secondary and also signed safety Jaquan Brisker, which upgrades the roster as a whole significantly. The franchise also attempted to sign safety Darnell Savage, and it was reported multiple times that the two sides were in agreement on a deal. However, the organization never officially announced that it had signed the veteran.
This can be due to medical reasons, but as of right now, he is not on the roster. He is listed on the depth chart on ESPN, but that is not an official depth chart and it is important to remember that neither the team nor player have acknowledged the signing.
Beat writer Mark Kaboly appeared on 93.7 The Fan on Monday morning and he was asked about Savage and how the safety position was looking. He noted that he has not seen Savage, and that he has not been signed.
"I don't even know if he is on the roster." Kaboly said. "There was some issue he had to get fixed, as in health related wise. Then they were going to bring him back, I just haven't heard anything since. Maybe they Maxx Crosbied him. Changed their mind. No, I haven't seen him. I haven't been looking for him, but I haven't seen him. I haven't had a chance to inquire."
It was reported by NFL insiders that Savage would be signing with the Steelers, but nothing ever came from that. Kaboly believes there was a health issue at first that the veteran was going to go and get fixed, and then the franchise was going to officially sign him. That has not happened yet.
Corey Perrine/ Florida Times-Union / USA TODAY NETWORK / Imagn Images
Then-Jacksonville Jaguars safety Darnell Savage (6) catches a pass during an NFL training camp session at the Miller Electric Center, Sunday, Aug. 3, 2025, in Jacksonville, Fla.
Savage was a first round pick back in 2019, and he played with the Green Bay Packers for the first four years of his career. He has also spent time with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Washington Commanders, and Buffalo Bills.
It is unclear what medical issue he has going on, but it seems like it is currently preventing him from signing with the Steelers and continuing his NFL career. It will be interesting to see if there is any reports that come out about the two sides still being interested, or if he chooses to sign anywhere else.
Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
Steelers new safety Jaquan Brisker works out in organized team activities in Pittsburgh in May of 2026.
Steelers Are Already Loaded At Safety
The top three safeties for the Steelers are DeShon Elliott, Jalen Ramsey, and Brisker. It is unclear where Ramsey will be playing, but it is fair to assume that he will be playing a decent amount of safety. Sebastian Castro is behind those three and was a decent contributor on special teams for Pittsburgh in 2025, and he could probably fill the Miles Killebrew role on the roster.
Pittsburgh doesn't necessarily need Savage due to the talent that is already in the room at safety, and the experience. The top three players have extensive, starting experience in the NFL. Savage could be good for depth, but he is not needed.
What do you think about the Steelers signing Savage? Will it still happen? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!
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