Severe Weakness Behind Starters Creates Tough Decision For Steelers' Final DB Spot

Pittsburgh Steelers General Manager Omar Khan did an exceptional job building this roster during a difficult time of transition. The Steelers are under new leadership at head coach after Mike Tomlin decided it was time to walk away from coaching. Enter Mike McCarthy, who now takes over with the goal of turning Pittsburgh back into a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

The Steelers have not won a playoff game since the 2016 season, and fans are understandably tired of hearing about that drought. Until McCarthy gets the job done, the criticism and pressure are going to remain. That's not necessarily a fair situation for him to inherit, but it's the reality of taking over one of the NFL's most demanding franchises. McCarthy signed up for the challenge, and he's confident he can help bring winning football back to the Steel City.

There is a growing consensus that Khan helped the Steelers improve significantly during the 2026 offseason. However, the biggest challenge now lies in figuring out who will ultimately make the 53-man roster. Most of the spots are already spoken for, making training camp one of the most competitive in recent memory. The Steelers drafted 10 players in the 2026 NFL Draft, and realistically, it would be surprising if all 10 rookies found their way onto the final roster.

That roster crunch could create difficult decisions, especially in the secondary. While the top of the depth chart appears set, the lack of proven depth behind the starting safeties has emerged as one of the biggest concerns on the defensive side of the ball. Steelers insider Mike DeFabo recently explained how that issue could become a serious weakness and why Khan is actively trying to address it before the start of the 2026 season.

"Seventh-round rookie safety Robert Spears-Jennings has looked good, and I think they’ll keep him," DeFabo revealed in his article for The Athletic. 

The Steelers used one of their late draft picks on Robert Spears-Jennings in the seventh round. There is no guarantee he ultimately makes the roster, but DeFabo is betting that he will. 

Even then, DeFabo believes Khan may not be finished addressing the position and could still look to bring in another veteran before the start of the season. Given the lack of proven depth behind the starters, adding another experienced safety would make sense. 

"I also expect them to look for a potential safety who gets cut from another team to upgrade that group, and maybe they push Spears-Jennings and [Sebastian] Castro to the practice squad," DeFabo said.

The competition for the final defensive back spots is expected to be fierce, and Khan appears intent on making sure one injury doesn't expose a major weakness in the secondary.

Steelers Have A Good Problem As 53-Man Roster Cuts Inch Closer

Sebastian Castro is another player who has impressed as an underdog story. Once again, Castro has made waves during the offseason, but he will need an exceptional training camp and probably some help if he wants to find himself on the 53-man roster.

The same can be said for Spears-Jennings, but his speed makes him incredibly risky to try to hide away on the practice squad because another team could easily claim him. It will be interesting to see how this situation plays out, especially with the Steelers facing some difficult decisions in the secondary as roster cuts draw closer.

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