Steelers Defender Is Seriously Falling Out Of Favor In Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers are going into their Week 5 matchup against the Indianapolis Colts shorthanded in the secondary. With Jamel Dean injured, the Steelers will likely be down one starting cornerback. Jalen Ramsey has been dealing with a broken wrist as well, though he has still been on the field. The safety room has been thin all season, with DeShon Elliott starting the campaign on IR, leaving only Jaquan Brisker and Rayshawn Jenkins on the back end. With all of the ongoing setbacks, some players have played earlier than the coaching staff likely had hoped. 

Pittsburgh has been playing two rookies in the secondary, with third-round pick Daylen Everette stepping up for Dean and seventh-round pick Robert Spears-Jennings spelling Jenkins. With all these moving pieces, veteran Brandin Echols was relied on heavily in 2025, but less so in 2026. Echols had a solid first season in Pittsburgh playing in the slot. Now that Ramsey is a full-time slot cornerback, he doesn't seem to have a role on the defense. 

Echols has played both inside and outside cornerback in his career. When Dean went down in Week 4, the organization decided it was time for its raw prospect to get his shot. The rookie struggled a bit in his first showing, but has shown potential through the first four games. 

Mark Kaboly recently appeared on Kaboly + Mack, where he suggested that Echols has fallen out of the organization's good graces. Going from a guy who impressed the former coaching staff to not being able to get on the field. 

"The guy that impressed them to the guy who barely gets on the field defensively, so I wouldn't anticipate him playing at all," Kaboly stated. "I think they're going with the two guys, Everette and Samuel." 

Samuel is having a decent season playing in Patrick Graham's zone-heavy scheme. His smaller size however, sometimes makes outside matchups tougher to play. With Joey Porter Jr. officially no longer a Steeler, Dean has assumed the CB1 role. Echols is playing under a new staff that very clearly doesn't value him the same way Mike Tomlin's staff did. He is in the final year of his two-year contract, and he will likely walk as a free agent. 

Pittsburgh has begun searching for external options at cornerback, recently adding Sean Murphy-Bunting and Terell Smith. Murphy-Bunting is a Super Bowl-winning cornerback with a solid career. Some in the media already believe he'll suit up despite being signed so recently, which spells bad news for Echols and his chances of seeing the field on defense. 

The Steelers have an older secondary and may need Echols down the line, but for now, it's Everette's time. The former Georgia standout is another big, long defender in the secondary who plays with a physical style. The Steelers have shown their passion for physical cornerbacks in the past, and Everette fits that mold. 

Steelers' Everette Has A Huge Opportunity Ahead

Everette was expected to see a little action outside of special teams and exotic third-and-long packages. Now he could make his first start as early as Week 5. There couldn't be a more perfect time for the Steelers to test the waters with the rookie cornerback, as the competition in the coming weeks is on the weaker side. The quarterbacks they face are no world beaters and should be exploited. 

If Everette struggles during this stretch, Echols or Murphy-Bunting should be an easy plug-in. But if he plays well and shows he can be a starting-caliber NFL cornerback, he could earn more playing time even when Dean returns. 

Echols was a great addition for the Steelers last offseason, but with a new coaching staff, players aren't always valued the same. He won over the defensive staff last season, but this season he seems to be just another guy. 

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