Steelers' Front Office Should Be Under Fire For Offseason Disappointment Contributing To Pittsburgh's Biggest Problem

The Pittsburgh Steelers are 3-2 through the first five games of the 2026 season, and the offense has come alive in recent weeks. It is hard to tell if the type of success the unit is having is sustainable, especially if the defense continues to struggle in the way that it has. The defense gave up just one touchdown against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5, so the problems are covered up by the Colts scoring just 22 points on the day, but Indianapolis was able to move the ball almost as well. The secondary proved to be a problem for the Steelers even though the back end of the defense stepped things up once the Colts got near the end zone.

The Steelers secondary is beat up right now, and the team is still dealing with the fact that it traded away star cornerback Joey Porter Jr. The cornerback behind him was Jamel Dean, but is currently missing time due to a sprained ankle. That leaves the starters at cornerback being Asante Samuel Jr. and rookie Daylen Everette. Jalen Ramsey is playing better than most fans probably thought he might in his role in the slot and at safety, while everyone else has been shaky at safety in 2026.

Rayshawn Jenkins began the 2026 season as a consistent figure on the defense as he played over half of the defensive snaps in the first three games, but he was benched in Week 4 and then didn't see the field at all in Week 5. That has elevated the role of rookie Robert Spears-Jennings,  who has joined Jaquan Brisker back at safety quite a bit. Brisker was signed in free agency, and beat writer Nick Farabaugh joined 93.7 The Fan on Tuesday to discuss how much of a disappointment the addition has been.

"C-," Farabaugh said. "Disappointment."

Farabaugh was just asked for a grade for the safety, and he was rather blunt about Brisker's play so far. Brisker definitely has not played up to expectations so far in 2026. He made one splash play back in Week 1 where he picked off Cooper Rush, but that came on an overthrow to a wide open receiver. Other than that, Brisker has had some critical missed tackles that have plagued the Steelers in recent weeks.

Plenty of fans were excited about the addition of Brisker as he is a native of Pittsburgh, but this fan base has turned on players pretty quickly in the past. General Manager Omar Khan has not been very popular with the fans in 2026, and if Brisker continues to underperform it will just be more fuel being added to the fire.

Brisker has been a well-respected player through his career. He spent four seasons with the Chicago Bears, and he recorded over 100 tackles in each of his first two seasons. Injuries limited him to just five games in 2024, and then in 2025 he played and started all 17 games while recording 93 tackles, a sack, eight pass breakups, and a pick. The Steelers were able to sign him to a one-year deal worth just $5.5 million, which was considered a steal at the time.

It is hard to call Brisker a big disappointment considering how small of a deal he signed to come to Pittsburgh, and there is plenty of time for him to turn things around still. If he can be more of a sure-tackler, the complaints about his play would be minimal. However, the front office could have seen that a more well-rounded defender was needed during free agency to help this defense.

Steelers Have An Interesting Question To Answer In The Coming Weeks

Brisker has been a consistent figure on the field, but DeShon Elliott is set to come back soon. His practice window is open, and he will either be returning in Week 6 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers or in Week 7 against the New Orleans Saints in Paris. It will be interesting to see how the reps are split up. Spears-Jennings could see his playing time cut and it would be Brisker and Elliott in the defensive backfield, or the rookie could stay out there while Elliott takes over for Brisker.

What do you think about Brisker's play so far in 2026? Let me know on X, @brogannoey!

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