The Pittsburgh Steelers reshaped their secondary this offseason, but let’s be real, the safety spot is still a HUGE problem, especially now that Jordan Whitehead has been fully cleared after neck surgery. This Pittsburgh-area native, who’s been deemed healthy and worth a phone call, is exactly what they need, and other teams are already sniffing around.
A Secondary on Thin Ice
Seriously, this secondary could be a disaster waiting to happen. DeShon Elliott’s injury history is a real concern, and there isn’t a proven free safety behind him and Jaquan Brisker. That means if one hamstring goes south on a Sunday, Pittsburgh is exposed, plain and simple. Jalen Ramsey offers some flexibility, which is good, but it’s not enough to cover the glaring hole. Yeah, Darnell Savage is there on a one-year deal for some veteran insurance, but come on, Whitehead’s résumé is just so much deeper. He’s been working out for Indianapolis and Houston already, and you know more visits are coming. The clock is ticking, folks.
The Resume Pittsburgh Can’t Ignore
We’re talking about a guy with a Super Bowl ring from his time with the Bucs, an Aliquippa native and former Pitt standout who knows what it means to win. Whitehead has played 105 games and started 101 of them. His career numbers speak for themselves: 557 tackles, 45 passes defensed, a crazy 11 interceptions, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and two recoveries. This guy makes plays! And get this, in 2023 alone, he racked up 97 tackles and four interceptions. He also had nine pass breakups in both 2019 and 2023, plus two sacks in 2020. This isn’t just some guy, this is a proven veteran who can step in and make an immediate impact alongside Elliott and Brisker. They need that experience, that playmaking ability, and that deep résumé.
Whitehead is meeting with teams right now. Pittsburgh has to get on the phone ASAP to reunite him with former teammate Jamel Dean. If they wait, they’ll regret letting this Super Bowl champ walk away when their secondary desperately needs him before the season kicks off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply