Steelers Now
Former defensive back Will Blackmon doesn’t think the Pittsburgh Steelers need to go shopping for Minkah Fitzpatrick’s replacement.
The Pittsburgh Steelers created a hole at safety when they traded Minkah Fitzpatrick as part of their blockbuster deal with the Miami Dolphins. Former defensive back Will Blackmon thinks they already have his replacement on their roster, though.
“I’m going to give you another name: Juan Thornhill, the safety that they got,” Blackmon said on “The Facility.” “He has 74 starts, is a two-time Super Bowl champion. So, you lose Minkah, but you got a leader back there who knows exactly what to do, who knows exactly what it takes to win championships. I think, wholeheartedly, they got better. They got in a situation where they’re gonna compete, they’re gonna compete. I got them actually winning a playoff game this year and ending that drought.”
Thornhill joined the Steelers on a one-year deal in March. At the time, he looked like he was brought in to be the team’s third safety, but that is no longer the case, barring another addition to the room.
The 29-year-old is coming off a disappointing two-year stint with the Cleveland Browns, during which he didn’t record a single turnover. But he is still more the capable of stepping up to the challenge as a two-time Super Bowl champion.
Since being drafted in the second round (No. 63 overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs, Thornhill has recorded 337 tackles (233 solo), one sack, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, eight interceptions, 24 passes defensed and one touchdown.
Training camp will likely be the deciding factor about whether Pittsburgh will add to its safety room. If Thornhill plays well, the job will be his.
However, if he doesn’t, the Steelers will likely go shopping as there are still a few intriguing options on the open market.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Former NFL DB Thinks Steelers Already Have Minkah Fitzpatrick Replacement
