Steelers Now
After the close of spring practices with the end of OTAs on Friday, the Pittsburgh Steelers are headed to their six-week summer break before they will reconvene for training camp at St. Vincent College on July 28.
If history is any guide, general manager Omar Khan will not be taking the entire time off.
Last year, the Steelers made a blockbuster trade, bringing in three-time All-Pro cornerback Jalen Ramsey and Pro Bowl tight end Jonnu Smith from the Miami Dolphins in exchange for Minkah Fitzpatrick on June 30.
In 2024, they brought inside linebacker Tyler Matakevich back into the fold on July 17, after he had spent four seasons with the Buffalo Bills.
The year before that, it was a surprising departure, as the team cut ties with wide receiver Anthony Miller after the end of training camp.
Several more additions have come just after the start of camp, with linebacker Kwon Alexander joining the team on July 30, 2023. Last year, safety Chuck Clark signed with the Steelers on July 25.
So if Khan is going to do some work this summer, what changes might he want to make to his team before it reforms in the Laurel Highlands this summer?
The Steelers have three veteran NFL safeties on their 90-man offseason roster: returning starter DeShon Elliott and free agent acquisitions Jaquan Brisker and Darnell Savage.
Three veteran safeties would probably be enough, if not for the caveat that all have primarily played strong safety throughout their NFL careers. Brisker is going to mostly play free safety for the Steelers, and if they’re going to play as much split-safety alignments as they’ve shown so far, that makes some sense. But they lack a playmaker that they can truly feel comfortable with as a centerfield-style option.
Ramsey, a converted cornerback has also played some free safety, but it isn’t his natural position, and it probably wasn’t his best spot in 2026. He’ll be primarily deployed out of the slot.
Seventh-round pick Robert Spears-Jennings has the athletic traits, but it’s unclear how close to making the 53-man roster he is, and if the team would entrust such a role to a late-round rookie.
The move: The Houston Texans released Jimmie Ward in March, and he hasn’t resurfaced with another NFL team as of yet. Ward missed the entire 2025 season with a combination of some now-resolved legal issues and a foot injury, but if he can get healthy, he’s a versatile player that can be used both as a free safety and in the slot and as long as he recovers with his long speed intact, he is a good fit for what the Steelers lack.
Cameron Johnston is far and away the favorite to become the Steelers punter once again, with only undrafted free agent Aidan Laros, who was claimed off waivers from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week, as token competition.
Maybe Larose, who averaged only 45.5 yards per...
