Steelers Now
Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Brandin Echols is coming off arguably the best season of his NFL career, but the team hasn’t really treated it as such after signing veteran Jamel Dean in free agency and selecting rookie Daylen Everette in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft.
That has many questioning what Echols’ role will look like with the Steelers in 2026. While he provided some nice play for them a season ago, his chances of starting look far more difficult this year.
Dean will likely pair with Joey Porter Jr. on the outside with Jalen Ramsey likely reprising his role in the slot, when needed.
The Steelers will still likely do their best to get Echols involved, whether that be on defense or special teams, and rightfully so.
However, Echols’ outlook heading into the 2026 season seems to be much more murky than what might be expected for a player coming off the season he is.
5-foot-10, 179 pounds, 28 years old, 6th pro season
Acquired: The Steelers signed Echols to a two-year free-agent contract in 2025 after spending the first four years of his NFL career with the New York Jets.
Last year: Echols entered 2025 after a fairly productive four years in New York and he built upon that, recording 48 tackles (34 solo), one sack, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery, six passes defensed and two interceptions.
Pro career: Echols entered the NFL as a sixth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Jets. He impressed as a rookie, recording 63 tackles (50 solo), nine passes defensed, two interceptions and one touchdown.
Echols looked ready to pick up right where he left off in 2022, but he disappointed with just eight tackles and two passes defensed before his season was ended to an injury.
In 2023, Echols was suspended one game by the NFL for violating the league’s personal conduct policy from a 2022 high-speed car crash Echols was involved in. However, he started producing like his rookie season once again with 10 tackles, two passes defensed, one interception and one touchdown.
That continued into 2024 as he finished the year with 40 tackles (29 solo), one fumble recovery, three passes defensed and two interceptions.
Echols, a Memphis, Tennessee, native, played his collegiate ball for Northwest Mississippi CC (2017-18) and Kentucky (2019-20).
He began his college career as a wide receiver and switched to defensive back as a freshman. In 2018, he was named second-team NJCAA All-American.
Echols committed to Kentucky on September 23, 2018 and started for the Wildcats in his two seasons there, racking up 108 tackles (82 solo), one sack, two forced fumbles, 11 passes defensed and one interception.
He recorded his first interception for Kentucky in the 2021 Gator Bowl, which Kentucky won 23-21.
Measured at the Kentucky Pro Day: 5-foot-10, 179 pounds;...
