**Buy or Sell: Juan Thornhill is being overlooked as a key piece of the defense.**
**Explanation:** _Although Juan Thornhill is the Steelers’ third safety, Pittsburgh likes to use three, and he doesn’t just play safety. A 6-foot, 200-plus-pound defensive back with second-round pedigree, he has ample starting experience. Coming off a rough tenure in Cleveland, the Steelers found him affordable at $3 million for 2025. Even if the secondary stays healthy, he can contribute in a variety of roles._
**Buy:**
In 2023, the Browns signed Juan Thornhill to a three-year, $21 million contract, and he didn’t forget how to play. Sure, he looked better in Kansas City because he played with more talent and in a better defense. But he also looked better because he was healthier.
Thornhill only missed one game in Kansas City in four years but missed 12 in two with the Browns. If he is healthy, he can be a real asset for the Steelers, and at a bargain price. He has more versatility than, say, Damontae Kazee, because he is athletic without being small.
The Steelers run a lot of three-safety packages when they have three safeties they like, and it sounds as though they like Juan Thornhill. On top of that, they don’t really have a settled nickel defender role, Beanie Bishop Jr. in the driver’s seat. Don’t be surprised if Thornhill sees some snaps as the fifth defensive back.
**Sell:**
Juan Thornhill will be 30 years old in October and has dealt with a string of injuries over the last two years. Those are facts that you can’t ignore, even if they aren’t necessarily fair. You can’t control your age, and your ability to limit your injury risk is also somewhat minimal. But fair or not, these are facts about the player the Steelers have signed.
And the fact is that even when he played with the Browns, he didn’t produce much. He recorded zero interceptions, zero forced fumbles, zero recoveries, and zero sacks. Thornhill had just _one_ tackle for loss in 11 games. For a defense driven by splash plays, he’s been swimming in a teacup. Maybe he looked better in Kansas City because Steve Spagnuolo made him. Do you trust Teryl Austin and Mike Tomlin to dial up his game?
_The Steelers are building toward the 2025 season, following yet another disappointing year. While they reached the playoffs, they once again lost decisively in the first round. They are facing questions, both publicly, and perhaps privately as well._ [_Questions about The Standard_](https://steelersdepot.com/2024/01/mike-tomlin-reiterates-the-standard-for-2024-in-no-uncertain-terms-we-want-to-be-world-champions/), and what the Steelers stand for_._
_The rookie class of a year ago was successful, but they need to step up into staple starters in 2025. And they need everyone healthy to do it, not an insignificant consideration. They needed a strong influx of talent in both free agency and in_ [_the 2025 NFL draft_](https://www.nfl.com/draft/event-info/) _yet again._
_These sorts of uncertainties are what we will address in our Buy or Sell series. In each installment, we will introduce a topic statement and weigh some of the arguments for either buying it (meaning that you agree with it or expect it to be true) or selling it (meaning you disagree with it or expect it to be false)._