The Pittsburgh Steelers tried to juice up their secondary last year by adding Darius Slay and Jalen Ramsey. Unfortunately, that didn’t pan out the way they expected. Slay didn’t make it through the season in Pittsburgh, and Ramsey moved to safety full-time in the middle of the year. While the Steelers’ secondary had issues last year, the team added some players in free agency to try to plug the holes. That includes Jaquan Brisker, who’s listed as a safety, but he doesn’t want that label to make people think he’s limited.
“I can’t just diagnose myself as a strong safety…” Brisker said Monday via the team’s YouTube channel. “Classify me as a defensive back. I can play anywhere on the field… Things that I have done are making sure I can play in the post and play in the box. But also, being able to play field boundary.
“If you really think about it, safeties are now playing Will [linebacker], Star, you see that from Derwin James, Kyle Hamilton, the young safety from Seattle [Nick Emmanwori]… You just have to be versatile, but you have to be willing to know the playbook and know everything. That’s what comes with it.”
Brisker was originally a 2022 second-round pick by the Chicago Bears, and true to his word, he played all over the field. Most of his snaps came either in the box or at free safety, but he’s also spent significant time along the defensive line and in the slot. He’s even played over 100 snaps at corner.
Also, he’s correct in stating that the safety position has changed slightly in recent years. Players like James, Hamilton, and Emmanwori have helped it evolve. They play a lot in the box, stopping the run, but they also have the athleticism and ability to cover well.
Emmanwori, in particular, was a key piece of the Seattle Seahawks’ championship-winning defense last year. His versatility allowed them to do a lot of different things that frustrated offenses.
Perhaps Brisker could play a similar role in Pittsburgh. While he hasn’t been on the same level as those other players, he’s still been solid. Also, he’s still young, turning 27 years old this season.
Just as well, Brisker should help the Steelers make Jalen Ramsey more of a chess piece. They wanted him in that role last year, but injuries and poor play in the secondary forced him to stick at safety. Now, he and Brisker give the Steelers two flexible players on the back end of their defense.
The Steelers’ defense disappointed last year, but it could bounce back in 2026. Patrick Graham’s scheme isn’t rigid. He tries to put his players in the best position to succeed. Having multiple players that he can move around should help the entire unit play well.
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