The two-man race has a third entrant. With Darnell Savage – finally – signing this week, he’s thrown his hat into the ring for one of the final spots on the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 53-man roster. His competition? Two youngsters, Sebastian Castro and Robert Spears-Jennings.
Savage couldn’t be more different. The veteran and former first-round pick is trying to keep the light on his career. Spears-Jennings, a seventh-round rookie, and Castro, an undrafted second-year player, are just getting started.
Their aims are the same. Make the team. The path will largely come the same way, too. With Jalen Ramsey, Jaquan Brisker, and DeShon Elliott ahead, the best any can do is a No. 4 option. That means impressing on special teams. On Wednesday, Mike McCarthy made clear that backups on their side of the ball must contribute elsewhere.
Savage might have the disadvantage. Never much of a special teamer, he logged just 38 such snaps bouncing around three teams last year: Jacksonville, Washington, and Buffalo.
Spears-Jennings and Castro have it as calling cards. Spears-Jennings played hundreds of snaps at Oklahoma. He has the size and 4.3 speed to make an impact. Castro played 78 special teams snaps across nine games last season, seeing time on multiple units. He could be in the mix as the team’s upback on the punt team, replacing Miles Killebrew’s role before his midseason 2026 injury.
But the team will keep doors open for all three. Savage has the know-how and experience. Pittsburgh could value that at the end of the roster. Last year, the Steelers expected Juan Thornhill and DeShon Elliott to be their primary safeties. That plan changed in a hurry.
Pittsburgh will keep at least four. Extending that to five creates an additional spot. Even in that scenario, someone will be the odd man out. All three will have to fight to avoid getting a pink slip.
The battle might not be consequential to the season. But it’ll be a fun camp battle to watch these three guys go wire-to-wire to stick on the roster.
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