It seems like every offseason the Pittsburgh Steelers make a sneaky signing that flies under the radar initially and ends up paying off big time. Last season it was cornerback Steven Nelson who solidified the cornerback depth chart and this offseason it could the signing of safety Curtis Riley.
Here are the three big things the addition of Riley could mean for Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh has their third safety
With all due respect to guys like Marcus Allen, Jordan Dangerfield and Antoine Brooks, Riley brings a level of experience and production they cannot match. Brooks might be the longterm future at one safety spot but for now, Riley’s ability to drop into coverage and step up in run support makes him far more valuable.
The Steelers might have a starting safety
Let’s not kid ourselves. If the Steelers do decide to start moving Minkah Fitzpatrick around to keep teams from game planning around him, Riley probably gives the defense its best chance to take some shots. In their schemes, knowing Riley can be a pure free safety, he could force Terrell Edmunds to the bench if the front seven does its job in run support.
Stakes went up for veteran backups
If we assume Antoine Brooks is a lock to make the final roster, the heat is on veterans Marcus Allen and Jordan Dangerfield. They could be fighting for a single roster spot. Dangerfield has more experience on special teams but the Steelers have been keeping Allen around for something.
