The Pittsburgh Steelers have made their first re-signing of the offseason, bringing back safety and special teamer Miles Killbrew on a two-year, $4 million deal, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
The move was largely expected. Killebrew signed a one-year deal with the team last offseason and had a solid 2021 season as one of the Steelers’ top special-teamers, including blocking two punts. His first came in the team’s Week 1 win over Buffalo, a crucial play that swung the tide in Pittsburgh’s direction. His second came in the team’s comeback attempt against the Los Angeles Chargers. The Steelers were just one of three teams to block multiple punts last season, joining the Indianapolis Colts and Dallas Cowboys, the latter leading the league with three.
He logged just a handful of snaps in defense in big, three-safety packages, but played 335 on special teams, more than two-thirds of the time on that unit.
Drafted in the fourth round of the 2016 Draft by the Detroit Lions, Killebrew has worked as a linebacker/safety hybrid in the past. But Pittsburgh used him exclusively as a safety this year.
Killebrew will continue in that role in 2022 while serving as a backup strong safety. The team has plenty of other decisions to make in the secondary. Terrell Edmunds, Joe Haden, and Ahkello Witherspoon are set to hit free agency.
