While it’s not so uncommon for players to switch positions after they get to the NFL level, more often you will see a college linebacker move to safety rather than the other way around. At least, that used to be true. With the athleticism demanded at linebacker today, it’s begun to go the other way, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have already employed two such linebackers—Marcus Allen and Mark Barron.
They also have on their current roster a veteran safety in Keanu Neal who has been asked to dabble at linebacker himself. He played there for the Dallas Cowboys in 2021 during his one season there, though he’s otherwise played safety—albeit often in the box.
Still, he’s open to moving back, if that’s what the Steelers need. “We’ll see. I have experience there”, he told Mike DeFabo of The Athletic last week. “That’s not off the table. The opportunity is there. If that’s needed, I’ll do what they need, for sure”.
I’m not sure the Steelers would. They only signed one outside safety this offseason in free agency, but they signed two inside linebackers in Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts, who are expected to be their starting duo this season. They also have Mark Robinson back from last season and added Tanner Muse as well.
Regardless of the potential switch in Pittsburgh, though, Neal still believes his play benefited from the experience in Dallas. “It definitely helped me in my game”, he told DeFabo. “I learned a lot down in the box. I knew how to fit gaps, but there’s a little more detail at the linebacker position, which was good”.
A 2016 first-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons, Neal had been a full-time starter throughout his five-year stint with the team that drafted him. He moved into a reserve role when he signed with Dallas in 2021—also pairing with his former Atlanta teammate Damontae Kazee, now also in Pittsburgh—playing as a situational reserve.
Neal spent the 2022 season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, credited with starting eight out of 17 games and playing nearly 600 defensive snaps. While listed technically as a safety, he continued to spend a large portion of this time in the box or otherwise near the line of scrimmage.
Now with the Steelers, it will be either himself or Kazee starting next to Minkah Fitzpatrick at safety, but there will be times that all three are on the field together. When those opportunities arise, you can probably safely wager which one of them will be playing closer to the trenches.
Neal maintains that versatility is his strong suit and that he can play all over the field as a result of the experiences he has had over the past few years. He also believes he’s gotten his injury issues behind him, often stemming from the physicality with which he plays. He’ll have to prove good on both counts now with his fourth NFL team.
