The Pittsburgh Steelers have released safety Keanu Neal, the team announced today. The release comes with a failed physical designation.
Neal was set to earn $2.25 million in 2025. His release will save a bit of money for 2024, as Dave Bryan laid out on Twitter. His release will also come with a $460,000 dead money charge.
Signed ahead of the 2023 season, Neal appeared in nine games, making eight starts. He recorded 50 tackles and one interception, though the pick would be his last play with the team. Grabbing an end zone pass tipped by Patrick Peterson in a Week 10 win over the Green Bay Packers, Neal suffered a rib injury on the return and was knocked out of the game.
The team later placed Keanu Neal on injured reserve and he did not return the rest of the season. It’s not clear the exact nature of the injury but it was serious enough to keep him out of action for two months.
Turning 29 in July and with a limited box-safety skill set, the Steelers will look for an upgrade in free agency. With a slew of safeties released over the past several days and a handful of promising pending free agents, the team should be able to find a replacement. This year’s draft class at safety is considered weak, making free agency a logical place to turn.
Current safeties on the Steelers roster with gameday experience include Minkah Fitzpatrick, Damontae Kazee, and Trenton Thompson. If Patrick Peterson is retained, he could play more safety after shifting there late in the 2023 season.
A first-round pick of the Atlanta Falcons in 2016, Neal has appeared in 89 career games, making 69 starts. He’s recorded 523 tackles with four interceptions. In addition to the Falcons and Steelers, he also spent time with the Dallas Cowboys, who made him a linebacker, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
