Though he’s still new to the Pittsburgh Steelers and is adjusting to the defense and the roster, veteran safety DeShon Elliott brings quite the reputation with him.
After six seasons as a member of the Baltimore Ravens, Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins, Elliott brings quite a bit of experience at the safety position to the Steelers.
He also brings the label as one of the “most underappreciated” players in the NFL, according to NFL.com’s Gennaro Filice. Elliott was highlighted by Filice as one of the AFC’s most underappreciated players.
“Now on a fourth team in Year 7 of his professional career, Elliott’s vagabond existence might lead some to question his reliability, but that’d be a mistake. While injuries did impact multiple seasons at Elliott’s first NFL stop in Baltimore, whenever the man played for the Ravens, he proved dependable,” Filice writes for NFL.com. “And over the past two seasons, he capably started 13 games for the Lions and 15 games for the Dolphins, providing the kind of rock-solid returns at defensive back that should never be overlooked in today’s pass-happy league.”
In his career, Elliott has been that dependable player. He has played 3,174 snaps, including three seasons of 850 or more snaps and two straight years above 850 snaps.
Last season with Miami, Elliott played 926 snaps, grading out at a 72.6 overall, including a career-high 87.3 overall against the run. That bodes well for him in Pittsburgh as he is slotted to be a box safety.
However, he can do it all, and has shown that in his career. That versatility is a huge part of his game, and a big reason why the Steelers went after him quickly in free agency.
“Elliott’s ability to seamlessly transition between teams and schemes is a testament to his versatility,” Filice wrote. “With Minkah Fitzpatrick in place as one of the league’s best center fielders, Elliott figures to spend plenty of time in the box, where he’s a force player with violent hitting ability.”
That physicality will be key for Elliott, who has dropped the hammer often in the NFL against opponents. He will provide that physicality alongside Damontae Kazee, giving the Steelers two viable box safeties who can also handle any coverage duties thrown at them. That in turn should allow star safety Minkah Fitzpatrick to get back to his roaming ways in search of making plays on the football.
He might not be a flashy name overall, or a well-known one in the NFL, but Deshon Elliott can wear a number of hats and perform well in whatever role he’s tasked with. That makes him underappreciated and underrated.
