Coming off a disappointing end to what looked to be a promising season, the Pittsburgh Steelers have quite a few questions to answer on both sides of the football, particularly at quarterback, along the defensive line, and in the secondary.
One of those questions doesn’t really center on the safety position though, as Minkah Fitzpatrick and DeShon Elliott appear to be a strong tandem moving forward for the Steelers.
Yet, despite Fitzpatrick and Elliott back for another year in the Black and Gold, CBS Sports’ Jordan Dajani wants the Steelers to “prioritize” signing a former All-Pro safety in free agency.
That would be the San Francisco 49ers’ Talanoa Hufanga, who is a pending free agent. In a piece for CBSSports.com Thursday, Dajani made the case for Hufanga in Pittsburgh.
“Hufanga was named an All-Pro in 2022 after recording four interceptions, nine passes defensed and two sacks to go along with 97 combined tackles but unfortunately tore his ACL late in the 2023 season. Can you imagine what Pittsburgh’s defense could be capable of with Minkah Fitzpatrick and Hufanga roaming the secondary?” Dajani writes.
Though he played just 308 snaps in 2024 due to injuries once again, Hufanga remains a big name at the safety position entering free agency.
During the 2022 and 2023 season, Hufanga was an impact player, recording seven interceptions combined in those two seasons and playing 1,791 snaps in that span before tearing his ACL late in the 2023 season. Though he was able to return early in the 2024 season, getting back onto the field in Week 3, Hufanga missed a chunk of the season once again, and played just 308 snaps.
In those 308 snaps, Hufanga graded out at a 57.8 overall from Pro Football Focus, including a 74.5 against the run but a 52.4 in coverage, allowing nine receptions on 10 targets for 96 yards. In his All-Pro season in 2022, Hufanga graded out at a 72.1 overall, including a 74.6 in coverage, allowing just 35 receptions for 354 yards and recording four interceptions.
A talented player who has been snake-bitten by injuries in the last two years, Hufanga’s market could be limited. After being mentored by former Steelers great and Pro Football Hall of Famer Troy Polamalu, Hufanga landing in Pittsburgh would certainly be a full-circle moment.
But the fit isn’t very clean with Fitzpatrick and Elliott in the picture, working together as a strong tandem that plays deep safety and in the box. Of course, the Steelers could want to play more three-safety sets, which could make Hufanga enticing due to his versatility and experience, but that seems largely unlikely, making Hufanga a curious piece to pair with the Steelers as a “priority signing” in free agency.
