Buy or Sell: The Steelers must add a starting safety like Justin Simmons to do right by this roster.
Explanation: If the Steelers don’t sign a safety like Justin Simmons, their alternatives are, at least on paper, less than ideal. In theory, Juan Thornhill is an NFL-caliber starting safety, yet he signed for $3 million. Then again, DeShon Elliott signed for cheap last year, so they can work out. The other option is playing Jalen Ramsey at safety, but he hasn’t seriously played there since 2013.
Buy:
Last year, Justin Simmons signed a one-year, $7.5 million contract with the Falcons, which is manageable for the Steelers. Statistically, he had a solid enough season with two interceptions and seven passes defensed. Although he didn’t make the Pro Bowl or All-Pro, it was his first time off such lists in six years.
The Steelers need a one-year Band-Aid after trading Minkah Fitzpatrick, and Simmons makes more sense than riding with Juan Thornhill. They signed Thornhill to be a backup and situational player, and that’s what he should do.
One quality Justin Simmons has that fits into the Steelers’ scheme is playmaking ability. It’s something they prioritize, even down to the wardrobe. Though he only has five interceptions combined the last two years, he recorded at least four in four consecutive seasons. In 2022, he shared the league lead with Fitzpatrick with six interceptions.
Sell:
It’s not a coincidence that we’re talking about a lot of players whose accolades are now preceded by “former”. Former All-Pro; former Pro Bowler. The Justin Simmons the Steelers would be signing in 2025 is not the same guy. At least Juan Thornhill has been learning the defense all offseason.
For all we know, Pittsburgh wants Jalen Ramsey playing safety anyway. If that’s the case, the Steelers signing a starter like Justin Simmons doesn’t make sense. All of this really hinges on how they view Ramsey, and how much time he might spend at safety. There’s nothing saying he could play there at a high level.
The Steelers are building toward the 2025 season, following yet another disappointing year. While they reached the playoffs, they once again lost decisively in the first round. They are facing questions, both publicly, and perhaps privately as well. Questions about The Standard, and what the Steelers stand for.
The rookie class of a year ago was successful, but they need to step up into staple starters in 2025. And they need everyone healthy to do it, not an insignificant consideration. They needed a strong influx of talent in both free agency and in the 2025 NFL draft yet again.
These sorts of uncertainties are what we will address in our Buy or Sell series. In each installment, we will introduce a topic statement and weigh some of the arguments for either buying it (meaning that you agree with it or expect it to be true) or selling it (meaning you disagree with it or expect it to be false).
