Disguised defenses are some of the most fun things to watch develop when looking at All-22 film.
But they can't happen in the secondary without the right kind of athletes who can run play run all over the field with versatile skillsets that allow them to fill different jobs. Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds already fit that profile as rangy safeties who can match up with receivers, tight ends and running backs.
But behind them is a thin depth chart with only Marcus Allen and Antoine Brooks returning from 2020 and with Cameron Sutton playing more outside cornerback in 2021, options would be limited without reinforcements. Brooks and Allen are players who are closer to box safeties than actual backups for Edmunds and Fitzpatrick to rotate in and help at deep safety.
That's why Kevin Colbert should be looking to replenish his ranks at safety in the NFL Draft. There are plenty of talented prospects who could fit the profile they need at safety behind Fitzpatrick and Edmunds.
Chief among them is TCU's Trevon Moehrig, who will most likely be available when the Steelers pick in the first round. But they've got other pressing needs that can be addressed that early in the draft and still find other capable safety prospects in the middle rounds.
Players that fit that profile like Syracuse's Andre Cisco, Cincinnati's James Wiggins, USC's Talanoa Hufanga or Pitt's Damar Hamlin. After his tough pro day and opting out, Paris Ford could even be looked at in the later rounds.
Each of those players have demonstrated the instincts and ball skills to challenge passes at different levels of the field. I included some of them in my rankings of defensive backs that would be the best fits to replace Mike Hilton in the slot next year, as a replacement there could further diversify the Steelers' secondary.
The ultimate goal of this draft investment would be to find flexibility in the secondary. If Fitzpatrick and Edmunds get a partner who can rotate safety spots with them, quarterbacks will have a harder time predicting their responsibilities pre-snap, which would lead to more misreads and mistakes.
YOUR TURN: Should the Steelers add safety to their long list of draft needs?