You can absolutely be forgiven if you either missed or forgot that the Pittsburgh Steelers did more than just sign Russell Wilson and trade for Justin Fields. Oh, there was that ‘Kenny Pickett trade’ too but there were actually a couple of other important transactions. The signings of DeShon Elliott and Van Jefferson shouldn’t be overlooked or dismissed.
In the case of Elliott, he’s exactly what the Steelers have needed since Terrell Edmunds left. While Minkah Fitzpatrick is indeed an All-Pro safety, he’s at his absolute best when he can play free safety. Oh he’s good when he has to play down inside the box but he’s even better when he can keep everything in front of him and bait quarterbacks into mistakes. Without a sound tackler at the strong safety spot, Fitzpatrick was forced into that duty.
That’s where Elliott comes in. Last year in Miami, Elliott started and played in 15 games playing 94% of the defense’s snaps. He’s a guy literally built to play closer to the line of scrimmage and he is a lover of a big hit. Elliott does have some limitations especially in man coverage and he’s not an overly superb athlete either but he’s really what the Steelers were looking for. Could his arrival change their approach in the draft? That’s hard to say simply because of so many needs at cornerback.
Van Jefferson arrived in the NFL in 2020. He stayed with the LA Rams until last season when he also spent time in Atlanta. Jefferson’s best season was his second one in 2021. He started all 17 games and grabbed 50 receptions with six going for TDs. He’s only recorded a grand total of four TDs in his other three seasons combined.
Jefferson is highly competitive and comes from football roots as his father Shawn was an NFL receiver for 13 years. He’s extremely versatile as he can play anywhere along the formation. Where he’s likely to excel is in the slot but that won’t be determined until we see how the rest of free agency and the draft goes.
Jefferson isn’t going to scare defenses but he’s a detail-oriented guy who will block and contribute any way he can. He’s really an ideal ‘Mike Tomlin’ type of receiver.
I don’t believe that Elliott and Jefferson will suddenly make the Steelers forget any of the all-time greats at the positions they have but they are also the type of guys every team needs. These are the lunch pail guys who do the work and let other guys make the bigger plays. These are necessary and solid acquisitions made by the Steelers.