Steelers should be in store for a reunion no one saw coming if AFC rival can’t find a trade partner for All-Pro defender
The Steelers’ defense could add a familiar face in a matter of days.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have a lot of team needs this offseason. When talking about free agency or the NFL Draft, the most common positions are QB, WR, LT, and CB. That’s for good reason, as there are major holes at those spots when analyzing who is under contract for the 2026 season.
But there is one position that seems to be forgotten. Here at A to Z Sports, we just completed a 7-round mock draft that featured a safety as the team’s pick at 21st overall. Safety is quietly one of the biggest needs on the roster, as Chuck Clark, Jabrill Peppers, Kyle Dugger, and Miles Killebrew are all free agents. DeShon Elliott is on an expiring deal coming off a knee injury, and Jalen Ramsey’s future isn’t set in stone. But if the Steelers didn’t want to use draft capital on a safety, there’s a chance they can find a plug-and-play starter in free agency.
A Minkah Fitzpatrick reunion in Pittsburgh is starting to become a real possibility
The Miami Dolphins are currently in the process of shopping former Steelers All-Pro safety Minkah Fitzpatrick. They have made it known that they are searching for trades, but to this point, no one has been willing to bite, or at least not with the desired haul that the Dolphins covet.
Part of that is because of the financials. Fitzpatrick has a $18.8 million cap hit for the 2026 season, which is a steep price for a 30-year-old safety who some may view as a declining asset, on top of having to part ways with draft capital.
That could lead the Dolphins to just cut Fitzpatrick and designate him as a post-June 1 release, which would allocate over $15 million in cap savings, but also make Fitzpatrick a free agent, and free to sign wherever he pleases.
Why bringing back Minkah Fitzpatrick would make sense for the Steelers
It shouldn’t be overlooked that Fitzpatrick left the Steelers on great terms. In fact, he and many of the players in the Steelers locker room were saddened by his departure, though it had to be done to secure Jalen Ramsey and Jonnu Smith. So, beyond the obvious relationships and positional need, Fitzpatrick would also be good value.
The Steelers wouldn’t be signing him to a deal the way they did back in 2022. He will likely be on prove-it deals for the rest of his career. With the Steelers staring at the likes of Aaron Rodgers or Kyler Murray as their quarterback for 2026, bringing back a familiar face for one final run isn’t such a wild idea.
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