Steelers' latest signing may try to replace the role Ryan Shazier occupied
The Pittsburgh Steelers are noted for their rich history on defense and in particular, the linebacker position. Often the leader and heart and soul of the team, Pittsburgh has a storied history of inside linebackers, with Ryan Shazier being the most recent one. Following his career-ending injury, Pittsburgh has done their best to try and […]
The Pittsburgh Steelers are noted for their rich history on defense and in particular, the linebacker position.
Often the leader and heart and soul of the team, Pittsburgh has a storied history of inside linebackers, with Ryan Shazier being the most recent one.
Following his career-ending injury, Pittsburgh has done their best to try and replace him, but it's largely been patchwork free agents, and missed draft picks. However, a late free-agent addition may change that.
Keanu Neal is a veteran defender that is a hybrid of safety and linebacker. The former first-round pick out of Florida played the "enforcer" role early in his career under Dan Quinn and the vaunted Seattle scheme while he was in Atlanta.
Since then, Neal has had stints with Dallas and Tampa respectively, playing often as a linebacker in sub packages.
Let's get something clear, Neal will not provide nearly the imprint that Shazier had on the defense, but their playstyles are very analogous, and the Steelers obviously believe he can help by signing him to a two-year deal.
There will only ever be one Ryan Shazier. An athletic marvel with the intensity and toughness to take on any role, the Steelers have desperately missed his impact.
As Brooke Pryor of ESPN pointed out in a recent column:
The Steelers have navigated a fruitless journey to replace a generational talent, signing free agents like Jon Bostic, Mark Barron and Myles Jack, trading for others like Joe Schobert and Avery Williamson, and trading up to draft Devin Bush, said Pryor. The organization even drafted big-bodied safeties like Terrell Edmunds and Marcus Allen, who they hoped could give them Shazier-like versatility in sub packages. None are on the current roster, and the majority lasted a season or less in Pittsburgh.
I understand how this may come across as just another acquisition that will pan out similarly to the one's above.
But despite accruing seven seasons in the NFL, Neal is still only 27 and has been to a Pro Bowl.
The question now is, what exact role will he play in the Steelers' defense?
Is he going to compete with snaps against other free-agent signings like Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts?
Or is he going to go back to his original position of safety, replacing the need that Terrell Edmunds' departure has created?
Perhaps he occupies a little bit of both, playing all over the defense as a versatile piece that can be used in a variety of alignments and defensive packages.
Either way, Neal brings an intensity and level of speed that hasn't been seen since the famed number 50 was roaming between the hashes.
