Former Pittsburgh Steelers player Trai Essex ranked the team's secondary third in the AFC North during a podcast appearance this week. He cited too many unknowns, particularly at safety, as the reason the unit falls behind those of the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns.
Essex spoke Wednesday on his Snap Count podcast. He said he wanted to rank the Steelers first in the division but could not due to an un-solidified safety situation.
The Ravens top his list because of players including Kyle Hamilton, Malaki Starks and Marlon Humphrey. Essex noted that the Browns hold a slight edge over Pittsburgh thanks to Denzel Ward, Grant Delpit and Ronnie Hickman.
Essex pointed to several Steelers players who bring talent but also questions. These include DeShon Elliott, who is coming off a major knee injury, along with Jaquan Brisker and Darnell Savage, both of whom need to stay healthy.
The Steelers made offseason additions to the secondary after a disappointing 2025 season. Essex said the depth at cornerback looks solid but the safety group remains uncertain.