Injuries and illness have been major roadblocks for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ safety squad this season. Head coach Mike Tomlin had to come up with a solution. So, he moved Jalen Ramsey, who’s primarily a cornerback, to safety against the Colts. The experiment took off, with Jalen logging five solo tackles while playing almost every snap in Week 9. He remained in a safety role against the Chargers. But has Tomlin decided where he really wants Ramsey to play in the next game?

“He’s [Jalen] got flexibility. It’s about the flexibility of those around him and the talents of those around him. But certainly over the last two weeks, man, just his presence consistently at free safety has been a stabilizing force on the back end, and I’d imagine that’s not gonna change,” Mike Tomlin said. 

Well, the Steelers’ HC seems confident about how he wants to play Ramsay ahead of the Week 11 face-off with Cincinnati. With Mike praising the performance of Pittsburgh’s cornerback in his new role, chances are slim that he’ll play his original position for some time. But how did it all begin?

The franchise carried out changes after starter DeShon Elliott sustained a knee injury in Week 8. It led them to trade for safety Kyle Dugger from the Patriots on October 28. The player took on the starting role permanently alongside Jalen Ramsey, who switched to free safety two weeks back.  

For a three-time All-Pro cornerback, Ramsey has been thriving as a safety. In the Colts game, the Steelers’ defense dominated big time, holding one of the NFL’s top offenses of the season to a low score. Speaking of domination, Jalen posted five solo tackles and played 98.6 percent of defensive snaps. He kept up the momentum against the Chargers and recorded four solo tackles in Week 10. 

It’s easy to see why Pittsburgh traded for Ramsey earlier this year, as his versatility was a huge selling point. Tomlin had already imagined using the fifth overall pick in the defensive backfield.

“He’s got really good instincts; he’s got really good passion for the game. He studies the game, and I think those are some things that really enable him to play back there.”

But just as Pittsburgh explores Ramsey’s role, there’s another big change in the roster. 

Mike Tomlin just gave Juan Thornhill the boot

The Pittsburgh Steelers have decided to cut ties with safety Juan Thornhill, per Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo. The team has placed the veteran, who has boasted over 375 tackles in his NFL career, on waivers. If Juan clears waivers, he will officially become a free agent. This is Pittsburgh’s latest roster adjustment out of many in the wake of many key injuries.

After Dugger and Ramsey supported the back end, the team moved him to the special teams in the last two games. Despite recording 38 tackles in nine games this season, the Steelers moved on. In March 2025, Juan signed a one-year, $3 million deal with Pittsburgh after a two-year-long stint with the Browns. With 75 career starts and 8 interceptions, the veteran safety brings valuable experience. It makes him a likely target for teams looking to add depth at safety.

Meanwhile, the Steelers have brought back safety Sebastian Castro to fill in for Thornhill. The franchise originally signed Castro in April before Tampa Bay claimed him in late September. Now back in black and gold, he’ll join safety Chuck Clark and Jabrill Peppers as part of Mike Tomlin’s safety depth.