Steelers Sign Tough Safety after Minkah Fitzpatrick Injury

The Steelers are signing former Lions safety Jalen Elliott after the hamstring injury to Minkah Fitzpatrick, the team announced on Tuesday. Fitzpatrick was ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Titans, and the Steelers will need players to practice with as well as a safety with familiarity with the system. Elliott is just that, as he was with the Steelers in training before they released him.

He played in all three preseason games with the team. Elliott earned a solid 71.3 PFF tackling grade in those games, racking up 11 tackles over the three games. However, teams went at Elliott during games, allowing 13 receptions on 13 targets for 108 receiving yards and two touchdowns over those three games.

Elliott is a safety out of Notre Dame. Only 25, he was an undrafted free agent in the class of 2020. He found time with the Detroit Lions in 2020 and 2021 and then spent last year with the New England Patriots and Las Vegas Raiders. Elliott has 12 total tackles in his NFL career. He was hosted as part of the mass of defensive backs after several injuries for private workouts in August.

While at Notre Dame, Elliott played in 44 games while racking up six interceptions and 11 pass deflections over four seasons in South Bend. His Junior season was his most productive, with four interceptions and seven pass deflections. Over his career, he posted 176 tackles with the Fighting Irish.