Steelers' Keanu Neal Shares His Excitement To Take Part In 'Positionless Football' During 2023 Season

The Pittsburgh Steelers were fortunate to have stability at the safety position over the past four seasons in Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds. With Edmunds opting to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason, the Steelers will likely call upon multiple players to fill his role. As of now, the two most likely candidates to do so are Damontae Kazee and Keanu Neal. Both players have their own unique set of skills that may end up proving to be an upgrade in terms of productivity over the recently departed safety. 

Kazee will likely handle a majority of the responsibilities opposite of Fitzpatrick. During his first season in Pittsburgh in 2022, the former Atlanta Falcons' draft pick was highly impressive, notching two interceptions in nine games. At 5'11" and 174 pounds, Kazee lacks the type of size the Steelers look for with their in-the-box safeties. Fortunately, Neal does not at 6'0" and 211 pounds. Over the course of his seven-year NFL career, he has proved to be a highly physical safety who is willing and able to defend the run. 

During a recent interview posted on the DK Pittsburgh Sports YouTube Channel, Neal described his style of play and how he thrives in playing close to the line of scrimmage. 

"I'm all about it. Physicality as part of the game is what I enjoy. Being close to the line of scrimmage, blitzing, doing all of those different things, that's part of my game for sure," answered Neal.  

Neal's Ability To Play A Variety Of Roles Will Be Huge For The Steelers In 2023

Neal is far from a full-time starter at this point in his career, but there is no denying that he can still make an impact in the right situation. In addition to his duties as a two-deep safety, the former first-round pick will be asked to play alongside both Fitzpatrick and Kazee in three-safety sets, as well as serve as a dime linebacker in passing situations. With the Steelers' lack of depth at coverage inside linebackers, this role may end up being Neal's top priority. While he may be officially listed as a safety on the roster, Neal plays with a linebacker's mentality when it comes to defending the middle of the field.