Player: CB Brandin Echols
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: A 2019 free-agent signing, Brandin Echols is trying to earn his way not just onto special teams, but the defense. In the two practices before an off day, the veteran defensive back made some big plays. If he keeps showing up, he’ll likely earn some nickel and dime snaps when the regular season begins.
Following the trade for Jalen Ramsey, the path to playing time for Brandin Echols grew more complicated. Prior to that move, he would have been in competition to start in the slot. Now, in all likelihood, Ramsey will spend most of his time there.
In some packages, or with some matchups, however, the Steelers might employ somebody else. Brandin Echols could be that somebody else, if the last two practices are fair to go by. Earning praise from Mike Tomlin for two days in a row, he showed he can make plays on the ball.
Facing a rare deep pass on Saturday, Echols chased down a ball intended for Roman Wilson and forced an incompletion. During yesterday’s outing, he nabbed an interception, demonstrating some ball skills. Considering the Steelers are a team that hands out shirts when you get one, I’m sure that was a welcome sight.
Brandin Echols does have five interceptions in 1,379 defensive snaps during his career, plus 16 passes defensed. Having spent his entire career with the Jets over four years, he has seen his role shift. Last season, he only played 407 snaps, but still managed two interceptions.
Equally important, Echols averages around 200 special teams snaps per season. The Steelers signed him to a two-year, $6 million contract, of which over $1.8 comes as a signing bonus. Including the bonus, he will net a total of $3 million in 2025 with a $3 million base salary for 2026.
And while he’s here, they certainly expect him to contribute on special teams. Depending on how the rest of the secondary shakes out, Brandin Echols could dislodge James Pierre from the roster. Not only can he play Pierre’s gunner role, he also has more upside as a defensive contributor.
With training camp underway and the Steelers exploring their new roster, it’s once again time to “take stock”. It took a while, but we finally saw some of that change the team talked about after the season ended. Certainly, the move to trade for WR DK Metcalf qualifies as a change, not to mention the accompanying contract. Oh, and they also traded some guy named George Pickens, which people found significant.
As we speak, we are in the process of learning what this Steelers team is going to look like. The dust is settled on both free agency and the 2025 NFL Draft, and now we’re in camp. What other moves might the team make, perhaps unexpected acquisitions or departures? They’ve certainly made a flurry of moves, though some question whether they make much difference. This is a Steelers team starving for postseason success, but how desperate are they for a playoff win in 2025?
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