Steelers named best landing spot for Rams $40 million pending free agent

As crowded as the Pittsburgh Steelers' safeties room was in 2025, it's about to clear out pretty quickly this offseason.

That's because the Steelers have four pending free agents at the position, including Kyle Dugger, Miles Killebrew, Chuck Clark and Jabrill Peppers.

That leaves DeShon Elliott and Jalen Ramsey as the only viable starting options at safety on the roster, and there's at least a decent chance the latter gets cut. Even if Ramsey stays, the Steelers could use an upgrade in their coverage at the position.

In an article naming the best landing spots for some of the highest-graded defenders in the NFL from 2025, Pro Football Focus' Mason Cameron matched the Steelers to Los Angeles Rams safety Kamren Curl, who Spotrac projects will land a four-year, $40.1 million deal in free agency.

"Curl flew around the field in Shula’s defense, posting a career-best PFF run-defense grade (87.5) this season, in addition to an 87.6 PFF coverage grade at free safety over his two seasons in Los Angeles," Cameron wrote.

While there's a good chance the Rams will want to retain Curl, even the veteran safety said he wasn't sure about his future with the team, so it's possible he does depart in free agency.

“I really don’t know what’s going to happen. We’re going to let it play out and I’m going to sit back," Curl admitted. "I would love to be back here. This is a great organization, a winning organization and I would love to be back for sure."

If Curl does hit the open market, the Steelers should be interested.

Cameron notes in the rest of his write-up how Pittsburgh's safeties struggled in coverage last season, with the unit ranking 30th in passing yards given up.

The Steelers' safeties were constant victims of big plays, also, as evidenced by the position group getting beaten for the second-most 15-plus-yard catches.

Signing Curl would give the Steelers the coverage upgrade they need at safety next to Elliott and, assuming he avoids getting cut, Pittsburgh can then move Ramsey back to the outside, which would fill the team's need opposite Joey Porter Jr.

But Curl isn't just a one-trick pony, as he is elite against the run, also.

The Steelers need to get younger and better on defense. The 26-year-old Curl would check both of those boxes.

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