Steelers formally announce deal with former Cowboys defensive back

The Pittsburgh Steelers have added some depth to the secondary, signing free agent defensive back Damontae Kazee. Pittsburgh formally announced the one-year deal on Tuesday afternoon.

Kazee first entered the league in 2017 after being selected in the fifth round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the Atlanta Falcons out of San Diego State. He played in 52 games with 34 starts in Atlanta in four seasons, totaling 199 tackles with three tackles for loss, 13 passes defended, 10 interceptions, and five forced fumbles.

Following the 2020 season, Kazee hit free agency and signed a one-year deal with the Dallas Cowboys. Last year in Dallas, Kazee played in 17 games with 15 starts, totaling 52 tackles, four passes defended, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles. He has also played in three career playoff games, two coming in 2017 in Atlanta and one coming this past season with the Cowboys.

Kazee will add some valuable depth in the Steelers secondary next season. He has struggled through inconsistencies at times during his NFL career so far, but Kazee is a solid backup that is capable of stepping into a starting role if needed.

Kazee should be able to ease into a new role with the Steelers

With the Steelers, Kazee won’t have to be pressed into a starting role. Pittsburgh has two starting safeties already in place in Minkah Fitzpatrick and Terrell Edmunds.

With Miles Killebrew, Karl Joseph, and others making up the rest of the safety room for the Steelers, Kazee will slide in as a nice backup with experience.

The Steelers went 9-7-1 last season and lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in the opening round of the playoffs. Pittsburgh also added a pair of defensive players in the 2022 NFL Draft. They took Texas A&M defensive lineman DeMarvin Leal with a third-round pick, also taking Ole Miss outside linebacker Mark Robinson early in the seventh round.