There was a time not long ago that Reshad Jones was a premier safety in the NFL.  Jones is only three seasons removed from a Pro-Bowl appearance.  Injuries have taken their toll, leading to 16 games missed in the last two seasons for the former Dolphins star.

Despite the drawbacks, the Pittsburgh Steelers could do a lot worse than adding this veteran safety to improve their depth at the position.  Let’s look at the pros and cons of a Reshad Jones signing:

Pros:

First off, the Pittsburgh Steelers can not go into another season with Jordan Dangerfield as their primary backup safety.  The thought of either Dangerfield or Marcus Allen getting any significant starting time is terrifying.  Reshad Jones, even if he is on the downside of his career, would be a serious upgrade over those two players.

Jones should come fairly cheaply given how the veteran safety market has gone in the recent past. He has been available since the Dolphins released him on March 11th, and there has been very few reports of interest from other teams.  Dolphins writer Kyle Crabbs had theorized three teams that might be interested, but nothing has happened as of yet. https://dolphinswire.usatoday.com/2020/03/12/3-possible-landing-spots-for-dolphins-reshad-jones-in-free-agency/

The Steelers could catch lighting in a bottle with a one year “prove it” deal here.  If Jones were ever to regain his form, he could push incumbent Terrell Edmunds for his starting job.  At the worst, the team would have an experienced starting safety on hand in case of injury.  We were in favor of binging Sean Davis back for just this type of role. Steelers need to bring back Sean Davis to compete at safety

Cons:

Kevin Colbert has a long standing policy of not signing veteran defensive free agents over the age of thirty.  You can count on one hand the times he has broken that rule.  Reshad Jones will be 32 this upcoming season, making him a long shot at best to sign with the team.

There is also the issue of special teams.  It is very likely that Jones would balk at the idea of playing on special teams at this stage of his career.  This is a requirement of all Steelers backup safeties.  If he were somehow convinced to do this, it would go a long way in upping the team’s interest in this player.

Prediction:

Despite being over thirty and reluctant to play special teams, Reshad Jones is the kind of player Mike Tomlin loves.  He is a tough, physical player who was a leader on defense during his time in Miami.  If the Steelers cant find a safety in the draft, this signing becomes a lot more likely.  By that time veteran players like Jones will be scrambling for roster spots.  With very little cap space to play with, the Steelers will be looking for some bargain veterans to add to the roster.  Keep an eye on this in the time period right after the draft concludes.