5 dream Pittsburgh Steelers free agent targets if money was no object

4. Kyle Dugger, S (New England Patriots)

When healthy, we know with absolute certainty that Minkah Fitzpatrick is one of the NFL's truly elite safeties and one of the best overall defensive backs in the league as well. Yes, he missed some time in the 2024 campaign due to injuries, but when he was on the field, he still proved to be a game-changing playmaker on the back end of the defense.

The problem for the Steelers secondary -- outside of cornerback -- has been the complement to Fitzpatrick in recent years. We saw Keanu Neal fill that role often in the 2023 season and it looked as if the versatile hybrid player was a bit of a letdown in that capacity. Part of that may have been due to Fitzpatrick's absence, but it was also a clear area where Pittsburgh could upgrade if they could.

That's why former Patriots hybrid safety/linebacker Kyle Dugger would make a ton of sense as an ideal fit in the secondary as a running mate with Fitzpatrick.

Dugger could be a real two-birds-with-one-stone situation for the Steelers defense. He plays downhill effectively against the run essentially like a linebacker lined up just a tad deeper on the back end. But he adds some effectiveness in coverage, particularly against tight ends or bigger slot receivers.

That's a role that would be ideal to have next to Fitzpatrick in Pittsburgh and, frankly, a better version of what Neal would give them at full capacity. He's going to get a nice payday and likely keep the Steelers out of contention for signing him, but we're daring to dream about that safety pairing.