- The Pittsburgh Steelers are signing former Cleveland Browns safety Juan Thornhill. Thornhill, 29, will turn 30 this season, and has spent the last two seasons with the Browns after coming over from the Kansas City Chiefs.
Thornhill played most of his time as a single-high safety with the Browns. He will play that more so with the Steelers in their three safety packages as well. It will allow Minkah Fitzpatrick to move around the formation.
Thornhill had just four pass deflections and zero interceptions in his two seasons with the Browns. Before that, he had eight interceptions and 20 pass deflections with the Chiefs in four years.
He will replace Damontae Kazee, who was the team’s third safety for the last three seasons. In addition to that role, Thornhill should see time on the team’s special teams units, especially kick coverage.
Thornhill missed 12 games over the last two years with a nagging calf injury that never seemed to go away for him over the course of his tenure with the Browns.
The Browns released Thornhill in February, saving cap space and moving off a prized signing that was thought to add to a high-level Browns secondary.
