Steelers build depth with two acquisitions

Pittsburgh Post- Gazette

One day after bringing back JuJu Smith- Schuster in their biggest move of the offseason, the Steelers are adding some veteran depth and experience.

Joe Haeg, a guard/ tackle coming off a Super Bowl victory with Tampa Bay, and Miles Killebrew, a versatile safety who made his bones on special teams over five seasons with Detroit, are signing with the Steelers, a team source confirmed to the Post- Gazette.

Haeg, a fifth- round pick of the Colts in 2016, might be best known for a play he didn’t make on the game’s biggest stage. In the Buccaneers’ 31- 9 rout of Kansas City, Haeg lined up as an eligible receiver near the goal line but couldn’t haul in Tom Brady’s pass in the back of the end zone.

Of course, Haeg is joining the Steelers to block, not to catch touchdowns. At 6 feet 6, 298 pounds, he can and has started games at guard and tackle in his NFL career.

Haeg, 27, has started 38 of 67 games since entering the league, including three starts last year with the Buccaneers. In college he won five consecutive national championships at the Football Championship Subdivision level playing for North Dakota State.

As for Killebrew, he was a fourth- round pick of the Lions, also in 2016. A 6- 2, 222pound Southern Utah product, Killebrew was deployed as a strong safety and linebacker his first couple of seasons in Detroit. Since then, Killebrew has become almost entirely a special teams contributor.

But Killebrew has bought into that role and performed it well, finishing top 10 in the NFL in special teams tackles each of the past two seasons.

Haeg can serve as competition at tackle for Chukwuma Okorafor and Zach Banner, not to mention insurance behind David DeCastro and Kevin Dotson at guard. The Steelers often used No. 3 tackle Jerald Hawkins as an extra blocker in 2020.