After being named the No. 1 safety in the NFL in ESPN’s survey of coaches, scouts and executives ahead of last season, Pittsburgh Steelers S Minkah Fitzpatrick fell to the No. 4 spot on the list this time around after an injury-riddled 2023 season where he failed to force any turnovers.
An NFL personnel evaluator said that Fitzpatrick playing closer to the line of scrimmage last season hurt his “bottom line.”
“He was playing closer to the line of scrimmage this year — not sure why, maybe they needed his leadership and instincts up there, but it hurt his bottom line.