Shamarko Thomas has had a rough preseason, and such a performance has lead the team to start veteran Will Allen Thursday over the young safety.
The Pittsburgh Steelers re-signed Will Allen in the offseason as an insurance policy. When Troy Polamalu retired in the offseason, the vacant strong safety job would then go to third year safety Shamarko Thomas. Allen would be the safety net for the organization if Thomas was unable to perform up to the team's standards and expectations.
As it turns out, the team is looking to cash in on their insurance policy with Allen at safety.