Days in the past, the Pittsburgh Steelers gave beginning robust security DeShon Elliott a contract extension. At present, I wished to look at and supply some the explanation why he earned his substantial pay elevate by his efficiency in 2024, his first season with Pittsburgh.
The first motive is being a sound tackler final season. Per Professional Soccer Focus (PFF), the place I pulled all of the stats for this text, Elliott ranked forty fifth in complete snaps with 824. Regardless of this, he tied for tenth in solo tackles (83) and tied for seventh in assisted tackles (26) amongst gamers with 800 snaps (46 qualifiers).
So, he hit nicely above his weight (pun supposed) when quantity in comparison with manufacturing. He was additionally prime ten in a number of different stats on the place, together with fumble recoveries (first), compelled fumbles (T-second), tackles for loss (T-sixth), and stops, that are unsuccessful performs for the offense (T-tenth).
The place Elliott additionally shined extraordinarily shiny in 2024 was avoiding missed tackles. Right here’s a visible of the 46 qualifiers’ complete missed sort out charges, together with missed run sort out charges:
Elliott lands on the perfect higher proper of the chart, impressively. He posted an elite 1.8-percent in each complete and run missed sort out charges, comfortably one of the best on the place in 2024. For extra context, 4.3-percent was the second-best complete missed sort out fee, which Elliott eclipsed by 2.5-percent. Fairly a formidable feat and presence he delivered to the Black and Gold, little question.
On the flip facet, we see this was not his counterpart’s forte in 2024. Minkah Fitzpatrick had an 8.8 complete missed sort out fee, which ranked respectively at thirteenth. Nevertheless, probably the most vital distinction among the many backend teammates was the run missed sort out fee, the place Fitzpatrick posted a 14.3 missed sort out fee (T-Twenty fifth).
This isn’t to say that Fitzpatrick is a poor tackler, contemplating his 2.9-percent run missed sort out fee in 2023, which might have ranked first in an identical examine of that season. Elliott posted a prime ten 5.7 missed sort out fee that yr, pointing to Elliott demonstrating more moderen tackling consistency, significantly in opposition to the run.
Shifting again to the 2024 season, let’s shed extra gentle on Elliott’s nice run protection:
On the Forty ninth-ranked run protection snaps amongst safeties, DeShon Elliott had an 87.8 run protection grade that ranked fifth on the place, together with a 5.7 cease fee (sixth). Comparatively, Fitzpatrick had a 74.3 grade (twentieth) and 1.3 cease fee (tied for third-worst).
Fitzpatrick is thought way more for his protection play prowling deep, which isn’t Elliott’s robust swimsuit. This highlights how the pairing, which could possibly be collectively for the foreseeable future, enhances one another nicely.
As you most likely guessed, DeShon Elliott’s fourth-ranked run protection grade featured a number of stats that ranked within the prime ten. Alongside together with his top-ranked run missed sort out fee coated earlier, Elliott additionally was sixth in assisted run tackles, and tied for eighth in solo run tackles and common sort out depth. Very spectacular high quality over amount from Elliott as a tackler and run defender.
As I eluded to earlier, protection is a component of play that DeShon Elliott can hopefully enhance upon total. Nevertheless, he made an affect in an space I wished to share. Listed below are protection targets and yards per catch allowed from the 2024 season:
First, we be aware that DeShon Elliott was focused at a excessive fee in 2024 in comparison with his friends, which is to be anticipated since opposing quarterbacks are likely to keep away from Fitzpatrick typically within the passing recreation. Elliott was focused 66 instances final yr, tied for the third-most.
I organized most targets to finest see which safeties noticed excessive quantity, and had been in a position to restrict yardage. This view illustrates DeShon Elliott as probably the greatest safeties within the NFL in these phrases, tying for fourth in yards per catch allowed (9.2). Solely 4 qualifiers had been focused over 65 instances with an above the imply yards per catch allowed, together with Elliott. Uncommon firm certainly.
A part of this (and earlier stats) is alignment, enjoying within the field greater than a free security sort like Fitzpatrick, who had extra common outcomes: 41 targets (twenty first), 11.9 yards per catch allowed (T-Twenty seventh). Elliott had 325 field snaps in 2024 (fifteenth), whereas Fitzpatrick got here in at 196 (thirty ninth). Illustrates one other approach that the 2 complement one another.
Elliott additionally performed typically at slot nook, with 241 snaps there, which ranked sixth-most (out of the 46 qualifiers). This was greater than I anticipated, and one other layer of worth he provides to the group that doesn’t precisely have one of the best choices within the slot. To match, Fitzpatrick had 94 (T-Twenty ninth).
DeShon Elliott’s manufacturing and flexibility that he supplied the Metal Metropolis in 2024 had been clearly price and deserving of the contract extension. Particularly, being prime ten within the majority of compelled fumbles/recoveries, tackling, and run protection stats, but in addition offering some worth in protection that he can hopefully enhance upon in 2025.
