Exit Meeting: CB Brandin Echols
Experience: 5 Years
The Steelers ended up getting their money’s worth out of Brandin Echols, who signed a two-year, $6 million contract in free agency. Juggling a variety of roles, he played over 500 snaps on defense and another 111 on special teams. As needed, he stepped in, and as often as not, he stepped up.
A former sixth-round pick of the Jets in 2021, Brandin Echols signed with the Steelers last offseason. He played in 16 games, officially starting three, logging 40-plus percent of the defensive snaps in eight. The size of his role varied, finding its zenith midseason amidst injuries in the secondary.
The Steelers had a bold vision at cornerback last offseason. They signed Darius Slay in free agency, in addition to Echols, later trading for Jalen Ramsey. Of the three, the one who came closest to deliver on expectations was Echols. The Steelers cut Slay in-season, and Ramsey struggled at cornerback at times. They moved him to safety, though they did so following DeShon Elliott’s season-ending injury.
Echols showed himself capable of making plays. He finished the season with 2 interceptions, 1 forced fumble, 1 sack, and 3 tackles for loss. He also recorded a third interception in the Steelers’ playoff loss to the Texans, in which game he played 44 defensive snaps.
It’s unclear exactly what role the Steelers have planned for Brandin Echols in 2026, however. Most likely, they don’t currently have a plan. After all, they just turned over the coaching staff, including the head coach. Technically, he might not even be safe, due $3 million for the 2026 season. That’s not too much to pay by any means, but it will be up to the new coaching staff to evaluate him.
Brandin Echols, though, should survive as no worse than experienced veteran depth. Right now, the secondary is a little fuzzy, particularly at cornerback behind Joey Porter Jr. Will Jalen Ramsey play cornerback again, and who else will play? Both James Pierre and Asante Samuel Jr. are pending free agents, though presumably at least one will return.
If the Steelers re-sign both, or move Ramsey back to cornerback, there doesn’t figure to be a lot of playing time available for Echols. That was also true at the start of the 2025 season, however, and he found his way onto the field.
The Pittsburgh Steelers find themselves licking their wounds after yet another early playoff exit. This is a repeated pattern for the organization, but with major change coming. As the Steelers conduct their own exit meetings, we will go down the roster conducting our own. Who should stay, and who should go, and how? Who should expect a bigger role next season, and who might deserve a new contract? The resignation of Mike Tomlin makes those questions much more difficult to answer, but much more important. We’ll explore those questions and more in these articles, part of an annual series.