The Steelers have enjoyed some decent defensive backs throughout the team's history — and Minkah Fitzpatrick is quickly proving he belongs in the conversation.
The Steelers surrendered a first-round pick to acquire Fitzpatrick, and the 23-year-old safety made that investment look brilliant by picking off five passes during an All-Pro season in 2019. By some measures, Fitzpatrick had one of the best seasons ever for a Pittsburgh defensive back. Pro Football Reference tracks a stat called Approximate Value (AV), which seeks to measure a player’s overall contributions. AV is adjusted by era and by position on the field, to allow for more apples-to-apples comparisons.