Despite a lack of significant playing time at the safety position during his first two seasons, third-year safety Shamarko Thomas is expected to slide into the starting lineup for the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2015 to take the spot vacated by Troy Polamalu.
Drafted in the fourth round during the 2013 draft after the Steelers swapped their 2014 third-round pick to get him, Thomas played intermittently in the slot on defense as a rookie until an ankle injury set him back toward the end of the year.
Heading into his second season, defensive backs coach Carnell Lake said that the team wanted to keep him at safety, rather than move him around, so that he could fully commit himself to taking over that role.