Colts sign former Steelers’ safety Mike Mitchell

For the legion of fans who have been waiting months for the Pittsburgh Steelers to fix the secondary by re-signing Mike Mitchell, that dream was dashed on Tuesday [sarcasm font]. Released ahead of the new league-year back in March, Mitchell went unsigned during free agency and failed to latch on with a team during training camp, but he’s finally found a new home with the Indianapolis Colts after a number of unsuccessful tryouts over the past few weeks.

While it would be fair to say that Mitchell was not always the most popular player on the squad with the fans in Pittsburgh, he was a fiercely loyal teammate and well-liked in the locker room. Sadly the fire that he often showed off the field was not always directed positively on game day and he will be remembered by many more for his late hits and blown coverages than anything else.

Considering the Colts saw two of their safeties leave the game early against the New England Patriots in Clayton Geathers and Matthias Farley, there’s a possibility Mitchell could be pressed into action in Week 6 if they cannot play this weekend. But for a team that had Shamarko Thomas on their roster earlier in the year, this former Steeler might seem like an upgrade.

Drafted by the Oakland Raiders in the second round of the 2009 draft, Mitchell joins his fourth team in a 10-year career that has also seen him spend time with the Carolina Panthers. Although terms of the deal have yet to be released, it’s expected he’s signed a one-year contract.