By Matt Papiernik, @Matt_Papiernik on Twitter
SteelerNation.com
Throughout last season, Cam Sutton was a tough player to evaluate at the defensive back position. Not because there was any question in his performance as he consistently shined when on the field, but because of his lack of a consistent role. Every game he appeared to be helping the Pittsburgh Steelers defense in a different way with limited action.
That same type of versatility has been on display throughout training camp in 2020, and it is definitely something we will continue to see through the regular season as well. Speaking about Sutton, Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin explained how his ability to conform to any role in the secondary is a major asset.
"Cam Sutton's best position might just be versatility," said Tomlin. "I know that from a role standpoint he has embraced that with us. Cam is a guy who is outside corner capable, nickel capable, dime capable, safety capable and, really, he displays that just about daily and within the same drills. His versatility has been an asset to us. He really has earned his way into the rotation in terms of being a core component of our base defense inside and in the sub-packages. But that is just the means on which he got on the bus. I don't want to put him in that box. He has a well-rounded skill-set and continues to prove to us that he is very versatile."
There is no denying the Steelers secondary is one of the best in the league, and it will continue to get better as the young duo of Terrell Edmunds and Minkah Fitzpatrick continue to develop.
This is why Sutton's versatility is so important, as he can perform at a high level at all positions in the secondary. While he only played on about 25% of the defenses snaps last season, this year I expect that to rise to between 40-50%.
With the Steelers offense expected to be much improved this season, they may actually be giving their defense a fair share of leads throughout the year. This will lead to opposing offenses needing to throw the ball more, especially late in games. The more opponents are put in obvious passing situations, the more Sutton will play.
2020 is going to be a huge season for the Steelers as a whole, and that isn't any different for Sutton as he will be asked to play his biggest role in their dominate defense of his young career. Based on his play to this point, he shouldn't have any problem answering the call and being a key part of their elite defensive unit.
Let us know what you think about Sutton's potential role for 2020, and continue to look for more updates on SteelerNation.com as the regular season quickly approaches!
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