The Pittsburgh Steelers had an extremely successful draft in 2023. Broderick Jones made strides as a starting tackle in the NFL, Keeanu Benton was a force on the defensive line, and Joey Porter Jr. was one of the best cornerbacks in the league during the second half of the season. It seems the Steelers have found their first, real lockdown cornerback since Ike Taylor, and now they need to find someone to complement him on the other side of the field.
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Steelers rookie Joey Porter Jr. has embraced his role on the Steelers and has benefitted significantly from learning under veteran defensive backs.
Steelers' Second Cornerback Is Not Currently On The Roster According To Ray Fittipaldo
The Steelers' cornerback room currently has Patrick Peterson, Cory Trice Jr., and Darius Rush as the top internal candidates to be the Steelers number two cornerback in 2024. There is a chance Peterson is released before the start of the 2024 season, and Trice Jr. was a seventh round pick for Pittsburgh in 2023 who suffered an ACL tear during training camp ahead of the 2023 season.
Rush was a rookie who was signed off the Kansas City Chiefs practice squad halfway through the 2023 season, and only has three career tackles. Ray Fittipaldo sounded certain in saying that the Steelers' second corner for 2024 is not on the roster yet when asked about it on The Joe Starkey Show.
"Not on the roster yet."
This is a good sign for Steelers fans, as none of the three options mentioned prior that are already on the roster would get anyone excited for the 2024 season. The Steelers are likely to use a high draft pick to find another cornerback, or sign one through free agency. The Steelers currently hold the 20th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and have often been mocked to take one of the top cornerbacks.
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Steelers could select Alabama cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft
Draft Options For The Steelers At Cornerback
Kool-Aid McKinstry is a name often connected with the Steelers in the first round of the draft. He will be a first round pick, and has a good chance of still being on the board when the Steelers are picking at 20th overall. Another name to look out for is Quinyon Mitchell, who is a cornerback coming out of Toledo. Mitchell has been flying up draft boards ever since he impressed at the Senior Bowl.
Nate Wiggins out of Clemson and Cooper DeJean out of Iowa will both likely be gone by the time the Steelers pick in the first round, but if either player falls the Steelers should take them in a heartbeat, especially Wiggins.
If the Steelers decide to go in a different route in the first round of the draft by selecting a center or another position of need, there will still be plenty of options available when they pick in the second with the 52nd overall selection. Names that pop out in this area of the draft include Khyree jackson, Mike Sainristil and Jarrian Jones.
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Steelers Levi Wallace
Free Agent Options At Cornerback
There are some premiere cornerbacks available on the open market in 2024, but it is unlikely the Steelers will want to spend what it will take to acquire a player like Jaylon Johnson who played with the Chicago Bears in 2023. A very realistic option for Pittsburgh is to re-sign Levi Wallace, whose contract expired after the 2023 season ended. Wallace will be a cheap option, and is a good choice to start at the beginning of the year while a rookie sits behind him until the time is right.
Other free agent options that are likely within the Steelers price range include Sean Bunting, Myles Bryant, or even a potential expensive reunion with Steven Nelson who happened to have an interception against the Steelers in 2023 as a member of the Houston Texans.
The Steelers will certainly be adding to their roster at the cornerback position, likely through the draft as well as free agency. A cheap veteran option in free agency, along with a young rookie who will eventually see a lot of playing time sounds like a formula the Steelers would follow.
What do you think about the cornerback position in 2024? Let us know in the comments below!
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