Steelers Aren’t Satisfied With Their Cornerback Room: “Another Add That Could Happen At Training Camp”

The Pittsburgh Steelers welcomed back their former cornerback, Cam Sutton, to the team. Sutton rejoins the Steelers just a year after leaving in free agency to join the Detroit Lions on a three-year, $33 million deal. However, after a warrant was issued for his arrest for alleged domestic abuse, Sutton failed to turn himself in, leading to his release by the Lions.

The Steelers had a great relationship with Sutton and know him better than anyone. They decided to extend a second chance to him, bringing him back to his former team. While his legal issues are a concern and Sutton could face punishment from the NFL, the Steelers are confident in the due diligence they conducted before making this decision.

Joey Porter Jr. impressed Steelers fans in his rookie season, often shadowing the opposing team's best wide receiver and backing up his big talk with strong performances. He has fans buzzing with excitement about his potential. Additionally, the Steelers traded for cornerback Donte Jackson, bolstering their starting cornerback lineup.

However, Steelers insider Ray Fittipaldo joined the 93.7 The Fan Morning Show and suggested the team might not be finished adding to the cornerback position. He expressed concerns that backups Cory Trice Jr. and Darius Rush might not be ready to assume larger roles if injuries occur.

"When I look at this secondary, I think they're set with their starters now. Who's your number one backup at outside corner? Let's say there's an injury to Joey Porter Jr. Let's say Cam Sutton has to move outside. Who's your slot?”

The starters look solid for the Steelers, with Sutton at nickelback and Jackson and Porter covering the two sides. However, Fittipaldo is concerned that beyond these three, the depth at cornerback may not provide the Steelers organization with full confidence.

"Darius Rush and Cory Trice Jr. are intriguing guys. They're big, they're long, they're everything the Steelers covet at outside corner, but they have little experience. So that's another add that could happen at training camp if Trice and Rush maybe aren't ready for that role."

Trice has excited some Steelers fans with his under-the-radar potential. However, he didn't get a chance to showcase his skills in the 2023 season due to a serious ACL injury suffered on the first day of padded practice at training camp. 

His recovery went well, and he is eager to compete for reps again. The Steelers are excited about having Trice healthy and are eager to watch him improve in 2024.

Steelers May Not Be Done Adding At Cornerback

Rush also lacks significant NFL experience. While the Steelers seem to like both players and want to continue their development, Fittipaldo believes the team will be seeking additional depth at the cornerback position beyond Rush and Trice. Although it's unclear what type of depth players the Steelers would target, it is likely they will look to bring in a veteran on a budget to provide more stability in the cornerback room.

The Steelers defense is loaded with playmakers at every level, making it the highest-paid defense in the NFL heading into the 2024 season. The addition of Sutton was the final piece of their offseason puzzle in terms of a starting defensive back. 

However, an injury to any of the starters could put the Steelers in a tough spot. According to Fittipaldo, the Steelers might continue to look for additional cornerback depth as training camp progresses.

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