NFL Analyst Slams Steelers CB Room, Offers Trade Solution
PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers have a revamped cornerback room in 2023 after moving on from Cam Sutton and Arthur Maulet. Heading into training camp, Levi Wallace, Patrick Peterson, and second-round rookie Joey Porter Jr. are the leaders on the outside, with Chandon Sullivan likely manning the slot.
Not everyone is sold on the changes, though. The Herd's Jason McIntyre doesn't see much upside to Peterson and Porter Jr. working on the outside, and highlighted the room as a concern for the Steelers.
"Here's a hole: their cornerback situation. Patrick Peterson, who is a fossil at cornerback, and their other guy is a rookie," McIntyre said.
Now, while he isn't going to praise Pittsburgh's cornerbacks, he does offer a solution. It won't come immediately, but McIntyre sees an opportunity by the middle of the season where the Steelers can make a move to bolster their secondary.
"Earlier in the show, we talked about the worst teams. We forgot the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who are gonna be very bad," McIntyre said. "They do have two good corners, [Jamel] Dean and [Carlton] Davis. If the ship is sinking, are they sellers coming near the trade deadline? This could be a team with some pieces to offload, and maybe Pittsburgh goes shopping. There's a possibility the Steelers can add a cornerback later in the season."
Dean has seven interceptions in his first four NFL seasons. Davis has seven in his first five seasons. Both players are 26 years old.
The Steelers' likely starters in Week 1 will be Wallace and Peterson, with Porter Jr. stepping in as Peterson moves inside to the slot. Sullivan will compete with Elijah Riley and Duke Dawson for the nickelback spot, and seventh-round rookie Cory Trice and veteran James Pierre are the favorites to earn the final roster spots.
Pittsburgh is high on their corners heading into the season, but if things change by the trade deadline, a move could be in store. General manager Omar Khan wasn't afraid to make two trades last season, dealing for corner William Jackson III and sending Chase Claypool to the Chicago Bears.
If Tampa Bay is offering up cornerback help and the Steelers need it, it'll certainly be something to monitor by Week 8.
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