Steelers Just Got a Simple Solution at Cornerback

While the Pittsburgh Steelers have made their interest in drafting a cornerback clear, they may also have a simpler path to adding depth.

Aug 6, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; Washington Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore (2) runs a route at training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | Eric Canha-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Steelers showed their hand just a bit at the 2026 NFL Draft Combine. With the number of defensive backs, specifically cornerbacks, the organization met with, only one conclusion can be drawn.

The Steelers intend to add another starting cornerback for the 2026 season. The upcoming draft is likely to yield somewhere between three and nine starter-level players at the position.

The team will likely draft one of those top corners in the first few rounds, but there's also a simpler solution now available in the free-agent market that can fill out the team's depth. The Washington Commanders are expected to release veteran CB Marshon Lattimore, according to an update from CBS Sports' Matt Zenitz. With Lattimore on the open market, he becomes an immediate option for the team's new number-three corner.

The #Commanders are currently expected to release cornerback Marshon Lattimore, sources tell @CBSSports.

The former first-round pick made nine starts for Washington this past season. pic.twitter.com/WAZ7SUHl7d

— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) March 2, 2026

Why Lattimore Makes Sense for Steelers

The Steelers have one of the top lockdown pass defenders with Joey Porter Jr. Behind him, however, there are nothing but question marks.

Veteran Jalen Ramsey is set to return, but where exactly he will play? That might be at safety, and that might be in the slot, but the Steelers haven't made that clear. That leaves them in need of a starter on the outside, plus necessary depth.

Once upon a time, Lattimore was a top cornerback in the NFL. The 29-year-old has over 100 games played in the NFL, he hasn't recorded double digit passes defended since the 2021 campaign. No longer an All-Pro, he still has something to offer.

In Pittsburgh, he could slot ideally as the third cornerback. He could play on the outside when needed and help mold a hopeful top draft pick to eventually take over.

Sep 11, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers wide receiver Romeo Doubs (87) cannot make a catch against Washington Commanders cornerback Marshon Lattimore (2) in the second quarter at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

An Affordable, Yet Reliable Option

To top it all off, he'd be cheap. With the Commanders releasing him, it finalizes a deal that he signed during his Pro Bowl days with the New Orleans Saints.

Fresh off that massive contract, he will command far less than the $18 million salary cap hit he came with in 2025. A few million ought to get the job done, giving the Steelers the needed depth the position requires.

What the Steelers CB Room Might Look Like

With Lattimore, the Steelers have options. And if they bring in a top cornerback, someone like Chris Johnson out of San Diego State, Keith Abney Jr. from Arizona State, or D'Angelo Ponds out of Indiana, they will suddenly have a versatile spectrum of cornerbacks at their disposal.

For a team trying to rebuild their defense, the secondary is key. The Steelers know they have to upgrade their pass defense, and bringing in a trusted veteran can quickly help improve that.

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