The Pittsburgh Steelers needed assistance at slot cornerback this offseason. When their former cornerback Cam Sutton was released by the Detroit Lions due to an arrest warrant, the Steelers were mentioned as a potential team to give Sutton a second chance because of their previous connection.
Sutton, who spent six seasons with the Steelers after being drafted by them in 2017, left Pittsburgh after the 2022 season to join the Lions, signing a three-year deal worth $33 million. However, his legal issues have jeopardized his NFL career. The Steelers’ decision to consider giving Sutton another chance has faced significant scrutiny. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has been one of the most vocal critics of the Steelers’ decision to bring Sutton back.
Florio discussed his views on the Steelers and Sutton on 93.7 The Fan on Wednesday. During the show, he speculated that Sutton might be released by the team after serving his suspension.
“I think one of the questions here, when the eight games are concluded, after the Giants’ Monday night game, they may not take him back,” said Florio. “They may decide by then, we’re good, we’re fine. There’s no guaranteed money. They can move on from him if they want to once that suspension expires.”
The idea that the Steelers would go through the effort of signing Sutton amid the allegations against him only to release him after his suspension does seem unusual. However, Florio believes it is a possibility.
When the Steelers reunited with Sutton, they were aware of the risk of him being punished by the NFL. They might not have anticipated an eight-game suspension, but the risk was evident. This situation now puts Pittsburgh’s secondary back to square one. They brought in Sutton because they needed help at the slot cornerback position.
Sutton, familiar with the team and the role, was signed last season to a solid contract. Now, the Steelers have the same player at a better cost due to his situation. However, they are in trouble as they will be without Sutton for almost half of the season. Fortunately, the Steelers’ AFC North games don’t start until the latter part of the season, so Sutton will be available for those crucial matches.
This means Pittsburgh will need to fill Sutton’s void during the first eight games of the year. There were reports that Pittsburgh might call up one or two former 2023 players, such as Patrick Peterson or Chandon Sullivan, to help fill the gap. However, some Steelers insiders doubt this will happen.
If the Steelers do not seek former help, they will have to rely on their depth chart. Pittsburgh has a few options. Josiah Scott is available, but he does not inspire much confidence. He has bounced around practice squads before the Steelers brought him back. He is a veteran with some experience who might get a greater opportunity due to Sutton’s suspension.
The Steelers also have Beanie Bishop Jr., an undrafted free agent signed after the 2024 NFL Draft. Bishop has received high praise during offseason workouts and could be an under-the-radar player stepping up as a rookie in 2024. Grayland Arnold is another option; he is a veteran familiar with the position. Like Scott, he has not yet had a significant impact in the NFL but could help fill the void.
The Steelers have several options, though none are particularly exciting. It will be interesting to see which player steps up and how they perform with this significant opportunity resulting from Sutton’s suspension.
