Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 2022 season is over, the team finishing above .500 but failing to make the postseason, we turn our attention to the offseason and everything that means. One thing that it means is that some stock evaluations are going to start taking on broader contexts, reflecting on a player’s development, either positively or negatively, over the course of the season. Other evaluations will reflect only one immediate event or trend. The nature of the evaluation, whether short-term or long-term, will be noted in the reasoning section below.
Player: CB Carlins Platel
Stock Value: Sold
Reasoning: Somewhat buried in the announcement of the release of former first-round cornerback William Jackson III was the mention that fellow cornerback Carlins Platel was released as well. Both of them finished the season on the Reserve/Injured List, the latter having been there since before the regular season began.
Signed after a tryout invitation at rookie minicamp, South Carolina cornerback Carlins Platel made it all the way through training camp with the Steelers, which in itself is an achievement for any college free agent.
Unfortunately, he saw his time with the Steelers come to an end at the end of last week when they announced he had been released. Though he was always further down the depth chart, he was getting playing time during the preseason, suffering an injury in the finale.
He was subsequently waived injured, and when unclaimed, moved to the Reserve/Injured List. He spent He spent the entirety of the 2022 season there after having had surgery to address the injury that he had suffered.
Chances are most had forgotten that he was ever even with the Steelers if they recalled or recognized his name at all, but such is the case with players who play toward the bottom of depth charts. Still, the coaches did seem to pay some attention to him at times, allowing him to move up when injuries allowed to play with a higher group, either outside or in the slot.
Platel ended up logging 68 defensive snaps during the Steelers’ three preseason games. He recorded five tackles and a pass defensed. If they intended to continue to work with him, however, they would have presumably continued to carry him on the roster at this point, so one has to assume they are parting ways permanently barring a further development.
Currently, the Steelers’ cornerback room could do with some sprucing up. Their top player at the position, Cameron Sutton, is a pending unrestricted free agent who should have some market. Levi Wallace is their top player at the position who is currently under contract.
Ahkello Witherspoon may join Jackson as a cap casualty following a very disappointing season. They will also have to figure out how to retain James Pierre as a restricted free agent. Arthur Maulet remains under contract in the slot.
