The Steelers are now in their offseason after failing to reach the playoffs in 2022, coming up just a game short of sneaking in as the seventh seed. They needed help in week 18 and only got some of it, so instead they sat home and watched the playoffs with the rest of us.
On tap is figuring out how to be on the field in January and February instead of being a spectator. They started out 2-6, digging a hole that proved too deep to dig out of even if they managed to go 7-2 in the second half of the year.
Starting from the end of the regular season and leading all the way up to the beginning of the 2023 season, there are plenty of questions that need answered, starting with who will be the offensive coordinator. Which free agents will be kept? Who might be let go due to their salary? How might they tackle free agency with this new front office? How might they tackle the 2023 NFL Draft? We’ll try to frame the conversation in relevant ways as long as you stick with us throughout this offseason, as we have for many years.
Question: Will Chandon Sullivan be an upgrade as a slot defender over Arthur Maulet?
Though Arthur Maulet supposedly requested his release, seemingly for some valid reasons—such as a perception of a reduced role—the fact of the matter is that he is out, and Chandon Sullivan is in. Signed to a veteran minimum deal while the 2023 NFL Draft was going on, he is basically the only cornerback on the roster with significant NFL experience in the slot, with more than 2,000 career snaps played specifically on the inside.
With that being said, there is probably a reason that he is on his fourth different NFL team now—while Maulet is looking for his fifth team, mind you. Neither are regarded as having been particularly remarkable cornerbacks, either generally or specifically among those whose focus is in the slot.
But Maulet did some good work while he was here and should certainly get credit for that. Pure man coverage was never his strength, but he is a smart player who plays with a physicality above his body weight and height. Like Mike Hilton, he is a football player first and a cornerback second.
Sullivan is not quite as well-rounded as a defender, but probably holds up a little better as a traditional man-coverage option. Yet the difference between the two could still be somewhat marginal. Maulet actually made more plays in coverage last year.
It remains to be seen exactly how the Steelers approach the slot. I get a sense that they are really hoping that Patrick Peterson can handle the job on a full-time basis and get Joey Porter Jr. on the field, but that’s asking rather a lot. I don’t think we’ll be seeing Sullivan on the bench all year. But how will he perform? Will he be an upgrade over Maulet?
