The last time that we took a look back at the Pittsburgh Steelers’ roster in review, it was weeks before the 2023 NFL Draft took place. It would be safe to say that quite a bit has changed since then. The changes apply to almost every position on the roster. Some are major changes and some minor, though some have remained largely if not completely static.
We are closing in on the opening of the Steelers’ several weeks of training camp. This year, we expect to see quite a bit of competition in Latrobe. It would be a good time to pause and take stock of where the team stands at each position as we head into the most critical process of the offseason.
Position: 10
Total Positional Figure: 6
Additions: 4
Deletions: 2
Players Retained:
Patrick Peterson: Signed as a free agent to replace Cameron Sutton, Peterson is entering the final chapter of his career. It’s one that could see him transition into the slot, about which he’s expressed the hope that it could help elongate his career.
Levi Wallace: Coming off a career year in terms of takeaways with four interceptions, Wallace will be in a battle to retain his starting job during training camp. His playing time may also rely on what happens in the slot, if Peterson ends up playing there.
James Pierre: The Steelers opted not to give Pierre a restricted free agent tender but did ultimately re-sign him to a cheap one-year deal. He will compete to continue to function as depth and as a core special teams player.
Duke Dawson: The former second-round pick was name-dropped as a candidate for the slot defender role. In spite of his pedigree, he also hasn’t played in a meaningful game in over two years.
Madre Harper: Though he has been in the league for a few years, the 6’1” cornerback has minimal defensive experience in terms of snaps played. He is in his first season with the Steelers.
Chris Wilcox: Wilcox has a story similar to Harper’s as a low-pedigreed but tall cornerback who is in Pittsburgh for the first time this offseason. Realistically the two will be competing for a spot on the practice squad.
Players Added:
Joey Porter Jr.: As good as a first-round pick, Porter will be fighting to be a starter from day one. if Peterson is the team’s primary slot defender, the chances are quite high that the rookie will play right away.
Cory Trice Jr.: A seventh-round pick, Trice has a lot of people excited because they believe that his on-field ability is much greater than his draft stock suggests. He nearly fell out of the draft entirely because of medical concerns. For as much as we’ve already convinced ourselves of his gem-like qualities in the rough, however, he still has to earn a place on the 53-man roster as step one.
Chandon Sullivan: A veteran slot defender, Sullivan was only signed after the draft and presumably in response to Arthur Maulet being granted his request to be released. If Peterson is not in the slot, Sullivan would be the primary candidate to assume that role.
Luq Barcoo: An XFL product, Barcoo is yet another unheralded but tall cornerback, the sort of player the Steelers historically have loved to fill out their offseason depth charts with. He did reportedly have a good spring.
Players Lost:
Ahkello Witherspoon: After playing the best football of his career down the stretch in 2021, Witherspoon re-signed with the Steelers to assume a full-time starting role again. While ostensibly due to injuries, that didn’t last long. He struggled a lot in the first couple of games even when healthy, but Wallace took over his role and he became entirely expendable this offseason, having been due $4 million.
Arthur Maulet: For reasons that remain not entirely clear, Maulet apparently asked for his release before the Steelers opted to oblige him. Their primary nickel defender last year, perhaps he saw his role likely to be reduced this offseason and wanted to find a roster that would present him with a better opportunity for meaningful playing time.
Notes and Camp Outlook:
Peterson and Wallace on the outside is the baseline for the 2023 season, which isn’t too shabby. While Peterson is going to be a big storyline not only in terms of ascertaining the extent of his versatility but also how much he has left in the tank at 33, however, the biggest spotlight will be on Joey Porter Jr.
The son of a great linebacker, Porter knows everything about the Steelers and most believe he will be able to take over a starting job right away. It certainly would be nice if that’s the case, but what that means for Wallace would then be decided by what takes place in the slot, particularly whether or not Peterson can be asked to play there extensively.
If not, the Steelers have a lot of candidates, though not necessarily ones to get enthusiastic about. Sullivan is at the top of the list, but also cited were Dawson and others with position flexibility like Elijah Riley, who we’ll be talking about tomorrow as a safety.
