A lot was made of the cornerback position for the Pittsburgh Steelers during the offseason. Cam Sutton, who emerged as an important starter over the last two seasons, departed in free agency. The Steelers added Patrick Peterson in free agency, then double-dipped in the 2023 NFL Draft, selecting Joey Porter Jr. to kick off the second round and then adding Cory Trice Jr. in the seventh.
It’s no surprise that a lot of attention was paid to these additions heading into training camp, but those three won’t be the only ones playing an important role at cornerback. Levi Wallace, who joined Pittsburgh during the 2022 offseason after spending four years with the Buffalo Bills as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Alabama, carved out an important role in his first year with the team. He spoke with Mike Prisuta and Craig Wolfley on Training Camp Live on Friday about his familiarity with the defense with a year under his belt.
“I think for me, last year was just getting used to the system,” Wallace said. “New playbook, new environment, trying to feel comfortable in it altogether. So being out here for a second year, I feel way more comfortable… We can get in our heads sometimes with a new playbook, and you got here for a purpose. You’re here for a reason, use your instincts, be a football player, and you end up making plays. And so for myself, it’s just continue to trust those instincts.”
Wallace hauled in four interceptions and had 13 passes defended last season in 15 games. He also had 48 total tackles. Per Pro Football Reference, he was targeted 77 times and allowed 41 completions for a 53.2 completion percentage. For his career, Wallace has 10 total interceptions, 43 passes defended, and 267 combined tackles.
Wallace will face a stiff challenge in the form of Porter throughout camp and the season itself. Whether he will be the starter week in and week out in 2023 remains to be seen. However, his performance in 2022, especially his steady play as characterized by Alex Kozora in the second half of the season, warrants plenty of playing time. After all, it seems that Wallace feels like he’s playing more like an instinctual football player, and four interceptions seem to suggest his instincts are pretty darn good.
