One of the most important position battles on the roster for the Pittsburgh Steelers in the preseason is starting to heat up.
That would be the slot cornerback battle between veteran Chandon Sullivan and second-year pro Elijah Riley. Both had interceptions on Saturday night at Acrisure Stadium against the Buffalo Bills, and both continue to make strong cases for a spot on the 53-man roster, making it rather difficult for the coaches to make a decision at the spot.
When it comes to the slot cornerback job, the belief is that there will be one winner earning a roster spot. Steelers defensive coordinator Teryl Austin might not see it that way.
“I think those guys are both making a case that they belong,” Austin said to reporters Monday from the UPMC Rooney Sports Complex on the South Side, according to a tweet from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Brian Batko.
That doesn’t come as a surprise that Austin would toe the line with that comment when it comes to the position battle. One has not established himself as the guy over the other to this point. That doesn’t mean it’s been a poor position battle, either.
Both Sullivan and Riley are making plays and really showing off their abilities for the Steelers.
After a big tackle for loss and a huge hit in the open field on a punt return in the preseason opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road, which drew rave reviews, Riley had a strong day Saturday night, picking off a tipped pass in the end zone to shut down a Buffalo scoring drive. He later batted down a pass in the fourth quarter.
Through two preseason games, Riley has played 33 total defensive snaps, grading out at a 73.1 from Pro Football Focus, which includes a 50.9 run defense grade and a 74.4 coverage grade. He’s allowed four receptions on four targets for 24 yards, per PFF.
Sullivan has started to really flash lately, pushing hard for a roster spot as well. He had a pass breakup against the Buccaneers and then recorded an interception on a terrific play against the Bills in the Steelers’ 27-15 win. On the interception, Sullivan came in free as a blitzer on backup quarterback Matt Barkley and leaped into the air to knock the ball down. After tipping the pass, Sullivan had the athleticism and body control to contort and find the football for the interception, setting up a Pittsburgh touchdown.
In the two preseason games, Sullivan has played 27 snaps, grading out at a 57.8 overall. That includes a 50.4 run defense grade and a 54.8 coverage grade, according to PFF.
Though the general consensus seems to be that it would be one or the other making the 53-man roster in the secondary, it isn’t out of the realm of possibilities that the two make the roster together, giving the Steelers even more flexibility in the secondary. Riley has safety experience and could serve as emergency backups at free safety and strong safety. Sullivan can play on the boundary — in a pinch — at cornerback when not on the inside, having played 226 career snaps at outside corner.
After plenty of concerns entering training camp and the preseason at the position, the play of Sullivan and Riley has put some of those concerns at ease – so far. We’ll see what transpires on Thursday night in Atlanta in the final preseason game, but both have made strong cases for a roster spot and overall role defensively.
