The Pittsburgh Steelers’ 53-man roster looks strong. Far better than a year ago. But it also looks odd. Constructed differently than we’re used to seeing, especially on the defensive side of the football. Seven defensive linemen. Only eight total linebackers. And a whopping seven cornerbacks, all healthy, no IR-maneuvering here.
Which begs the question. Are they really going to keep all of them?
Desmond King II is the latest addition, signed over after being released by the Houston Texans. He makes the Steelers’ cornerback room stronger but also muddier. Projected to most often play in the slot, he joins Chandon Sullivan and Elijah Riley, both kept on the 53 as other slot corners. Let’s walk through the seven currently on the team.
Patrick Peterson (Outside/Inside Corner/Safety Rotation)
Pittsburgh’s answer to losing Cam Sutton, Peterson brings a veteran presence and Hall of Fame resume. He’ll be the team’s starting left corner in their base defense and run situations but has expressed the desire to move around the defense for the first time in his career. He should get his wish, Pittsburgh floating Peterson between the slot on passing downs and dime packages and even some safety rotation. It plays well to his high football IQ and hides the speed he’s lost in the twilight of his career.
Levi Wallace (Outside Corner)
As steady as they come, Wallace lacks high-end physical tools but plays a consistent and technical game. He’s also in his second year with the team, smoothing over any bumps of being in your first year with a new organization and scheme. Wallace also missed a chunk of training camp last summer which impeded his progress. This year, he didn’t miss a day.
He’s less versatile than most other names on this list, an outside corner who has played only a tiny bit in the slot (and not looked good when doing it) but he should be on the field in virtually all situations at his right corner spot.
Joey Porter Jr. (Outside Corner)
The Steelers high-prized rookie, Porter had a good camp though it was slowed by an ankle injury. He has to get more comfortable with the things he’s uncomfortable with (off-man, zone) and show better feet, his size and length won’t win out alone at the NFL level, but he should succeed as a press-man corner playing on obvious passing downs. He’ll see the field at left corner, bumping Peterson inside.
James Pierre (Outside Corner/Special Teamer)
Still on the roster even after the team added King, Pierre is a trait-based corner with good size and length willing and able to hit against the run. He’s carved himself into a good – not great – special teamer as a starting gunner opposite WR Miles Boykin. But he’s been inconsistent and hard to trust throughout his career, leading to frustration from coaches. If Pittsburgh had to turn to a fourth corner, it’s hard to tell if they would go to Pierre or King. Perhaps Pierre would get the initial nod given King’s newness to the system.
If Pittsburgh needs a roster spot, could Pierre be the odd man out? So far, he’s shown staying power.
Desmond King (Inside/Outside Corner)
Just picked up on a one-year deal, King can bang around at the nickel spot. He’s physical, aggressive, and supports the run well with a knack to getting to the quarterback, picking up 4.5 sacks his rookie year. Lately, he just hasn’t been in systems that have allowed him to blitz. Pittsburgh should lean on that this season and King is likely to see most of his time in the slot, though he actually played more on the outside a year ago.
Chandon Sullivan (Slot Corner)
The only pure slot corner of the seven, Sullivan was added during the NFL Draft. Graded out as one of the worst corners last season, Sullivan had a nice camp with the team and impressed in preseason action. But with so many other slot options and lesser special teams value than others (62 total such snaps over the last two years), could squeeze him out of a roster spot. He’s not the cover-corner King is and isn’t the hitter Elijah Riley can be.
Elijah Riley (Slot Corner/Safety/Special Teamer)
An outside corner in college at Army, Riley had mostly been playing safety in the NFL. This summer, Pittsburgh concentrated on using him at slot corner and he did well in that role, a high-motor player active against the run with size to hit. He should be a multi-phase player on special teams, including a wing on the punt team, and he had 22 special teams snaps in preseason action.
With Pittsburgh only keeping four safeties, one of them being specialist Miles Killebrew, Riley can be an emergency option there, too, along with Peterson.
Practice Squaders
Which looks pretty slot-heavy in former Dallas Cowboy Anthony Brown and Philadelphia Eagle Josiah Scott. There’s also outside corner Luq Barcoo, a former WR will ball skills who beat out Chris Wilcox and Madre Harper to stick.
It seems doubtful the Steelers will go the entire season carrying seven corners. That’s one too many. And even to start the year, not all seven will be active on gameday. It’s possible the team only has five active, though six is more likely.
Whether it’s injury at the position or elsewhere that changes the team’s equation, who will be the first to go? Sullivan still seems the most likely candidate; there’s really no reason to keep four slot-capable corners on the roster. But Pittsburgh seems content starting out heavy, seeing how the group looks, and deciding from there.
