Yesterday, it was reported that the Pittsburgh Steelers planned on adding rookie CB Darius Rush to their 53-man roster from the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad. To make room for Rush, the Steelers released Desmond King II, who didn’t work out after signing with the team at the end of August.
Rush joins fellow rookies Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr. on the roster, giving the Steelers three cornerbacks from the 2023 NFL Draft. Rush was drafted in the fifth round by the Indianapolis Colts while Porter was drafted at the top of the second round by Pittsburgh. Trice was taken in the seventh round after previous injuries flagged his medicals, causing him to slip down the board.
Those three are accompanied by starting CBs Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace as well as James Pierre and Chandon Sullivan on the roster. Sullivan has been the team’s starting slot corner for most of the season while Peterson and Wallace have been Pittsburgh’s starters on the outside, the Steelers only just recently rotating Porter in more in the second half of the Ravens game a couple of weeks ago.
With Wallace’s contract up at the end of the season, it’s likely that Porter slides right into his starting spot on the outside should Pittsburgh choose not to re-up with him. Wallace has made some splash plays this year but also has been heavily picked on in coverage. Sullivan and Pierre will also be up after the season, leaving the depth behind Porter and Peterson thin in terms of rotational players as well as special teamers. That’s where Rush and Trice come into play. Both are later-round guys but possess the physical traits and upside to become meaningful contributors. Both are tall, long corners with Trice standing 6-3 3/8 and Rush 6-2, having legit speed to run and cover big, physical receivers out on the perimeter. Both also possess the acumen to contribute on special teams with Rush being an ace there during his time in college at South Carolina.
Another factor to consider is Peterson’s dip in play at times this season as Father Time appears to be catching up with the 33-year-old veteran. Receivers like Brandon Aiyuk and Nico Collins have given him problems this season, showing a lack of speed and burst to hang in coverage deep down the field with the younger, explosive wideouts in the game today. Pittsburgh will need to find a long-term answer opposite Porter at some point, and having Rush and Trice waiting in the wings will present a great opportunity for both to earn playing time and potentially become that starting-caliber corner opposite Porter.
Make no mistake, Rush and Trice aren’t in position to assume that role as we sit here today. Trice is rehabbing from a torn ACL that cost him his rookie season. Rush is on his third team in his rookie season, having been cut by the Colts coming out of the preseason and not getting elevated to the Chiefs’ active roster to prevent Pittsburgh from poaching him off their practice squad. Still, it doesn’t hurt to have a bunch of long, tall, fast corners that are still developing as they complete that transition from college to the NFL game. Pittsburgh now has three of them and could be in position to see a changing of the guard at the cornerback position as soon as next season.
