One of the biggest issues the Pittsburgh Steelers have faced early in the 2023 season has been the play of their cornerbacks, particularly Patrick Peterson and Levi Wallace. Both have been too slow to keep up with their assignments and as a result, the Pittsburgh secondary has gotten torched. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said that the corners are incapable of playing press man, and as a result, the team should give rookie second-round pick Joey Porter Jr. a chance.
“Because they are not capable,” Dulac said when asked in his chat why the Steelers don’t play more press with their corners. “But Porter is, which is why he should be playing and use Patrick Peterson the way you initially intended — in nickel, in dime, at safety; some spot where he is playing with his eyes in the backfield.”
Dulac also said it’s not fair to keep playing the 33-year-old Peterson on the outside.
“He’s playing more outside than he should be and he’s supposed to be playing. That was not the intent when they signed him. They didn’t want him on the edge, running with receivers, but there he is. It’s not fair to Peterson to put him in positions where he is not the CB he used to be,” Dulac said.
When Peterson signed, he talked about potentially playing safety, and there was talk about him playing in the slot. But up to this point, that hasn’t really happened, and Peterson has struggled facing off against other team’s top receivers. He does have one interception this season, but he’s definitely struggled up to this point in coverage. He allowed San Francisco 49ers WR Brandon Aiyuk to score two touchdowns against him in Week One, a day where Aiyuk went off for eight receptions and 129 yards.
It just hasn’t been a good showing for either Wallace or Peterson, and the lack of speed from both has been evident. Each week, at least one receiver has had a huge game against Pittsburgh, and if there’s an area for a change, it’s at cornerback. Porter has been good in limited action, and he needs to get more reps. The Steelers don’t seem intent on playing Peterson in the slot, with Chandon Sullivan and Desmond King II listed as starters at nickel corner. That doesn’t leave a ton of opportunity for Porter, who’s almost exclusively worked in dime packages up to this point in the season.
We’ll see what happens going forward, but it’s clear Peterson has lost a step and Wallace has taken a major step back from his steady performance in 2022. It’s an area that needs to be addressed, but I have my doubts that it will.
