Entering the offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers have one glaring hole on defense that will need to be addressed in a major way by GM Omar Khan and assistant GM Andy Weidl.
That would be the cornerback position behind standout rookie Joey Porter Jr., who looks like the next great shutdown corner in the NFL. Behind him though, the Steelers have major issues.
Veteran Patrick Peterson really struggled at times at cornerback during the 2023 season and largely looked much better at safety late in the year. Veteran Levi Wallace is a free agent as is Chandon Sullivan. Rookie Darius Rush didn’t see much playing time with the Steelers and still needs to develop while rookie Cory Trice Jr. is battling back from a torn ACL suffered in training camp.
It’s a barren wasteland at a key position in today’s NFL. The Steelers have to figure it out opposite Porter.
For ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, he can see the Steelers getting a jump on that position this offseason before free agency by re-signing Wallace to a two-year deal.
“The Steelers’ free agency class is not star-studded, but Wallace has been a solid starter over two years in Pittsburgh, producing six interceptions and 12 pass breakups since 2022. I could see him staying there on another two-year deal closer to free agency,” Fowler writes for ESPN.com regarding the Steelers’ offseason outlook.
The Steelers signed Wallace to a two-year deal in free agency ahead of the 2022 season. Snagging him away from the Buffalo Bills, they brought a veteran into the fold at a position where the Steelers were in transition.
Reuniting with former college teammate and close friend Minkah Fitzpatrick, Wallace had a strong 2022 season, recording four interceptions and a career-high 13 passes defensed, grading out at a 62.8 last season. Wallace entered the 2023 season as a starter but ultimately lost his starting job and slid into a reserve role for the Steelers after the emergence of Porter.
He recorded just two interceptions and 11 passes defensed and graded out at just a 57.8 on the season. Though he started another nine games for the Steelers, it was clear that Wallace was viewed as a sub-package cornerback at best in 2023. He struggled throughout the season and allowed seven touchdowns in coverage.
Now, he is set to enter free agency. Fowler sees the Steelers doing business with the veteran cornerback again but that seems highly unlikely. His play was poor throughout the season, and he was a liability in coverage. Though he did make some key plays, including sealing the Week Three win over the Las Vegas Raiders on the road with an interception, impact plays were too few and far between for Wallace.
Plus, he’ll be 29 entering the 2024 season and has played 4,241 defensive snaps in his career. He brings almost no special teams value, either, having played just 42 special teams snaps this season.
The Steelers have a great need at the cornerback position, but that need isn’t great enough for them to re-up with Wallace on a multi-year deal before free agency. It’s a strong crop of free agent cornerbacks, and a good 2024 NFL Draft at the position, too. Answers are out there. The Steelers don’t need to go business with Wallace again.
