You might not have seen the last of CB Patrick Peterson in Pittsburgh.
In a recent interview on 93.7 The Fan, Mark Kaboly of The Athletic said that he believes if the Steelers do not end up drafting a cornerback early, they could re-sign Peterson.
“If that happens, they’re relying on Patrick Peterson to come back in some kind of capacity to be able to be a guy that could play multiple positions,” Kaboly said when addressing the Steelers’ next move if they are unable to land a cornerback in the draft.
On March 8, Pittsburgh cut Peterson from his two-year deal, saving a chunk of cap space in the process. Despite his improved play down the stretch of the season, this was a no-brainer move as it became apparent that that former three-time All-Pro had lost a step.
Still, he proved to be useful for the team as he filled multiple roles, from boundary and slot corner to safety. More than that, his experience and mentorship for CB Joey Porter Jr. proved to pay dividends as the Penn State product enjoyed a stellar rookie campaign.
“He has been great,” Porter when asked about Peterson in the 2023 preseason by Steelers.com. “He took me under his wing and showed me the ropes… Without him, I wouldn’t be able to learn so much about the game so fast like I am right now.”
After his release, Peterson didn’t seem to shut down the idea of him returning to Pittsburgh, either.
During an appearance on Good Morning Football in March, Peterson expressed that he still had interest in playing for the Steelers.
“I would love to return back to Pittsburgh,” he said. “But being there in Pittsburgh I had the time of my life, being with coach Tomlin, seeing how he was able to get his guys up week in and week out, no matter what the circumstances were, he told me the door’s still open for business, so we’ll see what happens here in the next couple weeks and month or two, and hopefully I can be a Pittsburgh Steeler again.”
Peterson also said he didn’t expect to sign with a team until after the draft. Pittsburgh has made two post-draft secondary signings the last two years, adding Damontae Kazee in 2022 and Keanu Neal in 2023.
Even if the Steelers draft another cornerback, their roster is looking thin at the position. Outside of Peterson, the team also lost James Pierre, leaving just Porter Jr. and newly-acquired Donte Jackson as the only proven starters on the team.
Outside of that, the team will look towards Cory Trice Jr., who is recovering after tearing his ACL his rookie season, and Darius Rush, a second-year rookie who bounced around in 2023 before landing with the Steelers. Depending on the price tag, a veteran leader at cornerback may be helpful for a team severely lacking in experience at the position.
