Player: DB Ryan Watts
Stock Value: Purchased
Reasoning: The Steelers used their final pick of the 2024 NFL Draft to address the secondary with DB Ryan Watts. Nominally a cornerback, many expect the 6-3, 206-pounder may convert to safety in the long run. Wherever he winds up on defense, his first task is to make himself useful to special teams coordinator Danny Smith.
The Pittsburgh Steelers waited until the very end of their 2024 NFL Draft to address arguably one of their biggest needs. Considering the homework they did on first-round cornerbacks, coming away with only a sixth-round pick in Ryan Watts is surprising.
But they found their new defensive back, nominally a cornerback, and now he has a chance to prove himself. Standing at 6-3 and weighing 206 pounds, Watts is an interesting size prospect. But he lasted well into the sixth round because of concerns about his game.
This offseason the Steelers parted with most of their cornerback room. They released Patrick Peterson and then allowed James Pierre, Levi Wallace, and Chandon Sullivan to hit free agency. Pierre and Wallace have since found new teams, though Peterson and Sullivan remain available. If guys like Ryan Watts don’t prove worth a roster spot, they may opt to reunite with one of the two.
Watts gets his first chance to work with the veterans today with the opening of voluntary OTAs. Presumably, the Steelers plan to stick him with the cornerbacks and see what his size can do for him. Special teams coordinator Danny Smith is bound to take a close look at him, as well.
Draft analysts believe that Watts may ultimately fit better in the NFL as a safety rather than at cornerback. But right now, he has to focus on earning a spot on the Steelers’ special teams units. He already has a background doing that, which is a leg up on most college players.
Given the depth, though, he has a good chance of making the team, anyway. Behind Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson, the Steelers have little of note at cornerback. They have some second-year players in Darius Rush and Cory Trice Jr. Both are late-round picks with little to no experience, the latter recovering from a torn ACL.
Also in the group are some inconspicuous veterans, the most notable of whom is Josiah Scott. Don’t feel bad if you have no idea who he is. Watts needs to try to make him as anonymous as possible, though, to make the team.
As the season progresses, Steelers players’ stocks rise and fall. The nature of the evaluation differs with the time of year, with in-season considerations being more often short-term. Considerations in the offseason often have broader implications, particularly when players lose their jobs, or the team signs someone. This time of year is full of transactions, whether minor or major.
A bad game, a new contract, an injury, a promotion—any number of things affect a player’s value. Think of it as a stock on the market, based on speculation. You’ll feel better about a player after a good game, or worse after a bad one. Some stock updates are minor, while others are likely to be quite drastic, so bear in mind the degree. I’ll do my best to explain the nature of that in the reasoning section of each column.
