Following a report from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac right before the 2024 NFL Draft that the Pittsburgh Steelers held a meeting in the city with former cornerback Cameron Sutton, speculation started to run rampant that the Steelers could reunite with the former cornerback.
Then, the draft happened, and the Steelers didn’t address the cornerback position until their final pick of the draft, therefore leading to more speculation that a reunion with Sutton could be in the cards.
Now, the Post-Gazette’s Ray Fittipaldo believes that’s a real possibility between the two parties.
During an appearance on 93.7 The Fan’s Morning Show Wednesday, Fittipaldo stated that he can see it happening and believes a signing of Sutton could occur in the summer.
“Yeah, I think that’s a really good possibility. Now, I think you guys know the Steelers will take their time with this and they’ll let the legal process play out somewhat. They will let the Commissioner’s office do their investigation and then I think they’ll get a feel for what the punishment might be, if there is any,” Fittipaldo said when asked about a Sutton reunion, according to audio via 93.7 The Fan. “And then they’ll probably make that signing, I think, in June or July. So if it does happen, I think we talked about it last week, the way they approached the draft, not addressing corner early.
“I think it makes perfect sense to bring back a vet like Cam Sutton if these legal matters are not serious in nature.”
Sutton is only available due to an off-the-field incident that involved a domestic violence charge in Hillsborough County, Florida, in March.
Sutton spent the first six seasons of his NFL career in Pittsburgh after being a third-round draft pick in the 2017 NFL Draft coming out of Tennessee. He left the Steelers ahead of the 2023 season, signing a three-year, $33 million deal in free agency with the Lions. After one season though, Sutton was released after an arrest warrant on domestic violence charges was issued for him in March.
That arrest warrant was issued on March 20, Sutton wanted for domestic battery by strangulation charges. The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office stated that it had been trying to contact Sutton for a few weeks at the time of the arrest warrant since the alleged March 7 incident but had not been able to locate him.
Sutton turned himself into police on March 31 and was booked on one misdemeanor count of domestic battery before being released. The charge was reduced from a felony, and according to Detroit Free Press reporter Dave Birkett, Sutton was “released on his own recognizance” from jail.
According to Tampa Bay Times reporter Rick Stroud, Hillsborough County deputies found a “battered” woman at Sutton’s home. Sutton allegedly left the scene and shut his phone off. Sutton then turned himself in on March 31 and was released from jail later that day. He put out a statement through his attorney asking for privacy for him and his family on the matter and shortly afterwards entered into a pre-trial diversion program, according to NBC Sports.
That all preceded the meeting with Steelers GM Omar Khan and head coach Mike Tomlin in the week before the NFL Draft.
After landing Ryan Watts in the sixth round, the Steelers addressed depth at cornerback, but they still have no clear-cut answer in the slot. That is a role Sutton could handle, and at a relatively cheap rate, were the Steelers to reunite with him.
It will all depend on how the legal process plays out. While Khan shot down any talk of a Sutton signing after the draft during an appearance on 102.5 WDVE, the possibility still remains due to positional need, familiarity with Sutton and how the key decision makers in the front office view Sutton from a personal standpoint.
