How open are the Steelers to a potential reunion with CB Cameron Sutton?
The Pittsburgh Steelers drafted CB Cameron Sutton in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Not only that, they successfully developed him over a period of six years. How often do you get to say that about the Steelers in relation to a cornerback? In fact, they so successfully developed him that they couldn’t afford to retain him in free agency last year.
If only the story ended there. If we’re talking about Sutton and a potential reunion with the Steelers already, you know something went awry. You know what that something is already, surely, if you’re reading this, making the question all the more surprising.
Sutton is accused of domestic violence and subsequently hid from police for a period of time. The Detroit Lions released him, and he subsequently turned himself in, his felony charges reduced to misdemeanor.
This is only a conversation because of general manager Omar Khan. He fielded a question about a potential reunion with Sutton and he didn’t rule it out, saying, “We’ll see”. He and head coach Mike Tomlin previously acknowledged that they met with him, noting their history over six years.
So the question is what that we’ll see really means, and for whose benefit he said it. Was he being diplomatic, because he didn’t want to seem like they were abandoning Sutton as a person? Was he trying to be cautious about their potential interest due to potential blowback?
I can tell you this much: the Steelers badly need a slot defender and a player like Cameron Sutton there would be a luxury. But chances are at a minimum he’ll serve a league-mandated suspension, assuming he avoids jail time.
I’m not advocating for the Steelers to sign Sutton, but the fact is, the Steelers made it a conversation. As a result, we need to ask the question that they raised in how they addressed the subject. How open are they to potentially reuniting with Sutton given his current issues?
The Steelers’ 2023 season has been put out of its misery, ending as so many have before in recent years: a disappointing, blowout playoff loss. The only change-up lately is when they miss the playoffs altogether. But with the Buffalo Bills stamping them out in the Wildcard Round, they have another long offseason ahead.
The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Does Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team, or are they wasting a year? Will he play just one season in Pittsburgh before moving on, or the Steelers moving on from him? How will the team address the depth chart?
The Steelers are past free agency and the draft and their roster for the 2024 season is coming into focus. They made numerous moves through signings and trade—and release. More than usual, they seemed comfortable creating holes, confident they can fill them. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we merely have a new set of questions to ask.
