Player: DB Grayland Arnold
Stock Value: Purchased
Reasoning: The Steelers are reportedly signing DB Grayland Arnold, a fourth-year veteran. He has 20 games and 228 defensive snaps to his name, alongside 406 snaps on special teams. Arnold saw his most extensive playing time a year ago and projects to play in the slot. First, however, he has to earn a spot on the roster.
You have to give the Pittsburgh Steelers under Omar Khan’s regime credit. At the very least, they have somewhat consistently turned over the roster, bringing in options. While there is only so much they can do from a cap perspective, they have created competition these two years. The reported signing of Grayland Arnold is another example of that.
The Steelers are in need of slot-capable defensive backs, and Arnold gives them another option. A former college free agent out of Baylor, the 5-10, 187-pound defensive back projects best in that role. The problem is that he doesn’t have a ton of tape, but at least it’s moving in the right direction.
Of the 228 career defensive snaps Arnold has seen, 143 of them came last season with the Houston Texans. Including special teams work, he totaled 18 tackles, with one tackle for loss and a forced fumble. Thus far, his only career pass defensed came during his rookie season in 2020.
The Steelers did not re-sign Chandon Sullivan or Patrick Peterson, who logged the most slot snaps a year ago. Some have speculated that they could bring one of them back, or even re-sign Cameron Sutton. Rookie college free agent Beanie Bishop Jr. is a name that has attracted some attention, as well.
But the reality is it’s nice to have some been-there, done-that guys. Grayland Arnold hasn’t been there too long or done it too much, but at least he has done it some. Josiah Scott, already on the roster, is probably their most experienced slot option.
We will have to see if the Steelers decide to add a more established name later on down the road. For the time being, guys like Scott and Arnold and Bishop are slated to battle it out in training camp to see who sticks.
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.
