Does Cameron Sutton signing shut the door on a Patrick Peterson reunion?
Pittsburgh Steelers fans certainly don’t seem to want Patrick Peterson back. At least the vocal ones are of the belief that he has nothing left to offer. Peterson previously claimed that the Steelers left the door open to re-sign him at the time that they released him.
But does their signing of Cameron Sutton close the door on Peterson for good, barring a further change? Somewhat surprisingly, given his off-field issues, the Steelers brought Sutton back, officially signing him yesterday. He should be the overwhelming favorite to play the slot cornerback role.
The earlier discussion pertaining to Peterson was that he could potentially return in that slot role. Few believe that he can still hold up as an outside cornerback, but perhaps he could hang inside. And let’s face it, teams need more than one player who can play in the slot.
Do the Steelers have more than one right now? They don’t seem to know, even if they might have some hopes for Beanie Bishop Jr. It’s hard to say, though, what Peterson might need from Pittsburgh to re-sign. Steelers fans might scoff at that, but every contract is a two-way street.
Would Peterson come back to play for the veteran minimum, for example? Would he come back to compete for a spot on the roster, let alone a role in the defense? He is a potential future Hall of Famer who played at an elite level in his past. Joe Haden wouldn’t come back on those terms at the end of his career.
Peterson basically already said that he was willing to do anything but sit on the bench. At this rate, it’s hard to see where he would even have a role but on the bench. So from that point of view, the Sutton signing does seem to shut the door on Peterson for now. Those hoping to hear just that can now breathe a sigh of relief.
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 Wild Card 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.
