The Pittsburgh Steelers signed CB Cameron Sutton to solidify their slot cornerback position, but Sutton is likely to face NFL discipline in the form of a suspension following a domestic violence arrest. Sutton’s suspension could come before Week 1, and the Steelers need someone who can play the slot in case Sutton is sidelined. On The PM Team on 93.7 The Fan, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette said that as it stands two players would be in line to step in for Sutton.
“Right now, probably Josiah Scott or Beanie Bishop. Beanie Bishop made a nice play [Thursday], by the way, I think it was in seven shots,” Fittipaldo said. “There’s really not a lot of other options right now.”
Fittipaldo said he would be surprised if the Steelers didn’t know the length of Sutton’s suspension by Aug. 1, which would give the team time to add someone from the outside if Bishop or Scott struggle in training camp and don’t look capable of holding down the fort.
Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin also mentioned Scott and Bishop as options in the slot, and while Scott has more experience, playing 388 snaps there for the Eagles in 2022, Bishop is coming off a season where he was an All-American at West Virginia and could wind up being a sleeper as an undrafted free agent. He was impressive at the East-West Shrine Bowl, tested well at the Big 12 Pro Day, and is someone who could stand out when the Steelers make it to Latrobe.
But Scott’s experience can’t be ignored, and he might be a safer option for however long Sutton is out. Defensive backs coach Grady Brown also threw Thomas Graham Jr. into the mix as someone who could be an option, so the Steelers will have their pick of internal options if that’s the route they choose to go.
Sutton is likely going to be suspended a minimum of six games, but certain factors could raise the total, and Mike Florio thinks there’s a chance it could be up to 10 games. Sutton is subject to punishment because he entered a pre-trial diversion program, and the team brought him back knowing full well that a suspension is looming.
The question now is whether the Steelers will like what they see enough out of their internal options to have one of them be the replacement. Or if they want to go outside the organization and look at a player who was cut elsewhere or a current free agent, potentially Chandon Sullivan, who wasn’t bad for Pittsburgh last season.
It’s a question we won’t have an answer to possibly up until Week 1, but there’s little doubt that it’s something Omar Khan and Co. are planning for.
