The Pittsburgh Steelers have options at slot corner. They’re searching for a starter. Adding Cam Sutton might seem like the no-brainer decision, but DC Teryl Austin isn’t committing to anyone in June.
“That’s gonna be the thing, we’re not quite sure,” Austin said via Steelers.com Wednesday. “We’re going to work around that. We’re going to audition. That’s been an area we’ve had issues trying to fill. We’re looking for it. We’ve got some good young candidates. We’ve got a veteran candidate in [Josiah Scott]. We’ve got a young candidate in [Beanie Bishop Jr.]. We’re going to let that thing shake out at camp.”
Since losing Mike Hilton in the 2022 offseason, the Steelers haven’t found a true starting slot corner. Instead, they’ve tried to mix and match a variety of people and skill sets. In some years, it was run- and pass-down corners. Arthur Maulet and Cam Sutton or last year with Chandon Sullivan and Patrick Peterson. In others, they’ve attempted to use safeties like Minkah Fitzpatrick to spin down. Results have varied but generally haven’t been good enough. Despite checking out some of this year’s top draft prospects, Michigan’s Mike Sanristil, Rutgers’ Max Melton, and Kentucky’s Andru Phillips, the team bypassed on them to focus on the offensive line.
It left Pittsburgh thin exiting the draft. As Austin mentioned, there’s Josiah Scott, a former Philadelphia Eagle who spent last season on the Steelers’ practice squad. In 2022, he logged nearly 400 snaps with the Eagles, starting six games and picking off a pair of passes. Bishop was the Steelers’ biggest get in their small undrafted class, a college All-American with ball skills. The team also signed Grayland Arnold, who spent last year with the Houston Texans and is a player Pittsburgh targeted last year.
Of course, Sutton’s signing vaults him into the mix. Austin did not mention him in his initial overview of the position but confirmed he’s included in the battle.
“He could be,” Austin said of Sutton. “Absolutely. We know Cam’s a football player. He’s really versatile. So obviously he would be part of that mix as well.”
Leaving Sutton out initially is a bit curious. Perhaps the team expects, or at least believes, Sutton will be suspended to begin the year, forcing the team to find another immediate option.
At corner, there are few roster locks. Joey Porter Jr. is one, Donte Jackson another, and Sutton probably a third despite his shaky standing with the league. Beyond those three, the rest of the spots are up for grabs. Some battles will come on the outside, Darius Rush, Cory Trice Jr., and Anthony Averett all duking it out. But there will be an intense fight along the inside for spots and roles.
“I think it’s going to be a heck of a competition,” Austin said.
