Player: CB Beanie Bishop Jr.
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: With the news of Cameron Sutton’s eight-game suspension, the Steelers need a fill-in slot defender. Beanie Bishop Jr. an undrafted rookie out of West Virginia, is a potential leading candidate. Not only has he run there in OTAs, he also drew some favorable reviews. He still has a long way to go to earn a roster spot, however, let alone a starting job.
People love rooting for underdogs, and Beanie Bishop Jr. certainly fits the bill. An undersized undrafted rookie free agent, he is a hard-nosed player who punches above hit weight. But there is a reason that 32 teams passed on him numerous times during the 2024 NFL Draft.
Bishop will have the opportunity in Latrobe to answer the questions he faced coming out of college. Having played mostly at a lower level of competition, he only transferred to West Virginia in 2023. While there, he showed off his ball skills with four interceptions and 20 passes defensed.
The Steelers are looking for a nickel defender, having signed Cameron Sutton for that role. Sutton is now facing an eight-game suspension, so they need to fill in that eight-game gap at least. They have no established, proven alternatives right now, but they have added competition.
That makes Beanie Bishop Jr. one of the leading candidates for the job, despite his rookie status. His main competition seems to be Josiah Scott, but they also have Grayland Arnold. Both have some degree of playing experience, albeit not extensively so.
It’s a tough ask to expect Bishop to come in as a rookie and earn a starting job, but the table is set for him. Many view him as a Mike Hilton-type player, and there are some similarities. While he might not deliver as heavy a hit, he is faster with better coverage skills.
There he really has to make his impression initially is on special teams. Once establishing himself there, however, Bishop can worry about his defensive role. But with Sutton’s suspension, the simple reality is that he is right in the thick of the competition. At least, as far as we know.
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.
