Player: CB Darius Rush
Stock Value: Up
Reasoning: A midseason pickup, Darius Rush did not have many opportunities to contribute in 2023. The second-year cornerback has reportedly looked good in the spring, however, leaving the door open. A starting job is probably too tall of a task at this point, but he could seize a situational role. And he may well be one snap away from starting on the outside in the event of injury.
The Steelers brought in CB Darius Rush for a visit prior to the 2023 NFL Draft, which proved relevant. While they did not draft him, they signed him in-season off the Kansas City Chiefs’ practice squad. Drafted by the Indianapolis Colts, he did not make the team, but he could push for playing time on his third team in his second season.
A fifth-round pick, Rush has good size at 6-2 and fits the Steelers’ recent prototype at the position. According to reporters, he looked good and made some plays for himself during the spring. Considering there isn’t much-proven depth, there is no reason he can’t climb his way up the depth chart.
Now, he isn’t going to leapfrog Joey Porter Jr. Suggesting that he’ll edge out Donte Jackson for a starting job is a stretch, at best. But he could plausibly beat out Cameron Sutton, Cory Trice Jr., and Anthony Averett as the top outside reserve.
And while Sutton is here to play in the slot, Rush could be the dime defender and the backup slot. His main competition there is veteran Josiah Scott and rookie college free agent Beanie Bishop Jr. Bishop has a lot of hype following him, but he has to earn his place first before selling jerseys.
You can say the same thing about Darius Rush, of course. He hasn’t proven anything yet, and his most notable moment is a dropped interception. But he is a young, tall, fast, athletic cornerback, and now he knows the defense. As long as he knows what he’s doing, only he can limit how high he can climb.
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.
