The Steelers have several position battles to keep an eye on as we head into the team’s final preseason game Saturday. Chief among them is at the nickel cornerback position, but what if the potential “winner” of the battle isn’t even on the team yet?
Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette believes that’s a real possibility for the Steelers.
“When we asked Terryl Austin about sorting through those nickel options, he basically just said there’s not much to sort, because whoever’s healthy that day gets it,” Batko said on a recent episode of the North Shore Podcast Drive. “I think the Steelers owe it to themselves to probably look on the waiver wire.”
It’s no secret that it has been a revolving door for the Steelers at the nickel cornerback position this offseason. After Beanie Bishop Jr. got off to a hot start in training camp, an injury slowed his progress, keeping him out of the Buffalo Bills preseason game.
Grayland Arnold, who also suffered an injury, and Josiah Scott were two other potential candidates for the role early, but they lost traction as camp progressed, leading them both to be released. Cam Sutton was re-signed by the team this offseason and looked to be a potential answer at slot corner, but after receiving an eight-game suspension, he also loses out as a candidate, at least for the first half of the season.
Seemingly the last man standing outside of Bishop is Thomas Graham Jr., a fourth-year veteran whom Batko highlighted as someone who could potentially make the team.
“For somebody like Thomas Graham, who’s played inside and outside, that could be a benefit for him,” Batko said. “That could be a benefit for him to potentially make this roster.”
Graham was able to showcase his skills in the aforementioned Bills game with Bishop unable to suit up. He was solid in the contest, making a pair of tackles and breaking up a pass.
“I think I did good,” Graham told Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. “I left two plays on the field in my head that I can straight-up remember. But aside from that I felt like I had a productive day and made the plays when they came to me. I’ve just got to make more.”
Still, the former sixth-round pick lacks experience, logging no snaps in the 2023 regular season. Less than ideal from your potential starting nickel cornerback.
If Batko is correct and the team adds two nickel cornerbacks to the roster the inexperienced duo of Graham and Bishop would be the most likely candidates. It seems logical for the Steelers to potentially do what they did a year ago, waiting to see what players get cut around the league to fill the gap. Last season that came in the form of Desmond King Jr., and while that didn’t exactly work out it shows general manager Omar Khan is open to looking for options up until the final bell.
Keep your eyes out for the Philadelphia Eagles, who drafted two cornerbacks in April and have a surplus at the position. Former Pittsburgh Panther Avonte Maddox seems to be in flux as the team tries to find a spot for him at safety.
