If the Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to add a top-end cornerback, the market just got slimmer. In the first 90 minutes of the legal tampering period, three notable names have agreed to terms elsewhere. CB Paulson Adebo intends to sign with the New York Giants, Carlton Davis is poised to sign with the New England Patriots, and D.J. Reed has agreed to a contract with the Detroit Lions.
Davis received three-years, $60 million while Reed’s deal is reportedly three-years, $48 million.
Terms for Adebo weren’t immediately disclosed but the money is expected to be well over $10 million per season.
With DK Metcalf acquired in a trade with the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, cornerback jumped up as one of the team’s top needs. Joey Porter Jr. is the team’s No. 1 cornerback, but the Steelers lack little behind him. Donte Jackson is heading toward free agency while James Pierre and Cam Sutton are also unrestricted free agents.
Cory Trice Jr. is talented and shows promise but has struggled to stay healthy throughout college and the NFL, something even GM Omar Khan acknowledged. Through two seasons in Pittsburgh, Trice has played just six games, missing his entire rookie season with an ACL tear and much of 2024 with a hamstring injury.
Byron Murphy remains one of the top free agent corners and is expected to command top dollar. He’s coming off his first Pro Bowl season, picking off six passes for the Minnesota Vikings. Pittsburgh brought Murphy in for a pre-draft visit in 2019 and it’s possible they show interest again. The San Francisco 49ers’ Charvarius Ward also remains on the market.
Other cornerbacks include the New England Patriots’ Jonathan Jones, Buffalo Bills’ Rasul Douglas, and a host of nickel corner options. Those include the Las Vegas Raiders’ Nate Hobbs, Cincinnati Bengals’ and former Steeler Mike Hilton, and Philadelphia Eagles’ Avonte Maddox. However, Dallas Cowboys CB Jourdan Lewis is off the board, signing a three-year deal worth $30 million with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
