Will Darius Slay be the odd man out in the Steelers’ cornerback rotation?
Darius Slay will play a lot for the Steelers this year, but considering the Jalen Ramsey acquisition, exactly how much? At some point, they will only need two cornerbacks on the field, or two players performing cornerback duties. That means, barring one exception, they have to take one of their three top corners off the field.
That one exception is if the Steelers play Jalen Ramsey at safety in their base defense, which would keep Joey Porter Jr. and Darius Slay on the field as the outside cornerbacks. I see that as a possibility, but by no means a certainty. They have a big hole to fill after trading Minkah Fitzpatrick, but they won’t complain about too many cornerbacks.
Early this offseason, the Steelers signed Darius Slay to a one-year, $10 million contract. Now in his mid-30s, he is hastening toward the end of his career, the Eagles having released him. The Steelers were banking on him having one strong season left—but now they have Jalen Ramsey.
Could the Steelers use Slay as their nickel defender, playing only in sub-packages but on the outside? That’s how many teams break in young cornerbacks, though it’s less common for experienced veterans. It is one option I’m sure they’re considering, especially if they don’t want Ramsey at safety.
For the first time since his rookie season, Darius Slay did not post an interception last season, though he did have one in the playoffs. While he did not have his best year, he should be an upgrade over the Steelers’ previous starter, Donte Jackson. One hopes, at least, that he stays healthier, and thus spends more time on the field.
What if the Steelers don’t see Darius Slay as the odd man out, rather, but Joey Porter Jr.? I don’t think we can completely disregard that as a possibility, and it may hinge on what we see in training camp. I’m sure they want to keep all of these guys on the field at the same time, ideally. That really hinges on Jalen Ramsey’s ability to play safety, though. Despite his background at safety, it’s at least a bit of a projection for the Steelers.
The Steelers are rebuilding, or reloading, whatever they feel the need to call it, after another disappointment last season. Though they limped into the playoffs, they once again embarrassed themselves therein.
Just like last year, the biggest question hanging over the Steelers is the quarterback question. While they ultimately traded George Pickens, they have other decisions to make. The 2025 NFL Draft class is now behind us, so most of the roster construction is complete.
But we still have a long offseason ahead for Steelers football, or football in shorts. At least we can finally put the Aaron Rodgers situation to bed and move on to other things. Now it’s about evaluating the roster in place and filling holes as we go.
