Lions could target Steelers CB after missing out on Ramsey

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Cameron Sutton. Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Lions could target Steelers CB after missing out on Jalen Ramsey

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 3/13/23

Though the Detroit Lions were a presumed frontrunner to land former Los Angeles Rams cornerback Jalen Ramsey, the 28-year-old All-Pro was shipped to the Miami Dolphins on Sunday.

With their perceived top target now gone, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler thinks the Lions could shift their attention to one of the top cornerbacks on the free agent market, Pittsburgh’s Cameron Sutton.

“Here’s another name to keep a close eye on: Cameron Sutton,” Fowler said. “The Pittsburgh corner just finished a two-year, $9M deal but will be in a much higher tier this time. His name is circulating right now at the cornerback spot. Could see some NFC North action here — the Vikings or Lions make sense. Raiders, too,” Fowler wrote on Sutton in the piece.”

Fowler also recently told the “Pride Podcast” that the Lions will be looking at adding a cornerback in free agency.

Ran into @corryjoel at the NFL Combine and asked him about #Steelers pending FA CB Cam Sutton. Corry said that Sutton really helped his market by showing his inside/outside versatility last season and that the floor price for Sutton would be $10 million annually and likely more.
— Jonathan Heitritter (@J_Heits) March 3, 2023

Sutton, a University of Tennessee alum, has a projected market value of $7.6M per season according to Spotrac, and the Lions have $21.37M to spend.

He’s spent the last six seasons with the Steelers, recording 168 tackles, 38 passes defensed, eight interceptions and five forced fumbles. Sutton was Pittsburgh’s top cover corner in 2022, allowing a completion percentage of just 50.7 (best on the team), 411 yards and four touchdowns with 13 forced incompletions and eight pass breakups.

Detroit had the worst-ranked defense in the NFL in 2022 with the 30th-ranked pass defense, allowing 245.8 yards passing per game. While former No. 3 overall pick Jeff Okudah had a strong season, the rest of Detroit’s cornerbacks struggled in coverage.

Okudah and Jerry Jacobs were the only two CBs to allow a completion percentage below 70.

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