The first domino has fallen in the offseason for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Starting cornerback Cam Sutton will be heading to the NFC North to sign with the Detroit Lions according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. He got paid quite well, a three-year, $33 million deal to be exact. Sutton also got $22.5 million guaranteed from the Lions, whom needed another corner.
It's obviously a huge loss for the black and gold, as he has been their best corner for a few years now. General manager Omar Khan and the front office must have a plan, as it seems like an amount of money that the Steelers could have pitched out. Now, cornerback suddenly becomes the team's biggest need, especially after they officially released William Jackson III just a few days ago.
Now, Ahkello Witherspoon and Arthur Maulet are the two primary corners that are on the roster. With two picks in the top-32 of the 2023 NFL Draft, it seems a CB will be used with one of those picks. The front office met with several corners in Indianapolis, as Joey Porter Jr., Christian Gonzalez, and Emmanuel Forbes have been the names most connected to Pittsburgh.
Is CB the Steelers' top priority now?
Not only will cornerback be a priority at the draft, but Khan and his crew will likely have to sign a veteran in free agency now as well. Just a few weeks ago, it was reported that Marcus Peters was a name that they're interested in. Whether it be Peters or another option, the team will now bring in at least two new cornerbacks this offseason. After a slow start to his career, Sutton became a very solid cornerback over the last two years in Pittsburgh.
Over those two seasons, he started 31 games and racked up five interceptions. He was at his best in 2023, notching a career-high in pass deflections (15) and interceptions (3). Although he may be better suited as a No. 2, the Lions got a good one. His versatility is something that is useful anywhere in the NFL, as he has shown an ability to adjust on the fly quite well.
How big of a loss will Sutton be for this defense in 2023? Now that corner is a top need, who do you want to see them draft with the 17th overall pick? Would you still sign a veteran CB as well, like Peters or someone else?
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