Oct 16, 2025; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Darius Slay (23) reacts after failing to intercept a pass thrown by Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco (16) during the first quarter at Paycor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Steelers Bench Struggling CB

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI
By Ari Meyer | Last updated Oct 27, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in the midst of a defensive crisis.

The Steelers fell to the Packers in a game where they found themselves ahead at halftime on Sunday Night Football before falling apart in the second half to lose by 10, 35-25.

Michael Longo / For USA Today Network-PA / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Slay Benched For Echols

One of the issues that plagued the team throughout the game was the Steelers' secondary, as the Packers achieved a ton of chunk plays that allowed them to dominate the second half of the game. One of the players who was unable to help the Steelers on the defensive side of the football was Darius Slay, and that showed when the Steelers coached opted to bench him for Brandin Echols during the game.

Neither performed particularly well during the game, but Slay was caught up in multiple big gains by the Packers whilst Echols was just a non-factor for much fo the game.

Both Slay and Echols joined the team for this season, as the Steelers secondary has been a near revolving door of reclamation projects and veteran talent looking for their last shot in the professional ranks. Echols, however, is six years younger than the 34-year old Slay, so likely has another season or two in the professional ranks.

This season for Slay was to show whether or not he could still perform at the NFL level, and it seems to be that the Steelers believe he is no longer able to.

What Next?

Now the question turns to what the Steelers could potentially do moving forward. When it comes to their immediate future, as in the season at hand, the answer is likely nothing. It is immensely hard to come by valuable talent at the trade deadline, so the team would have to rely on a free agent pickup this year. With the season about halfway through, most quality free agents have already been signed, leading the Steelers to have little to add for the rest of the season.

Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Their best move would be to wait until the upcoming offseason, where they can tap into a new class of free agents and also look to the NFL draft for talent in the secondary. That would have them reckoning with the fact that the season could be lost, however, and both the team and fans alike would prefer that not to be the case. With a winning record still at this point, the Steelers might not have to panic if the defense can pull it all together.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Steelers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: