Roster breakdown: Analyzing Steelers cornerbacks in 2019

Here is all the corners on the Steelers 90-man roster. This group may not be as good in 2019.

Steelers locks to make the roster

Joe Haden is the leader of this group and could be the Steelers primary corner in 2019. There is also a chance that he is an average corner for the Steelers and they relegate him more to a side. This is the more likely scenario as even at times when the Steelers have had a clear #1 corner they have relegated him to a side. Joe Haden is entering a contract year and my hope is that he is willing to sign an extension at a discount because of his age. Joe Haden is now 30 years old and has had some injuries. If the Steelers could get a deal for average starting corner money and two extra years then they should take it. I also wouldn’t put a lot of guaranteed money on his deal because of age and injury history.

Steven Nelson was a nice free agent signing this offseason. He is a decent corner who should be able to man the side opposite Joe Haden. He is also capable of manning the slot position if called upon. It will be interesting to see how much he is used in the slot. Nelson signed a three year, 25.5 million dollar contract. My guess is that he plays out that contract and stays as a starter for the next few years. He has improved every year with the Chiefs and is only 25 years old. This is a sign that they have a solid young corner who fits their scheme.

Mike Hilton is the Steelers primary slot corner. He was a very good corner in 2017 when he was a relative unknown. In 2018, he wasn’t as successful as the league is more aware of the things he can do. I still think he is a better option than Cameron Sutton at this time in the slot. He is currently looking for an extension as he is an exclusive rights free agent. He will sign his tender. At this point he is attending OTAs without a contract. The Steelers would like to sign a long-term deal and they have some leverage as he is an exclusive rights free agent in 2019 and a restricted free agent in 2020. I think the Steelers should try to sign him to a five year contract if they can get him for the value he was in 2018 and not in 2017.

Cameron Sutton has been a bit of a disappointment but he is still useful player for this team. He can play the slot and should be Mike Hilton’s backup in 2019. He also can play the outside when called upon. The third thing to like about him is that he can be a contributor on special teams. I would be shocked if the third round pick were cut this year, but at this point in his career he is just a backup.

Justin Layne is the second of the Steelers two third-round picks. He is a zone corner from Michigan State who I think has his work cut out for him, as he played a lot of soft coverage at Michigan State. He was more of a “tackle the catch” corner at Michigan State, and although that does fit the Steelers strategy, I would like to see the Steelers get a more competent cover man. The Steelers will keep Layne on the roster as he was a Day Two pick and they seem to like him better than I do.

On the roster bubble

Brian Allen is a corner who is fighting to be the sixth corner on the roster if they keep that many. He didn’t make the roster out of camp last year, but he did go to the practice squad only to be brought up. The reason he could make the roster is if they need him on special teams as his size and speed are a benefit on special teams. On the downside, he hasn’t developed into the corner they thought he could be after the draft. This is a reason that I could see him being kept on the practice squad instead of one of the 53. He still has the tools to be a good corner and that is a reason they have kept him around this long.

Artie Burns is another bubble player. At this point, he has been a first-round bust and he had a bad 2018. He had the starting job early in his career, but hasn’t been able to bounce back. The fact that the Steelers signed Steven Nelson is a sign they are willing to part with Burns. Burns may be kept if he can bounce back and be relied upon as a corner. I could also see him saving his Steelers career if he can carve out a role on special teams. Burns has the athleticism to be a good special teams player and we have seen how Darrius Heyward-Bey was able to take his first-round bust status and turn himself into a valuable special teams player. He will really have to be a good special teams player as he is an expensive special teams player in the fourth-year of his rookie contract.

Battling for the practice squad

Herb Waters was on the Steelers practice squad and was added during the season. He stuck on it the rest of the way and then was signed to a futures contract. He was an undrafted free agent from the Green Bay Packers. The Steelers gave him a second chance after an injury ended his 2017 season. It seems to have healed and he was competent enough to be on the practice squad in 2018 and be signed again; so, he will have a second shot to be the Steelers corner on the practice squad in 2019.

Alexander Myres was an undrafted free agent out of Houston. He had a decent combine with some of his numbers being good and some others not. His three cone was not that good. His tape suggests that he will be a physical tackler and a hard-hitter in the secondary. He seems to be a typical zone corner that the Steelers seems to like. Personally, I want to see him play gunner on the punt team and I think that could be his ticket to the roster or being kept on the practice squad. The Steelers don’t have great kick coverage stats. Think of this as a Johnny Holton as opposed to a Cameron Sutton.

It’s hard to predict how the Steelers group of cornerbacks will perform in 2019. However, it will be interesting to see how theses new group of players come together to help make up the secondary this season in Pittsburgh.