Can the Steelers host the best cornerback duo in the NFL in 2020?

With the importance of the cornerback position growing by the year, the Pittsburgh Steelers own select duo poses a threat to be the NFL’s best.

Bold may not even come close to accurately describing the initial reaction of making this claim. Despicable, possibly? The Pittsburgh Steelers prowess on defense in 2019 should continue well into the upcoming season, considering a Stephon Tuitt return masks the loss of Javon Hargraves a bit, and that the removal of Mark Barron is a loss for gain.

Although the Steelers were 15th in the NFL  in giving up passing touchdowns, they were also ranked third in opposing passing yards, second in interceptions, and fourth in net yards per gain, according to Pro Football Reference. For even more clarity on a unit that is slightly underrated on what they provide for this team, their production also came at the expense of 462 attempts thrown against, which ranked 6th in the league.

More of a testimony to the number of snaps this defense saw due to the lack of offensive efficiency, averaging the sixth least amount of time of possession in 2019, the secondary did their part and was boosted by a cornerback duo that was unsuspected of any potential.

Other teams’ Losses have become the Steelers treasure

An indisputable former top-ten pick that carried his swagger into the league from the University of Florida, and the other attempting to rebound his career after rough beginnings, made their debut as teammates in 2019 and are already on pace for a dominant streak.

Both removed from their former teams, the Cleveland Browns and Kansas City Chiefs, and both now left with an ex-partner type of relationship between their previous fans. The cornerback duo of Joe Haden and Steven Nelson for the Steelers was never one that many thought much of to begin with unless you were still spiteful of the departures and declared them lazy or trash.

However, Haden’s arrival in the Steel City took place in 2017, and posing near or career-lows in categories such as tackling, pass deflections, and interceptions in eleven games didn’t deter him to from reaching his first Pro-Bowl last year since 2014. And even if it was serving as an injury replacement to CB Marcus Peters, the argument can be made that it should’ve never been under that circumstance.

According to PFF, Haden ranked 11th in YAC (139), tied-3rd in INTs (5), 8th in NFL passer rating against (70.0), and 11th in yards per coverage snap (0.82), among cornerbacks with at least 380 coverage snaps, and all are which are tied or better than Peters.

Not to create a sole competition of Haden vs. Peters, given that Peters did edge out Haden in allowing one less touchdown with 5. Still, the Steelers historic, division-rival, Baltimore Ravens, will be one of the primary opponents in who could don the best cornerback duo in 2020. Accompanied by the young, extreme talent in CB Marlon Humphrey, Haden can say the same with the former Chiefs, a third-round pick, Steven Nelson.

Nelson’s arrival was speculative, the reason being the Steelers handed their largest contract to an unrestricted free agent in franchise history, to a player who didn’t have much stock riding behind him— coming from a Chiefs defense that was among the league’s worst, his determination led him to personally introducing himself to HC Mike Tomlin and addressing the previous problems at CB. claiming there is “no longer a need when I’m on the field. I don’t say that out of arrogance but because I’m going to work for it.”

Foreshadowing, nonetheless

As Haden ranked 11th in each of the major categories for cornerbacks, Nelson’s contributions made Pittsburgh one of four teams to have two CBs listed in the top 15 for passer rating against, with Nelson coming in at 12 at 73.3. Although he only had one interception, he only allowed one touchdown (tied-2nd), was 13th in YPC (0.86), third in YAC (110), on 34 receptions (tied-9th).

A 51.9 completion average between the two, something that comparably rounds up equally with New England’s own Stephon Gilmore and J.C Jackson, it’s even more significant to realize considering the fact they each logged more than a 1000 defensive snaps in 2019.

With all eyes fixated on S Minkah Fitzpatrick, rightfully so, for the impact he has had not only for this secondary, but the defense as a whole, the combination of Haden & Nelson should be a treat to watch for at least the next two years.