Needs filled elsewhere
As stated earlier, Sutton is mixed in with a Steelers free-agent class that is filled with quality talent. What makes him the priority over everyone else is the fact that the Steelers are better suited to lose one of their other starters than if they lost Sutton. As of now, there are no realistic slot corners on this team, and the outside corners are filled with uncertainties as Justin Layne appears to be headed toward bust status given his benching in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Steelers already have a replacement for Dupree in Alex Highsmith on the roster. He showed that he has the talent to start, which means finding a new edge rusher in the offseason shouldn’t be a priority. Villanueva is a little different, but similar to Dupree, the team can work with what they have. Chukwuma Okorafor can likely shift to left tackle next year and assuming the Steelers bring back Zach Banner, they have a capable right tackle.
The toughest pill to swallow would be Smith-Schuster, as while the Steelers have a deep receiving depth chart, they don’t have a clear slot option outside of him. That said, the Steelers do notoriously well with drafting receivers and could even seek out a cheaper free agent to bring in. Those holes can easily be filled in but losing your slot corner and top outside backup would be harder to fill. The Steelers have players ready to fill in elsewhere, but they are lacking that at corner.
While he may not be the top traditional name on this list, the Steelers must prioritize resigning Sutton this offseason. He displayed his value for the Steelers throughout the year, and his top-level play was key in critical games. The Steelers can get by with some of their current roster players filling in for departed starters. The same can’t be said for Sutton right now.