With the Steelers releasing Steven Nelson, here is a comprehensive ranking of the ten most realistic options to replace him next season.
It came as a shock, but the Steelers finally released veteran cornerback Steven Nelson. Despite being one of the better free agents’ signings of the past few years as well as one of the only ones to stick around longer than a year, his stay in the steel city is over. Seemingly, he wants a new deal that will pay him closer to the market value for his services. The team wasn’t keen on giving him one, which has caused the two sides to part ways.
While his play was close to elite in his first year with the team, last year was a slight step below the output he had in 2019. It was far from bad though, and it was still a huge upgrade from the days when the team was fielding the likes of Artie Burns and Cortez Allen as starters. Even with the slight regression in play, losing Nelson will be a tough blow to overcome.
The problem now becomes a severe lack of depth left by the departure of both Nelson and Mike Hilton this offseason. While the Steelers were able to retain Cameron Sutton, he has just eight games of starting experience, and Pittsburgh is still in desperate need of a full-time cornerback who can play on the outside.
Luckily for the Steelers, there are quite a few options that the team can replace Nelson with. There are a few options on the team, in free agency, and in the draft that could step in sooner than later to fill the void from Nelson. Again, trading him is a negative, but it is the reality right now. Thus, these are the 10 best candidates to replace him in 2021.
Justin Layne
For those of you that have read my piece on Justin Layne, I am very low on the former third-round pick. Seemingly, this was the reason he was drafted. Either of the outside options would be replaced by the athletic marvel in Layne. He did need some development before being counted on as a starter though, and it appears as though that isn’t going as well as the team would have liked.
Layne barely played his rookie year, which was expected given the depth the team had. Last year was a different story though. Layne was penciled in as a special teams starter from the get-go, and he eventually worked his way onto the field due to injuries. His play was bad though, and it doesn’t seem like the team has much faith in him. In fact, they allowed rookie Antoine Brooks Jr. and an undrafted corner (more on him later) to see the field over Layne during games.
This wasn’t unjustified either, as Layne was a liability in coverage when playing on defense. He allowed 10 of his 12 targets to be completed as well as allowing a quarterback rating of 138.5 when being targeted. He only played 117 snaps on defense, showing that he was being picked on when on defense. Frankly, I’d rather the team try and trade him than start him next season. Given the draft investment and sudden need at the position, Layne has to make this list. That said, he is the last option, as starting him for a season seems like a bad idea right now.
Tyson Campbell
Tyson Campbell is a step above Layne on this list, but that is due solely to the fact that he is two years behind in his development than Layne is. Campbell is the lesser of the two Georgia corners entering the draft (again, more on the other later). That said, he is garnering a lot of attention due to his prototypical size and athleticism. The issue is, his game tape leaves quite a bit to be desired.
While all of his physical traits appear on tape, they don’t always translate to great games. His coverage was overall lacking, but his athleticism helped him cover those deficiencies. Unfortunately, the NFL has far better offenses, and relying purely on athleticism won’t turn him into an elite starter. As well, he lacked big plays, as he only registered one career interception. Altogether, his tape makes it seem like he needs a year or two before being counted on as a full-time starter.
Now, if Campbell was a third-round pick, taking him and developing him would be fine. He is garnering first-round consideration though, and the more than likely it would cost the Steelers their second-round pick to obtain him if not their first. For that kind of investment, the team would need him to play a lot earlier on. He isn’t there yet, making him a less than ideal candidate to fill in for Nelson.
Gareon Conley
While he ranks rather low on the list, Gareon Conley is just the sort of player the Steelers love to tray and fill their roster holes with. A former first-round pick from Ohio St., Conley has struggled to make a significant impact so far into his career. The Raiders traded him after he failed to live up to his first-round billing and while his play improved with the Texans, it was far from great.
With the low expectations and coming off a year that he didn’t play, Conley should be extremely cheap. There is a possibility he would play for the minimum, and if he didn’t, the Steelers should still get him for only a couple of million spaced over a short deal. That is where Conley’s major positives as an option come in, as he would be the most affordable option on this list.
Would he be an ideal fit and suddenly improve his pay? Probably not, but at least the team would have a player that can start by week one. That opens the door for a developmental prospect like Campbell to be drafted and developed. Don’t expect a lot from him, but the team could do worse than having Conley step in as their starter for the short term.
James Pierre
In contrast to Layne, I am extremely high on the idea of James Pierre becoming a starter for the Steelers in 2021. While there is inherent risk in expecting him to start, his journey to the roster has been a huge success already. He went undrafted last year and signed with the team shortly afterward. Despite training camp being limited and there being no preseason, Pierre did enough to earn a roster spot. He looked that good in a limited camp to not get cut, which is impressive itself.
He quickly found a role on special teams as well, playing there for the majority of the season. By season’s end, it appeared as though he had jumped Layne on the depth chart. This was evident in him seeing playing time over Layne against the Browns in the playoffs. While the sample size was small, Pierre seemed to hold his own. It was telling that the Steelers opted to play him over Layne though.
Of the options on the roster, Pierre seems like the next man up. It will be up to the team to determine if they can trust him to take on the role of full-time starter in 2021 though given his limited sample size. That said, his arrow is pointing up, so at the bare minimum expect for him to see the field more than he did last year. Hop on the bandwagon now before it is too late, as Pierre has the makings of a real sleeper for the team.
Eric Stokes
While I love Pierre and see him as the biggest sleeper on this list, more than likely a body will be added through the draft to take over Nelsons spot. Considering the Steelers had a huge presence at Georgia’s pro day, an option like Eric Stokes could make a lot of sense. Like his counterpart, Stokes has great size and has tested as a hyper athlete, making him attractive to the team.
Unlike Campbell though, Stokes is much more refined in coverage. In fact, his ability to shadow receivers is one of his best traits, which should lead to a lot of early success in his career. Where he falls short is his physicality. His play at the line isn’t great and his run-stopping ability is underwhelming for a corner his size.
The reason he falls so down on this list is that most projections have him somewhere in the 30’s. That means the Steelers would have to reach slightly and take him in the first. This isn’t egregious, but for a team that has a lot of holes to fill, reaching for a player is not ideal. If he fell to their pick in the second, his name as an option would fly up this list. That said, don’t be surprised the see his name linked to the team given how well he would fit with replacing Nelson.
Cameron Sutton
Honestly, using Cameron Sutton on the outside may just be a given with Nelson out the door. This won’t be his permanent spot though if I had to guess which is why he finds himself so low on the list. While in base defense Sutton can play the other outside cornerback spot next to Joe Haden, he will more than likely man the slot when the team goes into sub package.
That said, if the Steelers decided to look at finding another slot corner instead of Sutton, he could realistically shift to the outside full time. He was great everywhere he played last year, so he has the flexibility to play anywhere in the secondary this year. If the team wants to shore up their outside options first, moving Sutton there permanently would be the best bet.
That said, the draft has quite a few outside options to consider. This makes the most sense, as Sutton can play the outside spot while a rookie develops and then shift to the slot when in sub package. Sutton will see his role expand for sure, and there is a real possibility that he latches on as the full-time outside starter. That said, until a slot only type of corner is brought in, Sutton will still have to play the inside for now.
Paulson Adebo
While losing Nelson will be a tough blow for the team, this draft is luckily top-heavy with outside cornerbacks. One of the more underrated options is Stanford’s Paulson Adebo. He is good-not-great at most things and has adequate size and athleticism to succeed as an outside cornerback at the NFL level. He is an extremely smart and instinctual player as well, further aiding in the value he would add to the Steelers.
The two major drawbacks for him are his scheme fit and the fact he didn’t play last season. Not playing last season may be a blessing in disguise though, as it should allow Adebo to be available in the second round despite his talent being closer to a first-round prospect. As for his scheme, he is a slightly better zone player given his instincts, but his size and athleticism should allow him to excel in man as well.
Despite those question marks, Adebo could start as early as year one despite being pegged as a second-round prospect. This would be tremendous value given the other needs this team has. If he can showcase enough skills in man coverage, the team shouldn’t bother pulling the trigger on him in the second round. He has the makings of a solid pro and one that should stick in the league for a long time. He may never be a top player at the position, but don’t be surprised if he has the longevity in his career due to his lack of weaknesses.
Casey Hayward
The other free agent option on this list, Casey Hayward would certainly be an aggressive add for the Steelers. Right now, the team won’t have anywhere near the cap space to afford Hayward, but after Nelson is dealt, the team could add him on a moderate two-year deal. This would allow his first-year cap hit to be smaller and more affordable this year.
Hayward is coming off a down year, and his age makes him a less than desirable long-term option at the position. That said, if the Steelers are dedicated to making a serious run at the Super Bowl, adding an established veteran like Hayward would be a solid move. He can easily start at least one more year alongside Haden.
While this would be more of a band-aid, it could be just what the team needs to compete in 2021. Their secondary won’t take a massive step back and his first-year cap hit wouldn’t be huge. Long-term, it would allow an option like Layne or Pierre to develop another year before being counted on to start. A move like this would be the smallest drop-off from Nelson this season.
Asante Samuel Jr.
Going back to the draft for the two most best fits for the Steelers in replacing Nelson, Asante Samuel Jr. would be quite the typical pick for the team. Strong NFL bloodlines, great college production, and being an underclassmen all add to Samuel’s value for the team. Better yet, there is a chance that he falls into the second round given just how strong this cornerback class is.
If he does make it to pick 55, he would be a no-brainer selection. Samuels is a fit both on the outside and inside and is a natural playing in man coverage. He is a smart coverage player as well, routinely tricking quarterbacks into bad throws his way. This allowed him to pick three passes off last season. His ability to create turnovers is a huge plus for any defensive back.
Samuel could come in and start right away on defense. His only is his height, as he is a little shorter and that could cause some fits with taller receivers. Beyond that though, Samuel has the look and play style of an outside cornerback. The team may be forced to go after him in the first if his value goes up any more, but in the second he would be a home run pick. While having to take him in the first isn’t ideal, even then it wouldn’t be the end of the world.
Jaycee Horn
While all of the options above would help aid in the Steelers losing Nelson, adding a prospect like Jaycee Horn could actually improve the group. Like Samuel, Horn fits all the typical traits of a Steelers draft selection. His dad was a successful receiver in the NFL and he is still an underclassman entering this draft. While his tape lacks the refinement of some of the top corners in this class, Horn could very well play at their top-notch level as long as he continues developing.
Horn has great size to match his ability. He should test well as an athlete overall given his tape, and that could further his case as the team’s first-round pick. At this point, the question isn’t as much would the Steelers take Horn at 24. It’s will he actually be available. Again, the team benefits from a strong class, as other teams may fill needs before corner because of it. This could allow the team to get a steal in Horn at pick 24.
Like Samuel, Horn could plug and play at corner right away. While may have some rookie moments, overall, he should produce right away given the traits he possesses. Again, still needs a little work as a player, but if he can put everything together, he could be a shutdown cornerback. He has all the makings of a great player, and it would be quite the win if the team lost Nelson only to replace him with Horn.
While losing a talented corner like Nelson isn’t ideal, the Steelers have been blessed with a plethora of options to fill his shoes. While some options are certainly better than others, the team should be able to field a complete secondary without Nelson in the fold. These ten options are the most realistic and are ranked as such. Nelson is forcing the team’s hands right now, but that doesn’t mean they are doomed.