3 things Steelers must do after cutting CB Steven Nelson

Replenish cornerback early in the draft

This almost seems like a given after what has aspired this offseason for Pittsburgh, and there is no question that this team needs to add talent at the cornerback position this April. The problem is they have now pigeonholed themselves into taking one very early in the 2021 NFL Draft.

With just a 32-year-old Joe Haden as the only capable cornerback with any sort of meaningful starting experience, Pittsburgh really backed themselves into a corner when they decided to cut Steven Nelson. Fortunately for them, not all news is bad. The 2021 draft class is flooded with talent at the cornerback position in the first few rounds, and they may even be able to find a quality starter if they wait until round two.

However, with both Nelson and Mike Hilton gone, cornerback is currently in the running for the worst positional group on the team (along with running back, offensive tackle, and center), and it’s too important to the success of their defense to avoid taking one early. Though the top few players will likely be off the board, there are a few other guys who you could make the case for as first-round picks. Ideally, it would be perfect if a player like South Carolina’s Jaycee Horn fell to pick 24 this year. If that happened, the Steelers would almost have to bite.