7 Steelers training camp battles that are heating up in 2021

Justin Layne vs. James Pierre

The Steelers have a clear hole at slot cornerback, so listing two natural outside cornerbacks may seem weird. Looking over this roster though, the most logical way the team uses its cornerback room is Cameron Sutton as the starter on the outside in two-cornerback sets and then having him kick inside when three or more corners are being used. This would mean that one of either Justin Layne or James Pierre will then take on the role of starting outside corner.

While Layne is the more athletic player with the far higher pedigree, the final depth chart from last season seems to indicate that Pierre is the favored option. Both are taller, lankier corners by nature, and while Layne tested as a better athlete, his overall coverage ability has been less than stellar. He was consistently burnt last year despite playing in a limited role. This led to the then undrafted free agent Pierre leapfrogging him on the depth chart.

That should mean little going into camp this year, as both men will have the opportunity to prove that they are the best candidate to start at cornerback. Expect this competition to be fierce, as opportunities like this aren’t often. Two former backups with little playing time suddenly being given the opportunity to compete as starters is a huge opportunity. Pierre may have the slight edge right now, but camp will likely be a wide-open competition between the two.

Compared to last year, where the Steelers returned most of their starters, this season will feature quite a few new faces for the team. This means camp will be critical in determining who carves out a starting role, who serves as a backup, and who misses out on a roster spot. These battles in particular stand out as the tightest and likely the most competitive. Things should heat up once the team reports for training camp.