Ranking the Steelers 6 best solutions at slot cornerback

Steelers allow Fitzpatrick to move partially to the slot

The Steelers have one of the best young centerfielders in the NFL in Minkah Fitzpatrick. While the team can and should keep him as a predominantly free safety, his man coverage skills could lend itself well to him seeing some snaps in the slot. Given the elite traits he has shown in coverage, the move to the slot in some capacity would further maximize his skill set.

This would be predicated on having a capable third safety to play deep when he went into the slot granted. Terrel Edmunds is clearly not that type of a player, and the team is lacking a natural free safety behind Fitzpatrick at this point. A player like Malik Hooker or a similar quality free agent safety would allow Fitzpatrick to play in the slot and not just as a free safety.

As of now, this isn’t a Fitzpatrick issue as much as it is what do you do at his natural position if he moved into the slot. There were serious talks that Fitzpatrick could play safety when he was entering the draft, and while he is best served at free safety, helping the team in the slot would still maximize his good coverage skillset. Assuming the team could find a capable free safety whenever they are in subpackage, Fitzpatrick could slide down into the slot whenever a slot cornerback is needed on defense.