What each Steelers rookie will struggle with during 2021

Steelers Tre Norwood

Problem: Competition

On paper, there isn’t a lot to like about Tre Norwood. While hyped as a versatile defender, his lack of coverage skills point to him being more of a safety only, and while his five interceptions look impressive, they were more him being in the right place at the right time as opposed to him being a skilled ball-hawk. While him being a draft pick is a slight edge over some of the competition, the slot cornerback/backup-free safety role is still wide open.

While the reports on him from OTAs were solid, a similar style of player in Shakur Brown was also making some noise. Considering he is a more natural slot corner, he likely has a slight edge over Norwood despite being an undrafted player. Lamont Wade is another player making an early impression on the team, as his style and size are reminiscent of Mike Hilton.

The Steelers could look at a free agent to help here as well. They already brought in Arthur Maulet as a hybrid free safety/slot defender, and the team visited with Malik Hooker recently as well. This is a crowded position already which hurts Norwood’s chances of making the roster. The team may not be done adding here either, which will only make his chances that much more difficult.