4 of the Steelers worst case scenarios for training camp

No Steelers defensive backs stick

When you lose two starting cornerbacks, it is expected that the team would heavily invest in finding some replacements. The Steelers felt no need to do such, as they are rolling with Cameron Sutton as a starter (as he has earned) and… someone else in the slot. The reality is, the team has a lot of young and unproven players competing to start this season with the hope that at least one will prove to be starter-worthy. What happens if they all fall flat though?

By my count, the Steelers have seven guys competing to either be the starting slot corner or starting outside corner while Sutton kicks inside to the slot in subpackage. While names like James Pierre and Shakur Brown have been praised so far, neither has proven anything. OTAs are a far cry from training camp, which itself is a far cry from preseason. If none of these players stick out, the team will have to choose from the best of the worst. That would have major negative implications for the team.

Out of every scenario on this list, this one is the scariest as there is no plan B here. There is a real chance that the Steelers will be relying on a subpar player to contribute on 70 percent of the defensive snaps. While the unit is strong in the front seven and has a secondary led by Minkah Fitzpatrick, having a below-average player in either the slot or on the boundary gives opposing offenses a player to pick on. Ideally, one of the seven options rises to the occasion, but if they don’t, this secondary could quickly become a problem for the team in 2021.

Training camp is an exciting time for players to prove their worth and cement a spot on the roster. Not all news is good news though, as some players will be below average and cause concern for the team. Of all possible outcomes, these four options seem like the worst-case scenarios for the team during training camp.