After back-to-back weeks of solid play, Steelers’ cornerback Witherspoon may parlay this hot streak into a new contract.
Count me as one of the people that are surprised by the recent strong play of Steelers cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon. The veteran was added late in the offseason via a trade, and no one knew what the plan was for the veteran. It appeared early on that the trade was a mistake though, as Witherspoon struggled to see the field and was bad in the few snaps that he actually played.
Fast-forward to now and Witherspoon is coming off a pair of good games. He was solid in coverage against the Ravens, recording a key pass breakup against Mark Andrews, and followed that up with a pair of interceptions against the Vikings. He was forced into the lineup due to injuries and bad play from the backups and has been impressive over the past two weeks.
Steelers Witherspoon could parlay this into something more
While there are still quite a few weeks to play, there is a real chance Witherspoon could play himself into a new contract. He was signed by the Seahawks with the expectation to start given his 24 total starts before free agency, and he was seen as a cornerback on the rise. He was extremely disappointing though and was going to be cut before the Steelers traded for him.
While it seemed like he was going to be the usual bust of a trade, Witherspoon has quickly turned it around over the past two weeks. While Joe Haden should be returning sooner than later, he will not be with this team for the long term. Witherspoon should continue to see playing time even as the third cornerback, and if he continues to do well, he should be a top re-sign candidate.
The Steelers had a similar situation unfold last year with Chris Wormley. He was ok as a reserve last year and was surprisingly brought back after a strong end of the season. He has seized his opportunity this season and has been one of the best defenders this year. All of this proves that even a slow start for a traded player can be turned around after they are given the time to develop with the team.
If Witherspoon continues to play well, the Steelers would be wise to try and extend the young cornerback. They will need some new faces in the secondary next season, and Witherspoon could be a budget option for a team short on starters. He needs to continue playing well but assuming he does, Witherspoon should go from trade bust to re-sign candidate by the end of the season.