Steelers starters who desperately need to be replaced in 2023

The bar must be set higher at cornerback

I was a big advocate to keep Ahkello Witherspoon around this season after a strong stretch of games late in the 2021 season. However, things just haven’t worked out for him this season. Not only has Witherspoon been bothered by a lingering hamstring injury for most of the season, but when he has played, the results also have not been good.

Witherspoon has more length and athletic traits than the other cornerbacks on the roster, but it hasn’t translated to success so far with the Steelers. I’m really hoping that the team simply doesn’t try to get by and settle for underwhelming stop-gap options (like they essentially tried to do when they traded for William Jackson).

The Steelers must have learned that they can no longer cut corners when it comes to the CB position. They have just one quality option on the team right now in Cameron Sutton, but they need to try to lock him up to an extension in the offseason.

Even if Sutton sticks around on a new deal, this team desperately lacks quality boundary cornerbacks and they need a more long-term fix at the position.

If the Steelers can fix these positions during the 2023 offseason, I would feel a lot better about their chances going into next season. These starters just haven’t panned out for them and it’s time to cut their losses and move on.