Steelers signed Wallace and Witherspoon
Contract: 2 years, 8 million
Initial Grade: A-
Final Grade: Wallace- A; Witherspoon- F
I handed out identical grades for identical contracts, but the final grades are quite a bit different. Levi Wallace was a safe and dependable option for the Bills who would be a fine starter even if he lacked the potential to be a top coverage option. Ahkello Witherspoon was arguably the team’s best cover corner in 2021, so bringing him back could have been huge.
Witherspoon’s deal fell flat. While a starter early in the season, inconsistencies and eventually just poor play led to him taking a spot on the bench. While far from an elite player, James Pierre looked like a far better fit as his replacement.
Wallace was a little bit better than I thought he would be. He is a great second cornerback but lacks the traits to be a true top-cover guy on a team. For a cheap contract though, I think he more than earned it. Despite receiving identical deals, Wallace was the only one to earn the money while Witherspoon fell flat on his face.