The Pittsburgh Steelers had plenty of major needs heading into the start of free agency. Wide receiver was at the very top of the list, and they quickly addressed it with their trade for Michael Pittman Jr. via a trade with the Indianapolis Colts. Shortly thereafter, they came to an agreement with former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean on a three-year contract.
Dean spoke with the Pittsburgh media at his introductory press conference on Friday, and it didn't take long before he dropped a nugget about why the Steelers targeted him to pair with Joey Porter Jr.
Among the many questions he answered from the reporters present, his answer to one about how he expects to be used in Pittsburgh was very telling. "They want us up in the receiver's faces," Dean said, referring to himself and Porter Jr.
That mentality of playing a lot of press man and getting physical with opposing receivers was what the defense wanted to do last season, but it quickly became obvious that nobody in the corner room besides Porter was capable of doing so. With Dean now in the fold, they may be able to succeed this time.
Jamel Dean made the Pittsburgh Steelers' plan for their secondary known at his press conference
It's not a surprise that Dean divulged the Steelers' plan for him and Porter this season. Anyone familiar with Dean's career in Tampa knows that he is a press-man corner at his core. With long arms, electric speed, and a physical demeanor, it's hard to find a player better suited for the technique.
Porter is among the best in the NFL at press coverage himself, giving Pittsburgh two corners who can disrupt receivers at the line. It feels less and less common that teams have even one defensive back that they are comfortable with playing press, let alone two of them. Modern defenses have shifted towards heavier doses of zone coverage, specifically zone-match, to help prevent offenses from finding easy passing lanes.
Maybe I am just a sucker for watching man-to-man corners get after opposing receivers, but I think it can still be an effective way to play in the secondary with the right pieces.
The Steelers secondary still has question marks, namely the role Jalen Ramsey will play and the health of box safety DeShon Elliott, but they may have the required personnel to make it work this time around.