One area of focus for the Steelers this offseason is at cornerback. They need to fix outside and slot cornerback positions. It is an area of the roster that has gone under the radar regarding media coverage. With pending free agents like Donte Jackson, Cam Sutton, and James Pierre, the Steelers must find ways of finding upgrades over those players.
There are some strong choices in free agency if they decide to make splash signings.
With 53 million in cap space following the release of Preston Smith, Pittsburgh has enough room to make some noise in free agency. They can still remove other cap waste to make some extra spending money. There are different additions the Steelers could target this offseason, but they should be aggressive with how inconsistent the secondary was last year.
Top target: D.J. Reed, New York Jets
Contract projection: 4-years, $58.6 million
Perhaps the headliner of the pending free agent class at cornerback is D.J. Reed. He has played most snaps at outside cornerback for most of his time in the NFL, but he has also played some snaps in the slot during the early part of his career. He would be the opposite starter of Joey Porter Jr. on the outside. He will command a strong market once he hits free agency.
Signing Reed would not only strengthen your cornerback duo, but it would also send a message to Porter. The son of the Steelers legend is coming off a Sophomore slump, and all hope is pointing to him turning things around in 2025. Adding Reed will give you a top cornerback who can be the top dog or settle into the second spot if Porter solves his woes.
Most sensible target: Asante Samuel Jr., LA Chargers
Contract projection: 4-years, $45.85 million
Considering what the Steelers normally look for in free agents, Asante Samuel Jr. connects all the dots.
He is still young and will only be 25 when the next season begins. The Steelers also showed plenty of pre-draft interest in this young pending free agent. His father, Asante Samuel Sr., had a long NFL career. That alone will maintain Mike Tomlin's excitement. Samuel Jr. makes the most sense if the Steelers make a splash at the position in free agency.
It was a grueling year for the cornerback after he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury away from the field. If he projects to be ready by the season, which many believe, he would be a great addition. Samuel would take pressure off Porter and could slot into either role Pittsburgh wishes him to play. He is someone to keep an eye on.
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Boom or bust target: Paulson Adebo, New Orleans Saints
Contract projection: 2-years, $22.23 million
Paulson Adebo is another pending free agent coming off a season-ending injury. He has been fantastic for the New Orleans Saints since he earned a starting role. He has already started in 51 games during his first four seasons in the NFL. The former third-round pick of the 2021 NFL Draft would've had more starts if it wasn't for his broken Femur in the middle of the season.
It was a gruesome injury that he had to suffer through. The good news is that Adebo should be ready by the start of free agency. He should have a nice payday despite missing over half of this past campaign. His recovery from the injury could scare some teams away, but the former Stanford Cardinal would be a nice upgrade for the Steelers.
Slot cornerback target: Nate Hobbs, Las Vegas Raiders
Contract projection: 1-year, $2.85 million
Since the Steelers hired Gerald Alexander to join their coaching staff, you should watch some Raiders cornerbacks. Pittsburgh needs help at slot cornerback as neither Sutton nor Beanie Bishop proved to be long-term answers. Nate Hobbs has been a solid cornerback in the middle of the field for a while now, and he has the Alexander connection that could bring him to the Steelers.
If you couple that with his age of only 25, his stock to join the team continues to grow. Hobbs's current contract projection foresees him being a cheap signing once free agency begins. It would be a terrific gamble for the Steelers. They would get a veteran starter for cheap who could compete for the job. The connection with Alexander is impossible to ignore with this free-agent option.