Take one look at the Pittsburgh Steelers' initial 53-man roster, and it's clear that a move in the secondary is coming in the days following cuts. With just eight total defensive backs, and one being special teams ace Miles Killebrew, additions at both corner and safety are likely before the Steelers travel to face the New York Jets on September 7th.
While those moves could be bringing back notable cuts like Beanie Bishop or Chuck Clark, an outside addition may be what this roster needs to help raise the ceiling of the secondary. Among the most notable defensive backs released Tuesday was former Indianapolis Colts corner Juju Brents.
The former 2023 second-rounder has struggled mightily with injuries during his first two seasons, suiting up for just 11 games and starting nine of them. The small amount of tape he has put out hasn't been great, but he has the size and athleticism that General Manager Omar Khan looks for in his corners.
Pittsburgh Steelers could give former Colts corner Juju Brents a fresh start behind established veterans
Wherever Brents ultimately lands, he is highly unlikely to be more than the fourth or fifth corner on the depth chart. Between his long injury history and spotty play when he was on the field, he will need to prove to his next team that he can be relied upon before he can earn playing time.
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That makes the Steelers a perfect fit, as he could slide in behind the trio of Jalen Ramsey, Darius Slay, and Joey Porter Jr. He would have no pressure to start, barring injury, and he would get to learn under the veterans ahead of him for a year before maybe getting a chance to compete for a role.
An argument could be made that the Steelers already have a similar player in Cory Trice Jr., but he is even less durable and will already be starting the season on Injured Reserve. You can also never have enough corners, especially long, athletic ones like Brents.
While I still believe Pittsburgh will opt to just bring back one or two defensive backs who missed the initial roster, Brents would be a worthwhile gamble to make and could offer more upside than guys like Bishop or James Pierre.