The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking for upgrades as the NFL's legal tampering period kicks off, but one name that many thought would be on their radar is already off the market.
The Las Vegas Raiders have agreed to terms with cornerback Eric Stokes on a three-year, $30 million contract, bringing him back to the team after a breakout season in 2025. Even with a new coaching staff in place, the Raiders clearly felt his season wasn't a fluke.
With his defensive coordinator from last season, Patrick Graham, now the DC in Pittsburgh, it would have made sense for the Steelers to pursue him to play opposite of Joey Porter Jr. in their secondary. With that option off the table, general manager Omar Khan needs to pivot quickly.
The Pittsburgh Steelers must find a suitable running mate for Joey Porter Jr. after missing out on Eric Stokes
The Steelers can't afford to run it back in the secondary next season. They have already re-signed Asante Samuel Jr. to a one-year, $4 million deal, and they just lost out on bringing back James Pierre after the Vikings just pulled him away from Pittsburgh. Pierre would have been an option to start after his sensational season in 2025, but that plan is dead.
Stokes would have made a lot of sense for reasons beyond his relationship with Graham. He is a tall, long corner with plus athleticism and plenty of starting experience. He suffered from injuries and inconsistency during his first four years with the Green Bay Packers, but he has missed just one game in the last two seasons.
Getting a player like Stokes for just $10 million a season is good value, but there are other options out there if the Steelers want to upgrade the position. Jamel Dean, Alontae Taylor, Tariq Woolen, and Josh Jobe are just some of the names that are still out there to target.
The question now is whether Khan feels the need to be aggressive about adding a new starter at CB.