Patrick Peterson, CB
Of the four names on this list, Patrick Peterson was the only player to turn things around and have a somewhat positive impact on the team. However, it's not enough to warrant coming back to Pittsburgh to play out the second and final year of his contract.
Peterson's lack of speed and quickness cost the Steelers often this season in the form of big plays and easy receptions by opposing wide receivers. His pedigree of work can only get him so far at this point and he turns 34 years old in February. This means that Peterson is likely to be a tick slower if he were to return in 2024.
You just can't have the lack of speed in the secondary that we saw from the Steelers in 2023. This was one of the slowest units in the league, and Pittsburgh was torched often as a result. Cornerback is one of Pittsburgh's biggest needs this year, and it's not hard to see why.
Peterson has some versatility in the secondary and he wasn't terrible in 2023, but with a cap number of $9.775 million in 2024, the Pittsburgh Steelers front office simply cannot justify keeping the aging defensive back around for the final year of his contract. This team should be looking for a younger, fresher, and cheaper option at the position.
All contract numbers courtesy of Over the Cap.