Steelers could trade away Patrick Peterson
The Patrick Peterson signing has gone about as well as I expected it to. After losing Cameron Sutton early in free agency, the Steelers signed the veteran in hopes that he could replace the flexible and talented Sutton. This was a bold ask, as Peterson is at the tail end of his career and didn’t really fit what the defense wanted to do.
The results have been as expected. Peterson has made some fine plays in coverage, but overall his skills have been tested and he has failed to live up to his contract. While he hasn’t been the worse of the two primary starters, as that distinction goes to Levi Wallace, Peterson has struggled to be a true top cornerback for this team.
While it is slightly rare for a player to sign with a team and then be dealt, the Steelers could likely still get some value for Peterson. If a team needed an experienced and savvy veteran presence in their locker room, a trade would make sense, as Peterson can provide that, especially on more of a zone defense.
Pittsburgh would have an easy replacement lined up for Ptereson as well. Joey Porter finally saw an expanded role against the Ravens, and he played well. While Wallace is the weakest link for the defense, he also has no trade value. If Pittsburgh opts to be sellers, Peterson should have a decent market of teams interested in him.