Intriguing positional battles for Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023
By Tommy Jaggi
Now that the Pittsburgh Steelers nearly have their 90-man summer roster in place, one of the biggest things that fans will be wanting to see is how the positional battles will play out. Omar Khan and Andy Weidl added seven draft picks and a handful of free agent signings to the team this offseason, and there is sure to be some significant roster shakeup.
Additionally, players near the top of the depth chart will be jousting for larger roles, and some rookies have the potential to push a few starters to the bench. Here are the most intriguing positional battles for the Steelers in 2023 with the NFL Draft behind us.
Steelers CB2:
Joey Porter Jr. vs Levi Wallace vs Ahkello Witherspoon
The Pittsburgh Steelers lost Cameron Sutton to the Lions in free agency, but they signed veteran Patrick Peterson. Due to the contract he signed, it's very safe to assume that Peterson is going to be a starting cornerback on this team; that much we know. However, it's hard to tell how things are going to unfold for the CB2 job.
Right now, Ahkello Witherspoon is listed as the starter opposite of Peterson on ESPN's depth chart. Witherspoon was slated to start alongside Sutton in 2022, but a severe hamstring injury derailed his season. Assuming he stays healthy throughout camp and the preseason, Witherspoon could put up a fight for this role.
Meanwhile, Levi Wallace is coming off a four-interception season. Though he's still a liability down the field at times due to his lack of speed, Teryl Austin no doubt likes his ball production. At some point, however, this job is going to belong to Joey Porter Jr. The question then becomes: when does that happen?
If Porter is able to win the job from the gate, it may make a player like Witherspoon expendable -- a player who has been often injured and shares a similar skill set. Obviously, only one of these three cornerbacks will be starting alongside Peterson on base defense when the season starts and this will be one of the most interesting battles to watch at Steelers camp.