Prioritizing Pittsburgh Steelers free agents who must be re-signed in 2023

1. Steelers CB Cameron Sutton

Prior to the start of the season, there was a debate among Steelers fans as to who would be the best cornerback on Pittsburgh's roster for the 2022 season. It's safe to say that Cameron Sutton put that argument to bed.

In 2022, Sutton was not only the best cornerback on the Steelers roster, but he was one of the more consistent cornerbacks in the entire NFL. This is thanks in large part to his football IQ and ability to line up outside and in the slot. Sutton's versatility has been key.

Unfortunately, Sutton is set to hit the free agent market and there are numerous cornerback-needy teams out there who could be ready to pounce on the savvy veteran. According to Spotrac, Sutton has a projected market value of $7.6 million per season in new annual earnings. This is a reasonable number, but the Steelers would have to be willing to lock him up to a sizeable long-term deal in order to retain him.

Pittsburgh will need to be very careful not to overpay here, but with the concerningly poor depth they have at the cornerback position on their roster, they can't afford to let him slip away. Sutton needs to be the team's top priority during free agency.