Ranking the available free agent cornerbacks for Steelers in 2023

4. Byron Murphy is a younger Cameron Sutton

We know how happy the Steelers must be with the way that Cameron Sutton has performed since being selected by Pittsburgh in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. If they are looking for another player just like him (and they very well could be), Byron Murphy makes perfect sense.

At 5'11 and 190 pounds, Murphy is nearly identical in size to Sutton and their play styles mirror each other. Murphy is a smart player who's a smooth mover in coverage but doesn't wow you with elite length or athletic traits at the position. Still, he doesn't have any glaring holes in his game as he is equally as good in run defense as he is in coverage.

Murphy played most of his snaps out wide but still kicked into the slot for 130 snaps last year. His fourth season in 2022 is on track to be the best of his career so far, but injuries forced him to miss 8 games. He still managed to record 2 interceptions and a defensive touchdown.

The former 33rd overall pick would instantly become the second-best cornerback on the Steelers and Pittsburgh could pair him in a starting role with Sutton. Though he doesn't offer traits different from what this team already has, I doubt Mike Tomlin and Teryl Austin would be upset with another Cam Sutton-like player in their secondary.