Ranking the available free agent cornerbacks for Steelers in 2023
By Tommy Jaggi
2. James Bradberry would give Steelers a premier CB
If the Pittsburgh Steelers really want to get serious about upgrading the cornerback position, they could do so in a substantial way by going after James Bradberry. The Philadelphia Eagles cornerback has been a topic of discussion since the Super Bowl as his questionable defensive holding call late in the contest may have cost the Eagles a shot at a title.
Don't let that distract you from the player that Bradberry is. Over the past three years, Bradberry has been one of the best lock-down cornerbacks in the NFL. This past season in Philadelphia, he earned the 7th-best coverage grade among all NFL cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus.
Bradberry turns 30 years old this offseason, but age might not matter much to the Steelers right now, as they are trying to crack their Super Bowl window wide open. With already having T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick, and with Cameron Heyward in his final years, the addition of Bradberry could help elevate this defense to an elite level once again.
The biggest issue is that Bradberry won't come cheap, and the Steelers would need to be willing to devote a lot of money in free agency to just one player. There's little doubt he would make the defense much better, and he's a free agent Pittsburgh must consider.