The Pittsburgh Steelers have had an issue at the slot cornerback position for several years. The team's depth at cornerback waivered when both Mike Hilton and Steven Nelson departed during the 2021 offseason, and Cameron Sutton was forced to play on the boundary in 2022. Now it looks like they are getting a former starting CB back on their roster for the 2024 season.
On June 5, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that the Steelers are meeting with Cam Sutton and that they are expected to sign him to a one-year contract for the veteran minimum.
Steelers meeting with CB Cam Sutton today and are expected to sign him to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum, per sources.
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) June 5, 2024
This is a move that will be met with controversy by many Steelers fans. Sutton was released by the Detroit Lions one year after signing a three-year, $33 million deal after being involved in a domestic violence case. This felony charge was downgraded to a misdemeanor and Sutton has entered a pre-trial diversion program.
Sutton, a former third-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers from the 2017 NFL Draft, is 29 years old and is coming off a down season with the Lions in 2023. Despite his current situation, there's more than enough reason to believe that this will be an upgrade at the cornerback position for Pittsburgh.
Cameron Sutton is expected to reclaim slot duties for Steelers
Heading into the summer, the Steelers had their boundary cornerbacks situated with Joey Porter Jr. at LCB and newcomer Donte Jackson at RCB. But the options at slot cornerback remained a glaring issue.
After suffering through the performances of Chandon Sullivan and an aging Patrick Peterson last year, Pittsburgh did nothing to solidify the position... until now.
Just last offseason, the Steelers were outbid by the Lions for Sutton's services as he inked a deal worth $11 million per season. Now, just one year later, the Steelers will be getting back their long-time CB to man slot duties.
Sutton played 1,100 snaps as a boundary cornerback for Detroit last season, which is likely why he struggled. At 5'11'' and 188 pounds with 30'' arms and average athletic traits, Sutton wins more on instincts and play recognition than he does with physical gifts and raw talent. He doesn't have an ideal body type to be a lockdown cornerback on the outside.
The Steelers are expected to slide Sutton in as their primary slot cornerback -- a role that he has been proficient with in the past.
Pittsburgh's roster isn't perfect, but slot cornerback was the biggest hole remaining on the team prior to the decision to bring back Cameron Sutton. Their secondary should offer more stability with this roster move.