The Steelers have opted to reunite with a former face in Cameron Sutton, as the team plans to sign him to a one-year contract for the veteran minimum. While I have been critical of some of the plans this team has in place, their additions have been a constant strength. Similar to the vast majority of the moves from this offseason, signing Sutton is, from an on-field perspective, a low-risk, high-reward move.
Sutton started his career as a third-round pick for the team, and over time he continued to develop into a more complete player. He proved himself as a dime defender before working his way into the slot and eventually serving as an outside/inside option and every-down starter. Sutton's play was so good that he earned a sizable deal from the Lions just a year ago.
Sutton's stint in Detroit wasn’t good though. His play never got back to the steady form he had in Pittsburgh. Then the offseason came, and the Lions released him a day after learning about the issuance of an arrest warrant for a domestic battery charge.
Sutton didn't turn himself into Hillsborough County, Florida, authorities until March 31, more than three weeks after the warrant was issued, and he was formally charged with misdemeanor battery rather than the initial felony charge. He later entered a pretrial diversion program to resolve his case and, per ESPN, has said he can't address the legal matter other than to share he's been in contact with the league about potential discipline if it determines he's violated the NFL's personal conduct policy.
The Steelers defense could benefit from the Cam Sutton addition
One of the last remaining weaknesses on the roster was slot cornerback, and Sutton fills in well there. Assuming he's coming back to a system that he benefited from and playing more exclusively in the slot, this could turn out to be a home-run signing. The trio of Joey Porter, Donte Jackson, and Sutton in the slot is solid.
It isn’t like Sutton will be catching a moving train. He knows this system, so even if he misses games due to a league-imposed suspension, he can still rely on his previous experience to thrive. At the bare minimum, he's a legitimate player to man the position this year.
If his on-field struggles continue, his contract is a non-factor, so he can easily be cut. When you look at the market at large, the slot options have dwindled. Sutton can provide better reps out of the slot than Patrick Peterson or Chandon Sullivan could. Heck, a lot of fans were hyping Grayland Arnold when he was added.
True to form, the Steelers have added yet another player who could pay dividends this year for the team, and the on-field risk is minimal. If he isn’t the same player, you also have nothing invested in him. This could be a great move though for a team that needed some secondary help.