The Pittsburgh Steelers have finally unraveled the mystery of how to build an elite secondary. Sign them, don’t draft them. The addition of Steven Nelson in free agency turned the Steelers cornerback depth chart into one of the best in the league last season and everything is lining up for a repeat in 2020.
Let’s take a look at the Steelers cornerbacks heading into training camp.
Looking back at 2019
The Steelers gave Nelson the largest free-agent contract in franchise history last season. He came in and paired with Joe Haden as the best cornerback tandem in the AFC. Nelson didn’t get anything close to the credit he deserves because he only ended up with one interception but if you dig into the numbers he was as good in coverage as any cornerback in the NFL.
Haden was once again a star, a vocal leader on the defense and the team’s best all-around cornerback. He’s still playing at a Pro Bowl level. As for the rest of the depth chart, Mike Hilton was once again the key as the team’s slot corner. Completely fearless, Hilton will do anything asked of him whether it’s cover, stuff the run, or blitz.
Looking ahead at 2020
The Steelers cornerback position remains fulling intact. Haden, Nelson and Hilton round out the top three once again. What to watch this training camp and into the season will be the battle between Cam Sutton and Justin Layne for the team’s dime cornerback spot. Sutton certainly has the edge in terms of experience but Layne has all the physical tools to be a starter in the league. Looking to the future, one of these two could be in the starting lineup as early as 2021.
Overall
There was a time not too long ago when the Steelers defense was carried by the front seven and the secondary was a legitimate liability. But the addition of Nelson has made this group a strength. We know Haden can’t play at a high level forever so it will be key for the Steelers to find out what they have behind him for the future. But with this level of talent on the back end, it makes the job of the team’s pass rushers so much easier.
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