Mark Madden's Hot Take: CB trio offers options, but Steelers need to be aggressive

The Pittsburgh Steelers have three starting cornerbacks: Joey Porter Jr., Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay. None is really a slot guy, though that transition is uncomplicated. None is a safety.

Coach Mike Tomlin tells us, “They’re (all) gonna be on the field.”

But he doesn’t tell us how.

It’s intriguing.

Safety Minkah Fitzpatrick got used so conservatively over the past two seasons that his turnover involvement dropped cataclysmically: Fitzpatrick totaled just one interception and one forced fumble in his last 28 games as a Steeler.

Did Fitzpatrick fail the Steelers, or did the Steelers fail Fitzpatrick?

Ramsey is likeliest to move around within the defensive formations: Outside, slot, safety, wherever. He’s practiced at slot in the nickel, at safety in the base. Ramsey had 102 coverage snaps in the slot or at safety with Miami last season.

Is that how to best deploy Ramsey?

Ramsey is a great cover corner. Porter has that skill set, too.

What about using Ramsey and Porter in press coverage on the outside, then blitz more? (If Ramsey plays the slot, Slay would do fine in press coverage on the outside. But he’s not Ramsey.)

The Steelers blitzed 25.9% of the time last season, the 12th-highest figure in the NFL. But that dropped to 16.9% on third down.

The Steelers had 40 sacks, ranking 16th in the NFL. That’s a far cry from having 52 sacks or more each season from 2017-21, leading the league each year.

T.J. Watt had 11½ sacks last season, down from 19 the year before. Watt had zero sacks in 10 of 18 games.

Watt will vary where he lines up this season. That experiment is a nod to Watt’s statistical decline last season.

Help the pass rush by using Ramsey and Porter as their talents best dictate. Blitz more. Use the NFL’s highest-paid defense in aggressive fashion.

Full disclosure: The Steelers couldn’t get many more takeaways. They led the NFL last season with 33.

Did the Steelers have a concrete plan for their defense before trading Fitzpatrick to Miami for Ramsey? Or are they currently throwing excrement at the wall?

When in doubt, the Steelers go conservative. That’s on both sides of the ball.