Steelers’ most expensive free agent, Steven Nelson, might turn out to be one of best
It was an on-field partnership forged in an unconventional way, at least relative to virtually every one that preceded it in Pittsburgh Steelers history. They are a pairing not put together via the draft or by way of trade.
But the signings of Joe Haden and Steven Nelson have provided the Steelers with one Dynamic Duo.
“We’re like Batman and Robin,” Nelson said in a video call with media earlier this week.
“We bounce off each other, and we’re both highly competitive guys. I think we feed off each other on the field. If he makes a play, then I feel like I have to make a play. So I think we pair together very well.”
After years of draft misses and stopgaps and mediocre play at cornerback, the Steelers finally started hitting the jackpot by paying out big contracts to address their needs on the free-agent market.
Haden was signed in August 2017, days after his surprising preseason release by the Cleveland Browns. Heading into his fourth season with the team, Haden has already made $32.4 million from the Steelers (per spotrac.com) and is scheduled to make $7 million apiece over the next two seasons by way of the terms of the extension he signed last September.
Nelson hasn’t made that much for the Steelers, at least not yet. But if he starts stacking seasons performing the way he did during his first in black-and-gold, he might.
While the three-year, $25.5 million contract Nelson signed with the Steelers last March is dwarfed by Haden’s, it does come with its own superlative: it was the biggest the Steelers had ever given in unrestricted free agency.
Nelson’s average annual salary ($8.5 million) and total contract value set franchise UFA records.
And so far, he has proven to be worth every penny.
Despite being one of top-ranked corners in the NFL, #Steelers Steven Nelson's not so hot with interceptions this season. His teammates know he's solid though. "On the inside, everyone knows how good Steve is doing," corner Joe Haden says. https://t.co/78MyjxTpp4
— Tribune-ReviewSports (@TribSports) December 13, 2019
Nelson and Haden teamed with Minkah Fitzpatrick (and aided by a strong pass rush) to headline a pass defense that finished third in the NFL in yards allowed (3,113) and second in interceptions (20).
Pro Football Focus rated the team’s pass defense as the fifth-best in the NFL, and footballoutsiders.com’s analytics ranked it third.
“I think we’re arguably in the top category,” Nelson said of the Steelers defense. “We’re stacked from top to bottom. Even non-starters are very talented.”
As a former top-10 draft pick and 10-year veteran, Haden carries a higher profile. But is he the “Batman” of the Steelers corners? If Nelson is the “Robin,” he arguably didn’t play like a sidekick last season.
PFF’s ratings pegged Nelson as the NFL’s 10th-best cornerback and tied for 10th-best in coverage. Haden ranked 40th in coverage and 43rd overall. According to PFF, among 87 qualifying cornerbacks, Nelson was sixth-best in coverage snaps per reception (16.1), 12th-best in yards per coverage snap (0.86) and 15th-best in coverage snaps per target (8.3).
According to Touchdown Wire — as well as in anecdotal observation — Nelson did not allow a touchdown all year while in man coverage.
The lone blemish on Nelson’s season might be what denied him a Pro Bowl spot: he had just one interception.
“I do think that was a major part of the reason why I didn’t get selected to the Pro Bowl,” Nelson said, “… the interceptions, the big plays. I was lacking in that area.”
Then again, one of the reasons Nelson’s interception production was so low was out of lack of opportunity. Nelson did his job (blanketing receivers) so well that opposing quarterbacks did not throw his way.
Per PFF, only one cornerback who played as many or more coverage snaps than Nelson last year (547) had fewer targeted passes to his receiver: Nelson was thrown at 66 times, Miami’s Eric Rowe 65 times.
By basis of comparison, four cornerbacks were thrown at more than 100 times — and that means those corners had roughly 60% more chances to snag an interception than did Nelson, who in effect was penalized for doing his job too well.
Nelson vowed 2020 would be a better season for him in regards to interception production.
“It’s hard to just go out there and say, ‘Oh, I’m going to get some interceptions,’ ” Nelson said. “You have to get some targets, man. I have little conversations with my inner circle. Maybe I have to do some talking this year and get guys to throw at me or something. Whatever it takes.”
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Chris Adamski is a TribLive reporter who has covered primarily the Pittsburgh Steelers since 2014 following two seasons on the Penn State football beat. A Western Pennsylvania native, he joined the Trib in 2012 after spending a decade covering Pittsburgh sports for other outlets. He can be reached at cadamski@triblive.com.
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