Tim Benz: Hope the Steelers enjoyed cornerback depth while it lasted

Remember when the Steelers had cornerback depth?

I know, it was a long time ago. Like, December.

How ‘bout before then? Go ahead and test your memories. I’ll wait.

The Steelers entered 2020 with a starting cornerback tandem that was caked with accolades. Last season wasn’t as good as 2019. But it was still superior to most of what we witnessed on the outside of Steelers defenses in recent years.

Pro Football Focus rated Steven Nelson’s 2019 season as the seventh best of any corner in the league. It also graded him in the 88th percentile in single coverage.

Joe Haden made the 2019 Pro Bowl thanks to five interceptions—the most he’s had since he had six during his rookie season in Cleveland (2010). In 2019, PFF graded him better than his first season in Pittsburgh (2017) and almost identically to his 2018 grades.

Not to mention Mike Hilton’s renowned play disrupting offenses by blitzing in the slot. And Cameron Sutton’s jack-of-all-trades versatility that may have warranted him starters’ snaps in many years, but he was simply stuck behind better players.

How often have you said that about the corner position on the Steelers depth chart?

If you squint, I suppose you could see the group of Ike Taylor, Deshea Townsend, Bryant McFadden and William Gay in that class once Gay started to play more often in his second and third years (before Townsend left after 2009).

After all, those guys got to Super Bowls three times in one collective form or another. But in an even more pass-happy era now, I’d argue the two years Mike Tomlin got from this current group has been better.

In between there was a lot of Antwon Blake, Brice McCain, Ross Cockrell, Anthony Madison, Cortez Allen and Artie Burns.

Just to name a few. Probably because you don’t want me to name any more.

Well, I hope Steelers fans enjoyed the good times while they lasted. Because Hilton just left via free agency to the division rival Cincinnati Bengals. And it sounds as if Nelson is going to be traded or released for salary-cap reasons. His departure will free up $8.25 million in cap space.

Based on how JuJu Smith-Schuster’s new contract is structured, all $8 million of his dollars aren’t going onto the cap this year. But bringing him back had to at least be a contributing factor for Nelson’s presumed departure. Because otherwise, why not just make the move with Nelson a few days before, as they did with linebacker Vince Williams? Or even before free agency started?

Or restructure Nelson’s contract with voidable years in the first place instead of reacquiring Smith-Schuster?

But let’s forget about the irony of thinning out the inside linebacker and cornerback ranks while deepening the wide receiver stockpile.

For now, anyway.

Let’s look at what remains at corner instead.

The narrative on letting Hilton walk was that Sutton could handle the blitz duties at the nickel position almost as well and maybe improve the coverage element of it. Now he’s either going to have to move to an outside corner full time or he is going to have to split that role with Justin Layne.

Either way, it’s more of Layne or James Pierre. Probably both. And that doesn’t have the same ring to it as Sutton being fourth on the depth chart. For him, or for the rest of the unit.

The Steelers could spend a high pick on a cornerback. But how often have they done that in recent years? And when they have done it, they’ve rarely been effective at doing so.

Plus, given all the other areas of need for the Steelers (running back, inside linebacker, pass rushing depth, nose tackle, center, offensive tackle), why create another at starting corner?

Other veterans besides Nelson are available. Former Tennessee Titan Adore Jackson’s name has popped up. Tomlin had spoken well of him leading up to games against Tennessee in the past. According to Pro Football Focus, Jackson’s coverage grade when lined up on the outside since 2018 is 85.6, fourth best in the NFL. But he missed most of last year with a knee injury.

Although he’s a USC buddy of Smith-Schuster. And of Zach Banner, too.

@AdoreeKnows pic.twitter.com/TY9HJqhYOX

— Zach Banner (@ZBNFL) March 21, 2021

Who knows? Maybe that matters these days.

Richard Sherman? Malcolm Butler? Desmond King? Are any of them going to come much cheaper and be much better than Nelson would’ve been on a reworked deal?

I know that some of the explanation of the improved play the Steelers have gotten at corner in recent years has been based on the premise that the pass rush has been so good.

Well, with Bud Dupree leaving via free agency and the blitz capabilities of Williams and Hilton gone, that may not be as much of a weapon. So corner play will have to be even better.

Got faith that it will be?

Well, if Smith-Schuster is as good as the JuJu ‘bots on Twitter tell me he is, maybe he can play both ways.