Tim Benz: It may seem backward, but Steelers' approach to finding steady 5th defensive back makes sense

When it comes to finding a steady fifth defensive back, the Steelers’ thinking may appear upside down.

However, I’d argue that they are actually on the right path.

Since he was drafted out of Tennessee in 2017, Cameron Sutton has been a player whose versatility has been the main reason why he has remained an important part of the Steelers roster construction.

He can play outside, in the slot and even a little safety, if needed.

But that versatility has also been something that has gotten in the way of seizing a regular position. He’s the ultimate example of being a jack-of-all-trades without getting the chance to master one.

Once the Steelers decided to keep him on the free agent market in March, though, one would think that the club was en route to prioritizing a specific spot for Sutton. Especially since they decided to retain him to the tune of $9 million over two years, while cutting fellow cornerback Steven Nelson and letting previous slot corner Mike Hilton jump to the Cincinnati Bengals in free agency.

After all, the other three “every down” defensive backs in the starting lineup have steady jobs. Cornerback Joe Haden plays exclusively outside. Minkah Fitzpatrick is the free safety, and Terrell Edmunds is the strong safety.

Conventional wisdom would infer that Sutton would simply replace Nelson and be the other corner outside the formation while the team would work to find a replacement for Hilton in nickel situations.

Makes sense, right? Treat the guy you are now paying like a starter as a starter with a set position.

To draw a hockey analogy, you don’t put “Winger X” next to Mario Lemieux because Winger X likes playing with Lemieux. You give Lemieux the guys who he wants on his wings, and then everybody else has to figure it out.

Based on how secondary coach Teryl Austin was speaking Tuesday, it appeared that was the initial thinking this offseason for the Steelers.

“Our charge was to find if we had somebody that could play that position inside because we had two quality guys in Cam and Mike Hilton,” Austin admitted. “(After) losing Steve outside, now Cam is outside. So we needed to find another guy in there. … We weren’t trying to serve anybody. We were trying to serve our best interests by getting our best guys out there.”

Unfortunately for Austin and the rest of the Steelers coaching staff, those best-laid plans have been sidetracked by preseason injuries to Arthur Maulet and Antoine Brooks. They were perceived to be the organization’s two best options to keep Sutton outside and replace Hilton in the process. But in part because of injuries, Maulet hadn’t separated himself from the pack of defensive backs, and Brooks was just waived Tuesday.

“We do have some practice reps behind us with these guys,” Austin said shortly before Brooks was released. “But you do like to see them in game circumstances. Practice is sometimes easier because you are comfortable against the guys you are practicing against. When you go into a game and you are playing different guys, guys react differently. So we’d really like to see them in a game.”

Sutton never seems to bat an eyelash at moving from the slot to the outside. It appears to be second nature for him. A quality Austin appreciates all the more now.

“We all know (Sutton) can do it,” Austin said. “We really want to see what we’ve got with the other guys, but we got pressed into a situation where we’ve been down some guys.”

That’s good because if the theory is to always have the five best defensive backs on the field in nickel and six best in dime, then Sutton will likely have to be playing inside.

At least for now, it appears the two best options as the third cornerback are James Pierre or Justin Layne, both of whom play outside. Pierre began to open eyes and get increased playing time late last season. That momentum carried through the first part of training camp. And Layne has seemingly closed the gap a bit with some recent splash plays in the first three preseason games.

“Do you have any wood to knock on?” Austin replied when asked about Layne’s recent flash. “Justin has really done a good job these last few weeks of showing up in terms of making plays on the ball. … We have to see consistency and that type of production, but I like where he is going.”

For his part, Pierre appreciates how Sutton’s flexibility is allowing others in the secondary to show their wares and battle for playing time.

“It doesn’t matter to Cam,” Pierre said. “Cam can do it all. He knows a lot. He helps our team out a lot. He can handle it all.”

With Sutton’s position flexibility and Brooks’ release, the decision-making may be all the less difficult because more and more paths seem to be leaning toward Sutton bouncing back and forth from inside and outside throughout the game.

That sounds a little like a starter keeping the tasks of a reserve. But at least Sutton is getting a starter’s paycheck to do it now.

For the Steelers defensive coaching staff, backward as it may seem, it’s still the best answer Sutton’s money can buy.