The Steelers have a potential starting cornerback hitting free agency this week, but they have their eyes on the draft. According to beat writer Mike DeFabo, they have looked at the class very closely and have every intention of adding one. In fact, he has San Diego State CB Chris Johnson mocked to them in the second round.
In the past week or so, DeFabo has twice reported the Steelers’ intentions of drafting a cornerback. Now, with 12 picks and a need, that’s not a shock, but still noteworthy. During the Combine, he noted that they “met with a ton of cornerbacks formally and informally and are planning to draft one”.
More recently, discussing the cornerback position, he said that they will likely address cornerback in both free agency and the draft. He reiterated that they “interviewed a ton of cornerbacks (and plan to draft one)”.
The Steelers had two potential starting cornerbacks slated to hit free agency this week in James Pierre and Asante Samuel Jr. They reportedly re-signed Samuel earlier this morning though to just a one-year deal. That can’t be enough—and that might be where the draft comes in at cornerback.
Such as Chris Johnson, the cornerback DeFabo has the Steelers drafting in the second round. Touting his NFL readiness, he wrote, “Johnson has the flexibility to play inside and outside and in man or zone coverage. That could be valuable for a Steelers secondary that has some moving pieces due to Jalen Ramsey’s undefined role”. DeFabo added that they have the ammunition to trade up a bit to secure him if necessary. You can read our scouting report on Chris Johnson here:
The Steelers could have competition to re-sign James Pierre. But they can’t leave free agency without addressing the position in a significant way. At a minimum, they can’t go into the draft without adding another starting option at cornerback though they may have done that by retaining Samuel.
In recent years, Pittsburgh has relied on Joey Porter Jr. and an aging veteran as its starting duo. First, it was Patrick Peterson, followed by Donte Jackson, and finally Darius Slay. Slay didn’t last the year, usurped by James Pierre and Asante Samuel. But the Steelers are overdue to draft another cornerback.
Over the past five years, the Steelers have only used one draft pick in the first six rounds at cornerback. That was when they drafted Joey Porter in the second round in 2023. Other than that, they have only drafted Cory Trice Jr. and Donte Kent, both seventh-round picks, both injured.
Between 2015 and 2019, the Steelers took several big swings at cornerback in the draft—and mostly missed. In 2015, they drafted Senquez Golson in the second round, also adding Doran Grant in the fourth. Neither came remotely close to working out, the former chronically injured.
In 2016, they used a first-round pick on Artie Burns, who was always in over his head. The one success story was Cameron Sutton, a 2017 third-round pick who later ran into legal trouble. The most recent strike was Justin Layne, a 2019 third-round pick who played 145 defensive snaps. I’m sure his father has his Browns socks on again.
