The Pittsburgh Steelers came into the offseason with a need in their secondary at cornerback. That hole became even bigger when their No. 1 cornerback from last season, Cameron Sutton, agreed to a three-year, $33 million deal with the Detroit Lions in free agency.
Without Sutton in the mix, the Steelers’ so-so cornerback group was definitely lacking. They wasted very little time in filling that need, as they made a surprise addition. Normally quiet in free agency, opting to build through the draft and develop players, the Steelers made a move very early in free agency.
Pittsburgh agreed to a two-year, $14 million deal with veteran Patrick Peterson, with $5.85 million of the contract guaranteed. Peterson will be 33 when the season gets underway, but he showed during the 2022 season that he has plenty left in the tank, putting together one of the best seasons of his career.
In what was an abysmal Minnesota Vikings secondary, Peterson was a bright spot. He had a career-high 66 tackles to go with three tackles for loss, five interceptions and 15 passes defended.
The 80.7 overall grade that Peterson recorded in 2022 was the second-highest of his 12-year career. His 82.5 coverage grade was fourth in the league as he got the job done in every facet of cornerback play.
What will Peterson bring to the table? He wasn’t shy about his expectations, as he is expecting to ball out in the Steel City per Blitzburgh on Twitter.
“I feel like the game is so much slower to me right now. I have so much more knowledge, understanding what is going to happen to me. That’s why I’m able to be in position to make plays. I might not be the fastest anymore, but this on top of my shoulders is good. The Steelers can expect the same exact player they saw last year and more.”
Peterson’s football IQ and intelligence more than make up for whatever he is now lacking in athleticism. His presence will be a big one for a Steelers defense that has the potential to be among the best in the league.
They have a vaunted pass rush led by T.J. Watt, Cameron Heyward and Alex Highsmith. Along with Minkah Fitzpatrick at safety, Pittsburgh now has multiple big-time playmakers to take advantage of in the secondary.
