The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Cam Sutton in the third round of the NFL draft with the 94th overall pick. Sutton came along slowly for the team, but he did play in five games in his rookie season and ended up starting against the New England Patriots in a crucial battle during his rookie season. His debut was overshadowed when the game was marred by the officials when they simply missed the fact that Jesse James caught the game-winning touchdown and gave the Patriots the AFC number one seed.
Photo Credit: USA Today Sports
Sutton played the next three seasons in nickel and dime sub-packages for Pittsburgh and signed almost immediately in free agency in 2021. He signed a two-year deal with the Steelers that paid him $9-million. It was a fair contract for a solid third cornerback and Sutton wanted to stay in Pittsburgh desperately. He bet on himself to continue to grow into a top cornerback in the structure of the Steelers’ defense.
Sutton is heading into the 2023 offseason and his gamble has paid off. He has been a starting cornerback for the team for the last two seasons. He is not the most physically gifted defensive back, but his intelligence is lauded in NFL circles, and he has already been named as a top 25 free agent by Pro Football Focus. Sutton’s desire to stay in Pittsburgh is going to be severely tested by the bags of cash that will be thrown at him in the free agency.
Cam Sutton said he hasn’t begun to think about free agency. Two years ago, he signed before free agency began. He said “this is home” and would like to come back.
— Ray Fittipaldo (@rayfitt1) January 9, 2023
Ray Fittipaldo, who covers the Steelers for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, reported on Twitter that Sutton commented to him that Pittsburgh is his home, and he wants to come back. Two years ago, he pulled the trigger on a quick team-friendly deal, and the team should treat him accordingly. Sutton is coming off his best season as a pro and if Omar Khan offers him a substantial raise to stay with the black and gold, he may just take it.
Sutton is a very smart player, so if they are going to adopt this strategy, the offer should be at or near market value. Loyalty is an admirable quality, but this is likely Sutton’s only chance to cash in as an NFL player. Starting cornerbacks don’t come cheap, but Sutton is not a lockdown cornerback that you leave on an island, and he knows that. He is an excellent zone cornerback who plays well within the team's structure.
Pittsburgh's secondary benefits greatly from a ferocious pass rush. When they were hamstrung earlier in the season with the loss of his 2017 classmate T.J. Watt, the entire defense suffered. In the second half of the season, the defense became very opportunistic when the pass rush returned. The Steelers’ bookends of Watt and Alex Highsmith should continue to supply the kind of pressure that makes defensive backs' lives easier in 2023 Pittsburgh.
Photo Credit: Karl Roser / Pittsburgh Steelers
The team's string of 50-sack seasons ended in 2022, but they still managed 40 sacks in a down year. Sutton is 27 years old, and still in his prime. He also is entrenched in the schemes of the Pittsburgh 3-4 defense. The Steelers have a checkered history of finding defensive backs through the draft and replacing Sutton as a starter could set this defense back substantially. They just can’t afford to risk it with a lowball offer.
Pittsburgh has entered the NFL sweet spot. A franchise quarterback on a rookie contract. They can afford to keep the important pieces of the team around Kenny Pickett and make no mistake, Sutton is an important piece. They can use valuable cap space to plug the actual holes on the team. It will be interesting to see just how badly Sutton wants to stay in Pittsburgh this time around and how much the team values him.
Photo Credit: Steelers.com
What do you think Steeler Nation? Should the Steelers prioritize the home-grown Cam Sutton or look elsewhere? Please comment below or on my Twitter @thebubbasq.
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