The Pittsburgh Steelers lost cornerback, Cameron Sutton in free agency after the veteran reportedly agreed to terms on a contract with the Detroit Lions on Monday. The NFL's legal tampering period began and while general manager, Omar Khan couldn't get a deal done to bring Sutton back, the organization is expected to sign eight-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, Patrick Peterson.
Minnesota Vikings cornerback Patrick Peterson (7) cheers during the first half of an NFL football game against the Arizona Cardinals, Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021, in Glendale, Ariz. Photo Credit: AP Photo / Rick Scuteri
Steelers Boost Cornerback Room With Big Name Signing
According to multiple reports, including one from well-respected NFL insider, Ian Rapoport from NFL Network, Peterson will be wearing the black and gold in 2023.
Source: The #Steelers are signing Pro Bowl CB Patrick Peterson. A surprise! A perennial star headed to a historic franchise to beef up their back end.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 13, 2023
Peterson spent the first 10 years of his career with the Arizona Cardinals and was a member of the Minnesota Vikings organization the last two seasons. He had five interceptions in 2022. Although he is set to turn 33 this year, he still has a lot left in the tank when it comes to playing football.
He has 34 career interceptions and has a legitimate Hall of Fame resume. This is the exact kind of signing and added veteran leadership the team needed.
Patrick Peterson is a HOFer. He's 32, so some concern with the age, but the man balled out last year. 5 INT, 15 PD, 66 tackles in 17 games. An 80.7 PFF grade. And he's rarely been hurt throughout his career. Love the signing.
— Donny Football (@DonChed54) March 13, 2023
It certainly makes the loss of Sutton a lot less of a blow and the franchise will likely still look to draft a cornerback early in April and Peterson will be able to act as a mentor.
It is somewhat similar to the Steelers signing of Joe Haden back in 2017. He wasn't as old as the new signee, but Peterson has even more of an NFL pedigree than Haden did. Bringing Haden on board ended up being an awesome move so fans can hold onto hope that getting Peterson for a couple seasons will have a similar effect.
Steelers cornerback Cameron Sutton on the field prior to a 2022 preseason game at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA | Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter JSKO_PHOTO)
According to ESPN, the deal is for two years. It is not only a huge boost to the secondary, but the team as a whole. Peterson will jump into a starting and leadership role immediately and is an awesome teammate to have around a young group.
Overall, this is a solid move for the Steelers. Peterson is not the same All-Pro he was earlier in his career, but will provide some consistency in the cornerback room. It was a definite that Pittsburgh would target someone in free agency to replace Sutton and that's exactly what the front office did bringing in one of the league's best cornerbacks of the 21st century.
Do you like the signing of Peterson? Let us know in the comments below!
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