Just under month ago, the Pittsburgh Steelers shockingly released cornerback Arthur Maulet. Later on, it came out that the release came per his request. Maulet felt as if he deserved more money than the front office was offering him. Still, it came a bit out of nowhere. While the team had improved their depth at corner this offseason, the slot role wasn't exactly addressed.
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (@JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
The release of Steelers slot cornerback Arthur Maulet came a bit out of nowhere, and now the team has a huge vacancy heading into the summer.
Since the departure of Mike Hilton, Maulet had been the team's primary slot cornerback. In his two seasons with Pittsburgh, the six-year defensive back appeared in 34 games, which included eight starts. That included a total of 860 defensive snaps, along with over 300 snaps on special teams. On Tuesday, he posted a few separate stories on his Instagram page, seemingly addressing his displeasure with the Steelers front office.
"Being too loyal will leave a sour taste in ya mouth with this game. You gotta get what you can out these m** because they don't have no loyalty in this business! My work always speaks for itself, my grind always speaks for itself," Maulet said in one story. "They pay who they wanna pay and slave who they wanna slave. S*** weird. S*** ain't football. S*** a popularity contest."
While Maulet wasn't necessarily great in coverage, he brought some versatility to the Steelers. Additionally, he was able to excel in the run game at times, similar to Hilton. As mentioned before, the slot corner position remains a bit up in the air in Pittsburgh. Chandon Sullivan was signed over a month ago, and he seems to be the most likely option to replace Maulet. When Sullivan was signed it wasn't believed that he would replace Maulet as the Steelers slot corner, but it wasn't long after that when Maulet and the Steelers reportedly had an issue over his contract.
There was a difference of opinion regarding Arthur Maulet’s contract and he asked for his release, per source.
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) May 10, 2023
Maulet played a lot of slot CB for Steelers and lead team in special teams tackles last season. https://t.co/51T4z6uZiv
Mark Kaboly of The Athletic reported that Maulet and the Steelers had a handshake deal that would allow Maulet to get a raise this offseason even though he signed a two year 3.8 million dollar deal last offseason to stay in Pittsburgh. He didn't elaborate much on that theory, but it makes sense that Maulet was possibly upset because the Steelers decided they weren't willing to give him any more money.
It’s believed Maulet wasn’t under contract for 2023. Handshake deal last year allowed him to seek a raise this off-season. A possibility he found more money somewhere else. Wouldn’t be surprised if we found out he signed somewhere else for more money or he thinks he can find more
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly) May 10, 2023
Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
Steelers defensive back Tre Norwood may be one of the guys that the team could try at the slot corner position to replace Arthur Maulet.
Beyond that, it seems like Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin could throw a few different guys out there to address the vacancy. Veteran Patrick Peterson is one guy that could see some time there. So could versatile defensive back Tre Norwood. Regardless, as of now, it seems like it will be a position by committee led by Sullivan. Pro Football Focus rated Sullivan slightly lower than Maulet in 2022.
Peterson, seen as the mentor of the group, isn't too concerned about the CB room in 2023. Recently, he touted the group as "dangerous" due to its depth, specifically mentioning an underrated guy like Levi Wallace. With a few rookies added to the mix, Steelers fans expect the secondary to be better than it was in 2022. The talent is there, but the slot position remains a concern.
Who will be Steelers' main slot CB in 2023?
It seems the former Minnesota Vikings corner, Sullivan, provides a bit of an upgrade rushing off the edge as a blitzer. Like Maulet, he struggles in coverage and is average in the run defense aspect. As a result, it's clear that this remains a concern in Pittsburgh. In the meantime, Maulet is making it clear that he's not happy with how things went down with the Steelers.
What are your thoughts on these comments from Maulet on social media? How big of a concern is the slot corner position for the black and gold? Do you think Sullivan is good enough to man the position for the 2023 campaign? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, as well as on our social media sites, yinz!
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