Steelers Practice Squad Has An Impressive Amount Of Talent And NFL Experience At Defensive Back Heading Into The 2023 Regular Season

The Pittsburgh Steelers enter the 2023 regular season with perhaps their most talented group of defensive backs in recent memory. In addition to returning players such as Minkah Fitzpatrick, Levi Wallace and Damontae Kazee, the team's front office has also brought in new faces such as Patrick Peterson, Keanu Neal, Desmond King, and Joey Porter Jr. Needless to say, this group has all the necessary pieces in place to take a significant leap forward in 2023. Fans should be confident in the fact that the Steelers secondary will be more than capable of keeping up with the high-powered passing attacks of the AFC. 

Not only do the Steelers have immense depth on their 53-man roster in their defensive back room, but also on the practice squad as the team was able to add both Anthony Brown and Josiah Scott. Brown, who spent the past seven seasons with the Dallas Cowboys, has 69 career starts, including 28 over the past two years. He has compiled nine career interceptions, 59 passes defended and 11 tackles for loss. The former sixth-round pick will be a welcome addition to the Steelers secondary and will undoubtedly be able to step in if injury occurs. 

Scott, who was originally a fourth-round pick of the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020, is a viable option at nickel cornerback. He has spent the past two seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he has appeared in 29 games, accumulating two interceptions with eight passes defended. He was recently released by the Eagles as a result of the team's incredibly deep cornerback group. During the 2022 season, Scott started four games on a team that would eventually become NFC champions and proved to be a solid player in the slot. 

Steelers Depth At Defensive Back Is Vitally Important

Fans often do not give much thought to players who end up on the Steelers practice squad, but recent history has shown that it is much more important than what many realize. The team's Week 6 matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2022 is perhaps the best example. The Steelers secondary was absolutely decimated with injuries, forcing the team to rely upon practice squad players such as Josh Jackson, Quincy Wilson and Elijah Riley. Miraculously, this rag-tag group of defensive backs somehow managed to frustrate the Tom Brady-led offense and helped the Steelers win the contest by a score of 20-18. 

While it is entirely possible that the Steelers secondary remains healthy for much of the 2023 season, the assurance of having starting-quality defensive backs on the practice squad is huge. Both Brown and Scott possess the necessary experience to be elevated to the active roster and contribute on defense. The Steelers also have fellow cornerback Luq Barcoo and safety, Trenton Thompson (who had an interception in the team's 2023 preseason win against the Buccaneers) on the practice squad. 

All things considered, the Steelers front office has done exceptionally well at providing depth at key positions, perhaps most notably defensive back. It will be extremely interesting to see how quickly the unit can collectively gel together and emerge as one of the best secondaries in the NFL. Get ready, Steeler Nation. The 2023 regular season is almost here! 

Thoughts, Steeler Nation? 

Do you like the signings of Brown and Scott to the Steelers' practice squad? What are your expectations for the team's secondary heading into 2023? How excited are you for Week 1 of the regular season to be here? Be sure to let us know in the comments! 

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