Steelers Insider Gerry Dulac Doesn't Think The Team Is Utilizing 8x Pro Bowl Cornerback Patrick Peterson In The Right Way

Amidst the Pittsburgh Steelers' early season struggles on offense, the defense has been far too inconsistent as well. To be fair to them, they've been on the field quite often due to the incompetence of the offense. Still, for a defense that is getting paid more than any other defense in the NFL, they haven't performed up to par quite yet. Similar to the linebacker room, the cornerback unit was completely revamped this offseason.

Entering Week 5, it seems like rookie Joey Porter Jr. may be in line for his first career start, something that Andrew Fillipponi of 93.7 The Fan reported. Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette doesn't feel as if the team is being fair to the eight-time Pro Bowler Patrick Peterson though, something that he talked about in his most recent chat.

"Yeah, because they are not capable [of playing press coverage]. But Porter is, which is why he should be playing and use Patrick Peterson the way you initially intended - in nickel, in dime, at safety; some spot where he is playing with his eyes in the backfield."

In free agency, Peterson was the "splash" signing. The 13-year veteran signed a two-year, $14 million deal out of nowhere to join forces with Mike Tomlin and co. While he's been a crucial locker room presence for youngsters like Porter and others, his performance on the field has been subpar to start. It's unclear whether this potential change would mean Peterson or Levi Wallace would be dropped from the starting lineup, as each of them have been inconsistent.

Essentially, Dulac doesn't like how Peterson has been left on an island in each of the team's four games. We saw how that worked in Week 4 against the Houston Texans, as the younger, quicker counterpart in Nico Collins beat him for a deep touchdown. Former Steelers cornerback Steven Nelson even took a direct shot at Peterson after the blowout. At this point in his career, Peterson has lost a lot of speed, which is to be expected.

Are Steelers Not Using Peterson In Right Way Through 4 Games? 

It doesn't make much sense to leave Peterson outside for every snap, which is what the Steelers have done. So far this season, Peterson has been on the field for 294 (99%) defensive snaps. Now Dulac isn't exactly arguing that the veteran should play less, but rather be used differently by Steelers Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin. Sometimes, we see aging cornerbacks move to safety or even nickel cornerback. 

There, they don't have to deal with the over-the-top speed as much from electrifying wide receivers. It was something that Tomlin talked about this summer, using Peterson at several different spots. When safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was out, Peterson played some safety at summer practices. Maybe the Steelers should look more into how the Minnesota Vikings utilized the veteran defensive back last season, as he was able to rejuvenate his career. 

Peterson had five interceptions and was quite solid in coverage for the NFC North defense. Regardless, whether it be utilization or performance, the Steelers' starting cornerbacks have struggled in 2023. In limited action, the rookie Porter has shown plenty of promise. It's why the team feels confident to slowly ramp up his playing time, which may lead to a start against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 5. In the meantime, they need to figure out a way to get Peterson back on track, and that could start with moving him around the secondary.

Do you think the rookie Porter is deserving of a start this Sunday? Do you agree with Dulac that the team is misusing Peterson in the first four games? If Porter were to start, should Wallace be the obvious replacement on the outside? Share your thoughts in the comment section below, yinz!

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