The Pittsburgh Steelers made another addition this offseason in signing former Detroit Lions cornerback Cameron Sutton to a one-year deal. Sutton is a player that the Steelers have plenty of familiarity with, thanks to his six years with the team prior to signing with Detroit. Unfortunately, the return comes with plenty more speculation than his previous stint with the Steelers.
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Cornerback Cam Sutton prior to a Pittsburgh Steelers game.
Sutton comes off the heels of signing a three-year contract with the Lions last offseason. He struggled playing on the outside as a member of one of the most porous secondaries in the NFL, and with the Lions' recent additions to the secondary this offseason, he was placed on thin ice. The straw that proved to break the camel's back came in the form of a felony arrest warrant for domestic battery stemming from an incident in March. Following the warrant being issued, the Lions released Sutton. Though the felony has been reduced to misdemeanor battery charges, he will likely still face penalty from the NFL.
Sutton violated section one of the NFL's Collective Bargaining Agreement's Personal Conduct Policy that focuses on expectations and standards of conduct. In the past, this has resulted in suspension, and the expectation is no different here. The NFL historically likes to do their own investigation to allow for the most accurate suspension possible to fit the allegations.
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Steelers' Cam Sutton (#20) against the Las Vegas Raiders in Pittsburgh, PA.
The Steelers have shown they are clearly confident that Sutton will play this season, hence the signing, but they likely re-signed the 29 year-old knowing that they will be without him indefinitely to start the season. During an interview with 93.7 The Fan's PM Team w/Poni & Mueller, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio shared his thoughts on the situation, and what realistically the Steelers should be expecting.
"There's a specific process in place for determining the punishment. That's something that's gonna happen before the start of the season, and I think they had to bring him back knowing that they're not gonna have him for a chunk of the season. Six games, maybe eight, maybe 10, we'll find out. But I think it's something that gets resolved before Week 1."
The biggest question mark out of the situation revolves around when the suspension will be handed down. Sutton would have the capability to contest the situation and keep pushing the suspension down the road, similar to what both DeShaun Watson and Ezekiel Elliott did in their respective situations, but there may be reason for Sutton to take whatever punishment is handed down to him.
Matt Freed / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Cowboys' Ezekiel Elliott runs into the end zone for a touchdown in front of Steelers' Mike Mitchell in the fourth quarter Sunday at then-Heinz Field in November 2016.
The most recent suspension that was similar to Sutton's situation was Alvin Kamara, who was suspended for three games in August 2024 for a domestic battery charge in Nevada.
What's The Steelers' Answer At Corner Without Sutton?
The Steelers have had a massive hole at the slot corner position since Mike Hilton left for Cincinnati in 2021. Despite all the players that have been brought in to fulfill the responsibilities the Steelers throw at the position, only Sutton truly thrived in the role in Pittsburgh. Omar Khan and his staff clearly had this memory in mind when bringing back Sutton, and hope he can return to form with the team that drafted him.
Cincinnati Bengals
Former Steelers and current Bengals cornerback, Mike Hilton (#21) down on one knee during a professional football game.
Sutton may be a big part of the Steelers' plan for later in the season and into hopefully a postseason run, but what about to start the season? Second-year corner Joey Porter Jr. and offseason addition Donte Jackson are slated to start on the outside where they are most comfortable. Veteran Anthony Averett, who signed with the Steelers after a successful tryout at rookie minicamp, could be a capable option to fill the role in the interim if called upon also.
Ultimately, the only thing the Steelers can do is wait until the final verdict is handed down to Sutton sometime over the next few months. Whether Sutton is the answer at the slot, or someone else on the roster is, the Steelers must find an answer for one of the few spots in the lineup that there is uncertainty. Khan has done well to reshape the depth chart this offseason, which leaves hope that his plan for the position pans out.
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