The Pittsburgh Steelers have had an exciting offseason, making upgrades at virtually every position. However, concerns remain in two areas: the wide receiver room and the slot corner position. To address the latter, the Steelers reunited with former cornerback Cam Sutton.
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Steelers' Cam Sutton (#20) against the Las Vegas Raiders in Pittsburgh, PA.
The decision to sign Sutton again, despite his troubling legal issues, was heavily scrutinized. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has publicly criticized the move, expressing disappointment that Pittsburgh gave Sutton another chance. He is among many who disapprove of the Steelers' decision to bring Sutton back.
The NFL announced an eight-game suspension for Sutton due to a violation of their personal conduct policy. This presents a challenge for Pittsburgh, as Sutton was expected to bolster their slot corner position. Now, the Steelers must fill that void for the first eight games of the 2024 season.
Steelers insider Mark Kaboly, writing for The Athletic, indicated that Josiah Scott is the most likely candidate to start in place of Sutton.
“Scott was running as the first-team nickel throughout the early portion of the spring before Sutton was signed. With Sutton’s suspension, he will be in the mix to grab that spot in the summer.”
Scott was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the fourth round (137th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. On May 18, 2021, he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. However, Scott battled injuries and was eventually waived by the Eagles on August 29, 2023. Just two days later, the Steelers signed him to their practice squad.
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Former Jaguars CB Josiah Scott runs on the field before a regular season game in Jacksonville.
On October 17, 2023, the Eagles picked up Scott from the Steelers practice squad. After a second brief stint with the Eagles, where he was released and then re-signed, Scott became a free agent after the season ended. On January 23, 2024, the Steelers signed him to a reserve/future contract. Scott's career has been marked by a series of injuries and movements between practice squads, particularly between the Eagles and the Steelers.
Despite these setbacks, Kaboly believes the Steelers were impressed with Scott's performance before bringing in Sutton. Scott was the starting slot corner before Sutton rejoined the team, making him a likely candidate to start during Sutton's suspension.
Scott has played four seasons in the NFL, but has struggled to secure a consistent opportunity. He has appeared in 39 games, starting just four. His career stats include 52 tackles, one sack, eight passes defensed, and two interceptions.
Steelers Appearing Comfortable With Josiah Scott
Scott's familiarity with the Steelers from his time on their practice squad last season likely contributed to his receiving starter reps before Sutton was signed. While Sutton's suspension is a blow to the Steelers, it offers Scott a significant opportunity to gain momentum in his career and impress the team.
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Steelers' Josiah Scott running drills during the third day of OTAs.
Scott is a player to watch for the starting slot position during Sutton's suspension. Steelers fans are excited about their new-look team, though concerns remain at slot corner and wide receiver. In the NFL, it's challenging to have game-changing players at every position, but Pittsburgh appears ready to address these areas.
The slot corner position will be crucial to monitor throughout training camp and the preseason. The Steelers have some options on their depth chart outside of Scott. Pittsburgh also could reach out to a couple former players such as Patrick Peterson or Chandon Sullivan if needed. However, it seems as if the Steelers have some faith in Scott.
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