Steelers' Donte Jackson's Impressive Performances Makes Him Winner During First 2 Days Of Training Camp

The Pittsburgh Steelers players began gathering this week at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe, PA, for the start of training camp. While it is too early to start either panicking or getting overly excited about any of the big storylines, there were some interesting developments. That included new quarterback Russell Wilson sitting out with tightness in his calf muscle. This gave Justin Fields a chance to take the field instead. There was also an interesting spat between wide receiver George Pickens and his new coach, Zach Azzanni.

While most offseason changes happened on the offense, it doesn't mean there isn't anything to watch on the defense. The Steelers shored up weak areas and filled in missing pieces. One of the most interesting changes was the trade of wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Donte Jackson. It was obvious in 2023 that Joey Porter Jr. would be a problem for opponents, but he couldn't do it alone. Porter's lack of a solid partner was a weakness that was exploited. 

That put all eyes on Jackson as he was lined up across from Pickens during reps the first two days, and Jackson didn't disappoint. He performed well enough during the first day of camp that Mark Kaboly from The Athletic called him the "Winner of Day 1." That success continued again on Day 2 as Jackson had a huge pass breakup on a well-covered go route once again against Pickens.

"A lot of eyes were on Jackson, considering the Steelers gave up a prime receiver, Diontae Johnson, to acquire him in March," wrote Kaboly. "Despite his fall on Fields' long completion, Jackson was solid in his debut, which many times had him pitted against Pickens. Surely that was by design, allowing the team to properly evaluate Jackson. NFL cornerbacks have to be able to play man coverage, and there aren't many receivers who test a defensive back like Pickens."

Head Coach Mike Tomlin said they were interested in Jackson when he came out of LSU in 2018, but the Panthers chose ahead of Pittsburgh and snatched him up. There were also reports that the Black and Gold tried to add Jackson via a trade back in 2022, but it didn't work out. The feelings were mutual, with Jackson reporting that Pittsburgh feels like home and that he wants to stay in the Steel City for the rest of his career.

His teammates are happy to have him, too. Porter says that he has long admired Jackson's game and feels that they have a lot of similarities in how they approach football. Porter said they are both "chirpy," and they are both unstoppable when they are chasing down opponents. If Jackson continues to display this level of skill, he and Porter will help shut down the outside of the field. 

Steelers' Cam Sutton's Suspension Created A Surprising Plot Twist

The Steelers also brought back a familiar face, Cam Sutton, to provide some depth to the cornerback room. The Detroit Lions had released Sutton after a warrant was issued for his arrest for aggravated battery and domestic violence. Pittsburgh knew that Sutton would be facing some level of suspension from the league for his actions, but at the time of the signing, it was unclear how long it would be, except the league minimum is six weeks. Sutton received eight weeks.

While Sutton's signing is controversial, the one positive is that he knows the defense. But his suspension meant the Steelers would have to look to other players to step up and provide that depth until Sutton returned. The expectation is that Beanie Bishop Jr. and Josiah Scott would compete for that job. However, the first day of camp threw a wrinkle in that idea with DeShon Elliott, who's a safety, stepping up.

Reports said that the team might be experimenting with him at nickel. That's a major change from the presumption that he was there to take Damontae Kazee's spot. Fans will have to continue to watch as the battle of the backup cornerbacks unfolds. 

What do you think about Jackson's early performance? Click to comment below. 

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