With the second day of minicamp in the books, we’ve been able to take closer and harder looks at the veteran players, new free agency additions, and new rookies. Aside from the running game and offensive line, one group of the Pittsburgh Steelers roster under the most pressure is the secondary. To take that a bit further, specifically inside/slot cornerback. With the departure of Mike Hilton and Steven Nelson, the secondary will definitely look different than 2020. However, with every vacancy comes opportunity, and the doors are open for a new face to the defense. This begs the question, who is going to be our new shut-down slot corner?
First, let’s take a look at some younger Steelers veterans who are eyeing the position. Both Antoine Brooks Jr. and James Pierre have had a great camp so far, specifically on Wednesday. Head coach Mike Tomlin talked about both players today. He explained Brooks has the college experience and necessary attributes to be effective at the slot corner position. Defensive assistant/secondary coach, Teryl Austin, is also very high on Brooks:
“Yes, he is an option”, he explained. “That’s where he’s working. When you looked at him coming out of Maryland, he was listed as a safety, but he basically played as a nickel type position and he was very productive there.”
It is safe to say that Brooks has impressed coaches so far and is making a major push towards winning the starting slot cornerback position. With that said, Pierre has also had a productive camp and has turned heads. In Wednesday’s practice, Pierre intercepted Ben Roethlisberger twice which led to coach Tomlin praising him during his press conference. Tomlin explained that although Pierre was a great asset on special teams, he expects him to take the second-year leap into becoming a starter in the slot. Pierre is beginning to become a new fan favorite and serious contender at the slot corner position.
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Now, let’s take a look at some new faces who are also completing for the position. Soon after the draft, the Steelers signed Arthur Maulet as a free agent, who was previously on the New York Jets as well as the New Orleans Saints. Maulet is listed as a safety, but he’s spent a lot of time playing the corner slot position. We have not heard much out of camp yet on his performance, but veteran presence in a now-critical position is great to have. It is important to note that Maulet doesn’t necessarily have the long, rangy speed we typically see in a safety, but this translates into quickness and physicality in the box. Another new name we will see competing is 7th round pick Tre Norwood. Coach Tomlin described Norwood as a “Swiss army utility player” and was excited to land him. Like Maulet, Norwood was listed as a safety going into the draft, but it is clear the Steelers drafted him as a possible slot corner. Coach Austin praised Norwood’s versatility and compared him to Cam Sutton. Coach Austin explained:
“He’s a really sharp guy. Really impressed with how fast he picks things up. Right now, he’s playing a little nickel and a little safety.”
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Finally, new undrafted rookie Shakur Brown is looking to earn a spot at the slot corner position. Brown was a player a lot of us were surprised went undrafted and were excited that the Steelers were able to sign him. Brown comes into the league after an impressive career at Michigan State and is eager to make an impact. His draft profile details his elite footwork and hip movement in coverage. However, a weakness is his hands in press coverage, which is crucial at the slot corner position. Coaches Tomlin and Austin are going to have to coach Brown on that, but the ceiling is high for him and a lot of us are thrilled to see what he’ll bring to the team.
Who do you think is going to land the starting slot corner position? Let us know in the comments below!
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