This is the first of several posts that will focus on the Steelers position by position as the 2023 season comes to an end and they prepare for the NFL free agent period, which begins on March 13.
Fourteen defensive backs: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Damontae Kazee, Eric Rowe, Keanu Neal, Miles Killebrew, Elijah Riley, Trenton Thompson, Patrick Peterson, Joey Porter Jr., Levi Wallace, Chandon Sullivan, James Pierre, Darius Rush, Corey Trice Jr.
One Final Look at 2023
You can get a sense of what transpired in the Steelers’ secondary this season by looking at this list of 14 players. Neal, Riley, and Thompson were all placed on injured reserve, and Fitzpatrick and Kazee also lost a substantial amount of time because of suspensions or injuries.
One might sum up the story of the 2023 secondary as the development of rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. into a potent weapon.
Porter, who was skillfully acquired from the Bears in 2022 for wide receiver Chase Claypool, was the first pick of the second round. He was gradually introduced to the game before starting to play regularly in Week 8 versus Jacksonville.
He only gave up 30 receptions on 63 targets when covering, according to Pro Football Reference, which ranks him among the NFL’s finest with a 47.6 percent completion percentage. And Porter accomplished that while traveling with the best wide receiver on the other team—something he started against Tennessee’s DeAndre Hopkins in only his second start.
Following a sluggish beginning, veteran Patrick Peterson became something of a jack-of-all-trades for the Steelers, playing free safety, dime linebacker, outside cornerback, and slot corner.
Peterson broke up 11 passes, allowed a 59.4% completion rate, and intercepted two passes. The group and defense as a whole benefited from the senior leadership of the eventual Pro Football Hall of Famer.
Along cornerback forcing two interceptions and breaking up 11 passes, Levi Wallace’s completion percentage of 53.3 was only slightly higher than the 53.2 percent he allowed in 2022 during his rookie campaign with the Steelers. Among players who played more snaps, Porter and Peterson both had less targets than him (75), but he had the most overall.
Playing 422 snaps as a slot cornerback, Chandon Sullivan gave up a 60.7 completion % in his coverage yet had the highest quarterback rating of any Steelers cornerback at 59.4.
Midway through October, Darius Rush was signed by the Chiefs off their practice squad due to injuries at the position for the Steelers. The Colts selected Rush in the fifth round of the previous draft, but Rush was not selected in Indianapolis’ lottery. The Colts selected three cornerbacks overall.
Rush played just 39 defensive snaps in his three games of action, indicating his limited usage. In those three games, he only saw 20 special teams snaps.
James Pierre, an experienced player, had most of his action on special teams, as he played just 26 defensive snaps out of 269 total.
Before sustaining a knee injury during training camp, rookie Corey Trice Jr. was having a great time. After spending the season on injured reserve, the seventh-round draft pick is anticipated to be well enough to make a comeback at some time over the summer.
Despite missing seven games due to injuries, Minkah Fitzpatrick was required to do more on the defensive end for the Steelers than in previous seasons. He played 227 snaps at free safety, 149 in the box, 134 in the slot, and 22 at outside cornerback.
In addition to limiting opponents to a 56.3 completion percentage—his lowest since 2020—and averaging over 6 ½ tackles per game in 2023—which was consistent with his All-Pro performance in 2022—Fitzpatrick did not force any turnovers.
In addition to Fitzpatrick, the Steelers used a variety of players, mostly according on what they needed him to accomplish that given week.
Keanu Neal was employed at strong safety and Fitzpatrick was deployed at free safety. Damontae Kazee participated in deep play when they intended to use Fitzpatrick in the box.
The Steelers did occasionally use all three at once, at least up until Neal sustained a rib injury that ended his season in the middle of the campaign.
Due to Kazee’s suspension for breaking the league’s player safety regulations during the last three regular season games, Trenton Thompson and later Eric Rowe were called up from the practice squad to replace Fitzpatrick, Neal, and Kazee.
Rowe, who didn’t make an NFL roster until November, finished the season with 29 tackles and an interception while starting the team’s final three games. Thompson, on the other hand, had 22 tackles and an interception in his little playing time before going on IR with a neck injury.
After diverting one kick and blocking another, and finishing tied for second in the NFL with 13 special teams tackles, Killebrew earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl and was selected an All-Pro in the special teams category. He also played 111 defensive snaps, his highest since playing more than 300 in 2017 while with the Lions, due to all the injuries and movable personnel at safety.
One Stat That Gave It All
Sixth-best in the NFL, the Steelers’ season completion percentage of 60.7 was permitted. They were far less than 60% before all of the injuries at safety during the last month of the season.
The Steelers allowed 12.0 yards per reception, which was third-highest in the NFL, despite that low completion rate.
Considering 2024
This group’s appearance in 2024 may alter significantly from that of 2023.
It is planned for Wallace, Killebrew, Pierre, and Sullivan to become unrestricted free agents. Riley’s status as a restricted free agent is set.
Porter’s development as a shutdown cornerback undoubtedly strengthens the group and gives the team a backup star to complement Fitzpatrick at the position of star wide out. However, from year to year, the cornerback position in the NFL is the most unpredictable of all. Porter’s performance will depend on how hard he works going forward.
Though he is no longer as prominent as he once was, Peterson can still be a vital component of the puzzle. However, Rush and Trice’s future development may hold the key to this group.
A year ago, both were regarded as possible Day 2 picks, but in a very deep cornerback draft, their value declined.
Going forward, if Rush and Trice make a significant improvement in their second year, the Steelers might benefit from that.
Though none of the group figures to break the bank if the team decides to keep them, the team will have some decisions to make with its free agents.
