If the Pittsburgh Steelers have been “counting the weeks” till Cameron Sutton returned from suspension, they’re in all probability questioning why. Even when he made one key cross breakup in his 2024 debut final Sunday, the veteran cornerback struggled. And the Steelers turned to James Pierre as a substitute of him after Donte Jackson exited as a consequence of harm.
With Jackson’s standing for Sunday not fairly set in stone, the standard of Sutton’s play notably issues in the intervening time. And Steelers DC Teryl Austin is aware of that he left one thing to be desired in his first recreation. Whereas he expects higher sooner or later, the fact is he has to show it.
“I believe it wasn’t in all probability as clear as he would really like when it comes to getting every thing achieved”, Austin admitted about Sutton’s season debut, by way of transcript offered by the Steelers’ media relations division. “You get your first dwell motion in opposition to a extremely good offensive staff. However I assumed, as the sport wore on and the issues we requested him to do, he was higher.
“We put [Sutton] in some anxious conditions, there’s little question. We didn’t put these guys in simple conditions final week. We trusted our guys to do a variety of operating, a variety of overlaying, and for probably the most half, they held up fairly properly”.
Cameron Sutton performed 19 defensive snaps in his first recreation with the Steelers since 2022. Formally, he didn’t file any stats, even on particular groups, registering zero tackles. Professional Soccer Reference costs him with 5 targets throughout the recreation, permitting no receptions.
However that comes removed from telling the true story. The Commanders had him beat useless to rights on a number of events and so they merely did not execute. One play that stood out was 2nd and eight from Washington’s 3-yard line. Luke McCaffrey cleared Sutton and had a path to a 97-yard landing, however Jayden Daniels couldn’t join. And the cross that he kinda-sorta broke up? Nicely, the receiver had already dropped it earlier than he acquired there.
In fact, this was only one recreation, and Cameron Sutton ought to be rusty after not taking part in, and even working towards a lot. Whereas he was allowed to return to the Steelers’ facility weeks in the past, he wasn’t eligible to apply till after eight video games.
If the Steelers put Sutton again on the sphere, they undoubtedly want him to play higher. They’ll’t depend on the great fortune of opposing groups lacking the throws he’s beat on. They usually could make a higher effort to keep away from placing him in conditions that don’t play to his strengths, within the meantime.
Till Sutton proves he can deal with it, I anticipate James Pierre to stay the highest outdoors reserve, until Cory Trice Jr. makes all of it the best way again this week. He began working towards now, so it shouldn’t be too lengthy. The Steelers like him a good bit, even when he has a slender resume.
