Will the Steelers bring back Patrick Peterson after news of Sutton’s suspension?

Will the Pittsburgh Steelers bring back Patrick Peterson after news of Cameron Sutton’s suspension?

The NFL announced this week that it is suspending Pittsburgh Steelers CB Cameron Sutton for eight games. Everyone expected the NFL to suspend Sutton, although eight games is more of a long shot. Given the length of his absence, considerations of replacement players naturally arose, and Patrick Peterson’s name came to the fore.

The Steelers signed Peterson to be a full-time outside starter last year at the beginning of the season, but he also frequently played both in the slot and as a safety by the end of the year. If they were to re-sign him, he would play in the slot, where Sutton is expected to play.

Patrick Peterson was released one year into a two-year, $14 million contract and could now be looking at a veteran salary benefit contract. He has been vocal about the state of the market for veteran defensive backs lately, but hasn’t garnered much attention.

Although he said months ago that the Steelers left open the possibility of re-signing him, there has been no indication since then that they have reached out to him. However, following the news of Sutton’s lengthy suspension, Patrick Peterson could be back on the table. He is definitely back in the news cycle as a possible option for the Steelers.

Without Sutton, the Steelers must juggle a mix of migrants with little experience and rookies with notable weaknesses. Josiah Scott and Grayland Arnold are the main representatives of the latter, and Beanie Bishop Jr. and Ryan Watts are the latter. Peterson brings his own weaknesses, including age and little experience, but he is an option.

One of the Steelers’ goals over the last few years has been to create healthy competition. Signing Patrick Peterson wouldn’t stop a player like Bishop from getting the job, but he’ll have to earn it. Not that Peterson would be interested in losing a battle and sitting on the bench. But it’s still better than sitting on the couch.

The Steelers’ 2024 season is approaching, after another disappointing year that ended in a playoff loss. The only change in the annual formula of late is whether they miss the playoffs altogether. They’ve had a long offseason since the Buffalo Bills put them out of their misery in January.

The biggest question hanging over the team is the quarterback question. Will Russell Wilson make them a Super Bowl-caliber team or will they waste a year? How will the team continue the depth diagram?

The Steelers are out of free agency and the draft and their 2024 roster are coming into focus. They have made numerous changes through signings, trades and releasers. More than usual, they seemed to be creating holes and were confident they could fill them. Now that we have so many pieces of the puzzle, however, we are simply left to ask a new set of questions.