Despite having the sixth-best offensive line out of all 32 NFL teams, the Steelers’ 28th-ranked defense could use some improvement. Their current lineup of cornerbacks, which includes Joey Porter Jr. and Levi Wallace, is insufficient to cover any wide receiver on the other team.
Pittsburgh placed third in the AFC North division with a 10-7 record, but their postseason performance against the Buffalo Bills was far from stellar. The fact that the club lost to them 31-17 in the wild card stage is evidence that the roster needs to be improved for the future season by the Steelers.
In keeping with this, the front office can begin assembling a defensive lineup that is more capable for players who are considering Pittsburgh. Kendall Fuller of the Commanders is one of them who can be taken into consideration.
The Importance of Signing Kendall Fuller in Free Agency for the Pittsburgh Steelers
Should Fuller be acquired, he will add some skill to the Steelers’ starting lineup. In a deeper dive, Aaron Schatz wrote for ESPN:
“The Steelers need a cornerback, particularly if they decide to shift Patrick Peterson to safety on a permanent basis. Last season, Fuller was the only cornerback for the Commanders with impressive coverage stats.
Despite allowing a number of touchdowns, his coverage DVOA was comparable to that of Marcus Lattimore and L’Jarius Sneed. He may play opposite Joey Porter Jr. in Pittsburgh and accept the less difficult assignment as Porter targets the top receiver for the opposition. Schatz stated that Fuller should be competent enough to let Pittsburgh’s safety lean toward Porter’s guy.
If Fuller were to be used in Pittsburgh, there would be multiple chances for the cornerbacks to improve. Additionally, their defense—which is among the worst in the NFL—might get better.
In the upcoming days, it will be revealed where Fuller ends up. We’ll also find out if Pittsburgh pursues signing him aggressively or not because the NFL’s free agency period is about to commence.