The Pittsburgh Steelers are working on their quarterback situation. And new teammates have to adjust. But it’s still the NFL and that means tough decisions have to be made.
One of those calls came to pass Monday as the Steelers cut ties with four-year veteran Josiah Scott. Despite being listed atop the depth chart as a nickel back, Scott didn’t make the cut. ESPN Senior NFL reporter Jeremy Fowler broke the news.
The move came as a surprise to some NFL observers, but it’s business. A fourth-round pick in 2020, Scott has started only four games in his NFL career.
Steelers CB Josiah Scott fell from grace
Scott had been the first-team slot cornerback throughout the preseason, but didn’t maintain that status when he fell behind rookie Beanie Bishop, according to steelersnow.com. In fact, the undrafted Bishop’s emergence as a better fit for the position likely hastened the exit of Scott.
Scott joined the Steelers after three seasons with the Philadelphia Eagles. Scott played in six games with Jacksonville in his rookie season. But the 5-foot-9, 185-pound never found traction with the Eagles. He found his most playing time in 2022, playing in 16 games and totaling 26 tackles, two for loss. He also defended eight passes and picked off two others.
Pittsburgh currently has Joey Porter Jr. and Donte Jackson listed as starters at cornerback. DeShon Elliott and Minkah Fitzpatrick slot in at strong safety and free safety, respectively.
What can the Steelers expect from their secondary?
The Steelers don’t get a lot of respect for their secondary. They enter 2024 ranked No. 23, according to Pro Football Focus. With Fitzpatrick, they have a standout player. But he has been up and down, with a high of an 82.4 overall grade in 2022, and a low of a 57.2 grade in 2021. In 2023, his rating wound up at 73.3.
Meanwhile Porter Jr. has shown he can play at a high level. In his rookie season last year, he totaled 43 tackles with an interception and started 11 games.
It’s not out of the question that the Steelers rise well above the PFF ranking this season. In fact, No. 23 is probably a floor with a top-10 finish as a ceiling.
Head coach Mike Tomlin hinted to steelers.com back in March that the Steelers had work on the secondary, especially at the slot.
“We've got some candidates, but obviously we're probably still looking,” Tomlin said. “I think that's the position that we're all looking for and looking at annually because some of the demands that come with the position in the NFL are somewhat different than in college. In college, oftentimes that guy is a safety-like guy.
“The coverage is so significant in the NFL, that most of the time that guy's a corner-like guy, so I think we're all kind of scouring that position annually and seeing what's available in terms of ready main talent and so forth.”
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