Here is the first in a position-by-position series on the Steelers at the conclusion of the 2023 season as they head into the start of the NFL free agent period, which opens March 13.
Defensive backs (14): Joey Porter Jr., Patrick Peterson, Levi Wallace, Chandon Sullivan, James Pierre, Darius Rush, Corey Trice Jr., Minkah Fitzpatrick, Damontae Kazee, Eric Rowe, Keanu Neal, Miles Killebrew, Elijah Riley, Trenton Thompson
A Last Look at 2023
That there are 14 players listed here gives you an idea of what happened in the Steelers' secondary this season – particularly at safety, where Neal, Riley and Thompson all spent time on IR, while Fitzpatrick and Kazee also missed significant time due to injury or suspension.
The story of the 2023 secondary could be written simply as the emergence of rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr. as a shutdown cornerback.
The first pick of the second round with a selection adeptly acquired from the Bears in 2022 for wide receiver Chase Claypool, Porter was eased into action early before becoming a full-time player in Week 8 against Jacksonville.
Per Pro Football Reference, he allowed just 30 receptions on 63 targets in his coverage, a 47.6 percent completion percentage that was among the best in the NFL. And Porter did that while traveling with the opposing team's top wide receiver, something he began in just his second start against Tennessee's DeAndre Hopkins.
After a slow start, veteran Patrick Peterson settled into a role as something as a jack-of-all trades for the Steelers, seeing time as an outside cornerback, slot corner, dime linebacker and free safety.
Peterson allowed a 59.4 completion percentage and intercepted two passes, while breaking up 11 passes. The future Pro Football Hall of Famer also provided a veteran leadership to the group and defense overall.
Levi Wallace also broke up 11 passes and intercepted two others, while allowing a completion percentage of 53.3, just a tick up from the 53.2 percent he allowed in 2022 in his first season with the Steelers. His 75 times targeted were the most on the team, 11 more than Peterson and 12 more than Porter, both of whom played more snaps.
Chandon Sullivan played 422 snaps as a slot cornerback and allowed a 60.7 completion percentage in his coverage, but a quarterback rating of 59.4, which led the Steelers cornerbacks.
Darius Rush was signed midway through October off the practice squad of the Chiefs when the Steelers had some injuries at the position. A fifth-round draft pick of the Colts, Rush got lost in a numbers game in Indianapolis, which took three cornerbacks in last year's draft.
Rush was used sparingly, playing just 39 defensive snaps over three games in which he was active. He also played just 20 special teams snaps in those three games.
Veteran James Pierre was used mostly on special teams, where he logged 269 snaps while playing just 26 defensive snaps.
Rookie Corey Trice Jr. was having a good training camp before suffering a knee injury. The seventh-round draft pick is expected to be healthy enough to return at some point in the offseason after spending the season on injured reserve.
Minkah Fitzpatrick was asked to do more on the back end of the Steelers defense than in previous years, playing 227 snaps at free safety, 149 in the box, 134 in the slot and 22 at outside cornerback despite missing seven games due to injuries.
While Fitzpatrick didn't force any turnovers in 2023, he limited opponents to a 56.3 completion percentage, his lowest since 2020, while also averaging nearly 6 ½ tackles per game, which was in line with his All-Pro season of 2022.
The Steelers utilized a number of players next to Fitzpatrick, largely dependent upon what they were asking him to do in a particular week.
When they wanted to use Fitzpatrick at free safety, Keanu Neal was used at strong safety. When they wanted to utilize Fitzpatrick in the box, Damontae Kazee played deep.
There also were times when the Steelers utilized all three at the same time – at least until Neal suffered a season-ending rib injury midway through the season.
Kazee was suspended the final three games of the regular season for violation of the league's player safety rules, opening the door for Trenton Thompson and then Eric Rowe to be elevated from the practice squad when Fitzpatrick, Neal and Kazee all were unavailable.
Thompson had 22 tackles and an interception in his limited playing time before heading to IR with a neck issue, while Rowe, who wasn't on an NFL roster until November, recorded 29 tackles and an interception while starting the team's final three games.
Killebrew earned his first trip to the Pro Bowl and also was named All-Pro as a special teams player after blocking one kick and deflecting another and finishing tied for second in the NFL with 13 special teams tackles. Because of all the injuries and moving parts at safety, he also played 111 defensive snaps, his most since playing more than 300 in 2017 while with the Lions.
One Stat That Stood Out
The Steelers allowed a completion percentage of 60.7 for the season, which ranked 6th-best in the NFL. Prior to all of the injuries at safety over the final month of the season, they were well under 60 percent.
Despite that low completion percentage, the Steelers allowed 12.0 yards per reception, which was third-highest in the NFL.
• Dale Lolley is co-host of "SNR Drive" on Steelers Nation Radio. Subscribe to the podcast here: Apple Podcast | iHeart Podcast
Looking Ahead to 2024
This group could look a good deal different in 2024 than it did in 2023.
Wallace, Killebrew, Pierre and Sullivan all are slated to become unrestricted free agents. Riley is scheduled to be a restricted free agent.
Porter's emergence as a shutdown cornerback obviously adds a big piece to the group, giving the team another potential star on the back end to match Fitzpatrick. But the cornerback position is more volatile than any other in the NFL from year to year. Porter will have to continue to work hard to maintain his game.
Peterson is no longer the star he once was, but can still be a valuable piece of the puzzle, but the key to this group could be the potential improvement of both Rush and Trice.
Both were considered potential Day 2 picks a year ago, but saw their stock slip in what was an incredibly deep cornerback draft.
The Steelers could reap the benefits of that moving forward if Rush and Trice take a big second-year jump.
The team will have some decisions to make with its free agents, but none of the group figure to break the bank if the team wishes to retain them.
