Steelers supposed offseason solution comes back to bite them in the worst way

The Pittsburgh Steelers took an aggressive approach to the offseason. While the acquisitions of quarterbacks Russell Wilson and Justin Fields have taken the spotlight, the team's defensive additions will likely prove to be most impactful.

The Steelers stirred their rivalry with the Baltimore Ravens by signing linebacker Patrick Queen to the richest free-agent contract in franchise history. Steelers general manager Omar Khan also surrounded safety Minkah Fitzpatrick and second-year cornerback Joey Porter Jr. with new talent in the secondary. In addition to trading wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Dante Jackson, Pittsburgh signed safety DeShon Elliott, cornerback Anthony Averett, and cornerback Cameron Sutton.

Pittsburgh's renovated secondary has already taken a blow, however.

Steelers will miss CB Cameron Sutton for the first half of the season

Sutton has been suspended without pay for the first eight games of the 2024 regular season for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Sutton will be eligible for reinstatement on Tuesday, October 29, following Pittsburgh's matchup against the New York Giants in Week 8.

Sutton was involved in a domestic violence case in March. The 29-year-old cornerback, who was under contract with the Detroit Lions at the time, was wanted for weeks by police before turning himself in. He was charged with misdemeanor battery and entered a pretrial diversion program to resolve the case. The Lions released Sutton following the incident, and the Steelers signed him to a one-year deal for the veteran minimum salary.

Sutton already has familiarity with the Steelers organization. The cornerback spent the first six years of his career in Pittsburgh after the team selected him in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Sutton played a reserve role before starting six games in 2020. He started 31 games over his last two seasons in Pittsburgh. In 2023, he signed a three-year, $33 million contract with Detroit.

The Steelers were aware of a potential suspension for Sutton when they signed him, and his low salary provides them with a low-risk, high-reward signing that could pay dividends in the latter half of the 2024 season.

Still, the suspension will affect Pittsburgh's starting lineup. With Porter and Jackson serving as perimeter cornerbacks, Sutton was expecting to start as the nickel cornerback. During his absence, second-year cornerbacks Darius Rush and Cory Trice Jr. will compete with Averett for playing time in the slot.