We are just about three weeks away from the Pittsburgh Steelers reporting to Latrobe for training camp. From there, it will be full steam ahead towards the 2026 NFL season and the first season for the Steelers under new head coach Mike McCarthy and his staff.
The Steelers have made it clear that they want to compete for the AFC North title this season. With a largely improved offense and a star-studded defense, there is no shortage of ways the Steelers could win games this season. One ESPN analyst
believes the Steelers’ cornerbacks are their biggest x-factor for the 2026 season.
“The cornerbacks,” said ESPN’s Seth Wadler. “Pittsburgh’s most likely path to success involves having a great defense, and the pass rush is certainly there. But what will the Steelers be like on the back end? Jamel Dean and Joey Porter Jr. are coming off seasons in which they posted 0.7 and 0.9 yards per coverage snap (per Next Gen Stats), respectively, both better than the 1.1 average for an outside corner. If they can pick up where they left off and the Steelers can get one more good season out of Jalen Ramsey, Pittsburgh could be tough to throw against.”
It is a fair assessment from Wadler. Dean’s impressive 0.7 yards per coverage snap mark last season was the eighth-best mark in the entire league among corners who played at least 300 snaps. If Dean can stay healthy, he figures to be a perfect second corner alongside Porter Jr.
The signing of safety Jaquan Brisker will allow Jalen Ramsey to presumably move down and play more of his natural role at corner. Ramsey will play what the Steelers are calling the “star” role on the defense, playing as a linebacker in certain defensive packages along with playing corner and safety.
The depth of the Steelers’ corner room is truly impressive. Pittsburgh re-signed Brandin Echols and Asante Samuel Jr. this offseason and drafted Daylen Everette out of Georgia in the third round of the NFL Draft. Everette turned heads at OTA’s with a strong performance and could see himself getting immediate playing time on the Steelers defense with a strong training camp and preseason. There is no doubt that corner is one of the deepest positions on the Steelers’ roster, and it could take them a long way this season.
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