Underrated Steelers Positional Battle ‘Heating up’ at Training Camp

Getty The Pittsburgh Steelers have an interesting training camp competition ongoing at nickel cornerback.

After the NFL handed down an eight-game suspension for Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Cameron Sutton, it became clear that someone needed to step into the nickel defensive back role ahead of the 2024 season.

In the modern-day NFL, nickelback is much more than just an auxiliary job. Due to the passing nature of the sport, defenses deploy five DBs more often than not, and a third cornerback or safety is often utilized to keep an eye on the slot.

That will likely be Sutton’s role during the latter half of the year, but until then, an underrated training camp competition has developed between undrafted rookie Beanie Bishop and veteran newcomer Grayland Arnold.

“Grayland Arnold continues to get the first team reps at nickel corner for the second day in a row,” The Athletic’s Mike DeFabo relayed from camp on August 12. “That battle with Beanie Bishop is heating up.”

Steelers Depot’s Alex Kozora also added that “Grayland Arnold continues to work 1st team NCB [nickel CB]” while “Beanie Bishop [is] with the 2’s.”

And PennLive.com beat reporter Nick Farabaugh informed: “Grayland Arnold is everywhere [on August 12]. Just had a blitz that would’ve been a sack. Made a physical run fill earlier in team run. Having a day so far.”

Steelers Preseason Opener Hints Grayland Arnold Will Start at Nickel in Week 1

If the first preseason game is any indication of what will happen in Week 1, Arnold appears to have taken over as the current starter at nickelback.

The Steelers starters didn’t get much burn against the Houston Texans. And Arnold — who was on the field for just five defensive snaps — played a similar amount as starting cornerback Donte Jackson.

Arnold was targeted once over the course of those five snaps according to Pro Football Focus, allowing a 15-yard reception. He graded out adequately overall despite the first-down catch he surrendered.

Bishop was given more run against the Texans, logging 20 defensive snaps.

The rookie’s coverage grade was worse than Arnold’s, allowing three-of-three targets for 31 yards. He did impress as a tackler, however, with four solo tackles and a grade of 79.7 out of 100 in that regard.

Steelers Draft Pick Cory Trice Gets First-Team Reps With Donte Jackson Missing at Training Camp

DeFabo also noted that 2023 seventh rounder Cory Trice Jr. received first-team reps at cornerback on August 12 with Jackson not practicing.

The Steelers secondary feels like a wide-open competition behind the starters, making it difficult to predict which players will end up securing a roster spot at cornerback and safety — although Trice appears to have a leg up.

A-to-Z Sports Pittsburgh reporter Rob Gregson stated that “corner might be the toughest position to cut on the Steelers this year” during an August 12 53-man roster projection.

After confirming that Bishop and Arnold have been battling for the job in the slot, Gregson wrote that the outside CB competition “could come down to some form of Trice Jr., [Anthony] Averett, or [Darius] Rush, with all having their fair share of moments through this portion of the preseason.”

During his own roster projection on August 5, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette beat reporter Ray Fittipaldo expressed that “the hope is Trice can be the top backup at outside corner.” Along with Joey Porter Jr. and Jackson, Fittipaldo only kept Trice, Bishop and Arnold at cornerback.

Instead, he kept five players at safety while Gregson kept four. Both had Minkah Fitzpatrick, DeShon Elliott, Damontae Kazee and Miles Killebrew, while Fittipaldo added rookie UDFA Ryan Watts as a sure thing.

“Watts is looking to make the team, and he has had a strong first impression in camp,” Gregson acknowledged, putting Watts on the roster bubble. “If he can find a way to carry over his ball-hawking skills from practice to a preseason game, he may be a lock for the final 53 and force Pittsburgh to trim the roster elsewhere.”

Assuming Trice stays, the final spot or two in the secondary could come down to Watts, Averett, Rush and the loser of Arnold versus Bishop.