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The Steelers are less than a week away from entering the free agency phase of the offseason, and it’s already clear: they won’t be able to afford much.
If you’re looking for a word that rhymes with a lot (and it probably isn’t), slot machine would be a good one. Lunge in football terms often refers to the third receiver or cornerback on the pitch at any given time.
In terms of cornerbacks, Mike Hilton is one of the best corners in the NFL. Ole Miss’s undrafted free agent wowed the Steelers so much during training camp in 2017 that he not only made the final roster, he was named their starting corner.
Hilton hasn’t disappointed, and he hasn’t been disappointed since.
However, although it quickly became one of the best slots in the industry, Hilton had very little contract weight in the first four years of his career, including a season ago. when he was a restricted free agent.
That all changes on Wednesday when Hilton becomes an unrestricted free agent, free to offer its services to the highest bidder. The Steelers can still make a deal with him before Wednesday, but that likely won’t happen given the value of Hilton’s numbers in the open market and Pittsburgh’s limited financial situation.
An alternative would be Cameron Sutton, a third-round pick from Tennessee, who appears to be the clear favorite to replace Hilton, but with a much friendlier deal. But what if things aren’t as clear as they seem with Sutton? Let’s face it, teams spend all the time in free agency. I don’t think it’s a secret. Also, timing usually plays a big role in what kind of deal a player can negotiate for themselves once they’re out of restrictions. Sutton didn’t have a Pro Bowl season in 2020, but he did have the best of his career.
In addition, it offers flexibility of position and, in addition to playing the slot machine, Sutton can also play outdoors and safely.
Don’t be surprised if Sutton takes in a better deal than anyone could have ever imagined.
That brings me to Sean Davis, yes him. Is it so crazy to think that it could be a cheap but above all effective alternative to overspending for Hilton or Sutton?
Davis entered the NFL in 2016 with the ability to play for corners and safety, and while his most effective position seemed to be safety, he started his rookie season as the Steelers starting corner. Davis eventually switched to enhanced security before finding a real home as free security. Unfortunately for Davis, he got injured at the start of the 2019 season and Pittsburgh decided to trade for an All-Pro in the free safety post: Minkah Fitzpatrick.
With the writing clearly on the wall, Davis signed a free agent contract with Washington last spring. Unfortunately, this agreement was not honored. Davis came out last summer and was back with the Steelers for the 2020 campaign.
So what happened with Davis in Washington? Who knows, but you can ask the same about BJ Finney in Seattle. Years ago you might have asked this question about Larry Foote’s season in Detroit or Willie Gay’s brief stint with the Cardinals.
Sometimes a player excels in one organization but not in another. Foote and Gay returned to Pittsburgh after leaving as free agents and continued to be productive players.
Were they superstars? No, but the Steelers didn’t need it. As for Davis, Pittsburgh doesn’t need him to be one of the best corners in the NFL. Considering the Steelers’ salary cap issues, I think they’d be happy if he was just reliable.
And that’s not necessary for the next half-decade either, just long enough to get the Steelers through 2021 without compromising what still promises to be a dynamic and dominant defense.
After that, the Steelers’ ceiling situation should improve, and then they can fill the slot corner position with someone with more potential. For all we know, they might find this player somewhere in the 2021 NFL Draft, and he can use his rookie season to hone his skills and prepare to be a future starter.
Oh yes, Davis also offers job flexibility and has a combined career of 42 starts in both free and strong security positions.
Call me crazy, but if they don’t work out with Mike Hilton (and the chances are long they will), and if they can’t strike a friendly deal with Cam Sutton (and that wouldn’t be a shock total if someone has paid too much for them), I think Sean Davis may be a cheap and effective alternative for them in 2021.
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