Ending last season with the NFL’s worst-ranked defense, the Lions are adding one of the top cornerbacks available. They are picking up former Steelers corner Cameron Sutton, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets.
Sutton, who has spent his entire career in Pittsburgh, will head to Detroit on a three-year, $33MM deal featuring $22.5MM guaranteed. Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com reports (via Twitter) that Sutton will also receive a $10.9MM signing bonus.
A former third-round pick, Sutton will do far better on his third NFL contract compared to his second. He just finished out a two-year, $9MM deal — agreed to just prior to free agency in 2021. The Steelers received quality work from Sutton last season; he was by far their most dependable corner. Sutton finished in the top five in passer rating allowed as the closest defender, per Next Gen Stats, last season (among corners) and ended the year with a career-high 15 passes defensed.
The Lions, meanwhile, ranked 30th in pass defense and have not been able to rely on Bob Quinn-era draftee Jeff Okudah just yet. The new addition will now be a centerpiece player for Aaron Glenn‘s defense in 2023. The seventh-year veteran will attempt to fill a void on the outside in Detroit, though Sutton also brings extensive slot experience as well. That will give Glenn options as he attempts to pick up the pieces ahead of his third season as DC.
Detroit did not roster a cornerback that ranked inside Pro Football Focus’ top 60 at the position last season. Despite Okudah being the highest-drafted corner (No. 3 overall) since 1997, he has not shown sufficient consistency. The team is almost definitely targeting upgrades at other defensive positions as well, though Sutton will qualify as a significant improvement at corner.
The Steelers have T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick tied to top-market deals at their respective positions, and Cameron Heyward is on an upper-tier interior defensive line pact as well. The team has not devoted much in the way of financial resources to the cornerback spot since passing on a third Joe Haden contract last year. Pittsburgh rolled into the 2022 season with no corner tied to a deal north of $4.5MM per year. The team has since signed Patrick Peterson to a two-year agreement, but it can be assumed the aging veteran’s contract will not qualify as a high-end accord.
Good deal for the lions. Good value
Now add Gonzalez or Porter in the draft and the secondary will look that much better in 2023
I think this pushes the need for a corner down to round 3. Williams out of Syracuse should be available at 81
I completely disagree. I say get strong at corner with the 18th pick. The secondary is still on the short list of their greatest needs.
Great move for Detroit. They desperately needed a quality starter out there, and this is a small price to pay to fill a desperate need.
So Edmunds is back in Pittsburgh? Kazee too? Draft Porter at 17? Good not great corner. Big loss for the Steelers in that they have no corners.
Sutton is a nickel corner , not an outside guy (in Pittsburgh)
this isn’t much of a loss.
you named 2 safeties and an outside corner that they didn’t even draft.
the starting outside corners were Levi and Weatherspoon who dealt with hamstring injuries.
I know. I just think it was keep one or the other of Sutton and Edmunds. More of a salary cap comment than positional comment. I do think they will go corner first round now
Sutton was an outside corner on 70% of snaps over the past two years
because of injuries to Haden and Weatherspoon
The Steelers using the same strategy from last year; allow the other teams to sign the big timers. We’ll sign what’s left. Solid strategy. Must be something about life on the north side these days. Somehow , the Pirates playbook ended up at AcriHeinz Field
ya steelers have been sooo bad the past 20 years using this strategy.
finished 1 game out of playoffs during their rock bottom rebuild year with a rookie QB
I’ve been a fan since my earliest memories in ‘70. Where did I say they were “so bad” anyway?
Let me say again for you, the legend in his own mind: you can’t complain about personnel year in and year out if this entire “stand pat and sign some scraps” method is the SOP
So they lost Sutton. Edmunds signs with the Bears The Broncos address their o-line with two big additions
Meanwhile, the Steelers have problems on both sides of the line, at ILB and now even bigger problems in a suspect secondary.
That was the point. But do blather on, genius.
well for one, they signed Patterson for cheaper rather than overpaying a mediocre player like Sutton.
secondly , I do think they’ll sign one of the starting o-liners in the free class once the actual free agency period opens. seeing them linked to Donovan Smith and Tayor Lewan
That’s half the price of Ramsey. And no draft pick given up.
This draft is crazy high on quality CB’s so with this signing and a CB chosen about round 3 makes sense. Someone like Tre’Viuis Hodges or Emmanuel Forbes should be available right around their pick in R3 so this allows us to focus all attention in the first 2 rounds on IDL and possibly LB. Maybe even Dijon Robinson at 18,as it is looking more and more possible that Jamaal Williams will be a Bengal or a Dolphin.
4th rd comp for Steelers probably
Eagles get Bradbury back for 3/38, Lions get Sutton for 3/33 … SOL is alive and well.