The Steelers will cut ties with their primary slot cornerback from last season. They informed Arthur Maulet he will be released, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).
This move comes just more than a week after the team agreed to terms with veteran slot defender Chandon Sullivan, who will come to Pittsburgh after a year in Minnesota. Maulet, 29, spent the past two seasons with the Steelers, joining the AFC North team after bouncing around the league early in his career.
Pittsburgh re-signed Maulet to a two-year, $3.83MM contract in March 2022 and used him frequently in the slot last season. Although Pro Football Focus rated Maulet as slightly better than Sullivan in 2022, the rankings difference was negligible (90th and 96th, respectively). The six-year veteran did improve on his coverage numbers in 2022, allowing a 61.5% completion rate (down from 75.9% in 2021) and dropped his passer rating number — as the closest defender — from 119.0 to 105.5. But Sullivan is now in place as the expected Steelers slot player.
Maulet’s signing comprised part of a low-cost Steelers corner corps last season. Neither he nor Cameron Sutton, Levi Wallace and Ahkello Witherspoon made more than $5MM. The team has since made some changes at the position, adding Sullivan, Patrick Peterson and second-round pick Joey Porter Jr. Wallace and Witherspoon remain on the roster, each going into the final year of their respective contracts. Sutton signed with the Lions on Day 1 of the legal tampering period.
A former Saints UDFA, Maulet has played for four teams over the course of his career. The 5-foot-10 cover man spent time with the Colts and Jets prior to his Steelers stay, starting 11 Jets games — at both corner and safety — from 2019-20. He joined the Steelers in May 2021. Last season, Maulet made a career-high 59 tackles, registered two sacks and intercepted a pass. He played a career-high 481 defensive snaps last year. As a vested veteran, Maulet will immediately hit free agency after this release.
Maulet’s a great teammate and mentor and a good run defender. He’s just not good in coverage, which is an issue when you’re a slot CB. He’s a try-hard max effort guy, and I wish him well wherever he lands.
could be him being a great dback coach
Liked him a lot. I think he for sure has a place in the nfl still
hopefully JJ Watt takes his place on the roster
Steeler fans two years ago be like we got Arthur Maulet!! or (any run of the mill free agent for that matter) Jets and Saints didn’t know how to coach him up! Looking forward to seeing Maulet Island. I need two tickets for the AFC championship game!
Two years later, be like he’s not really that good and his style didn’t fit our system.
Tell me I’m wrong.
They do this currently with Pickett LOL.
You’re wrong.
I’m not. But that’s fine lol. Avs is highly correct.
Hey, he told us to tell him he’s wrong, I was just obliging.