NFL head coaches calling for changes after consecutive losses is often lip service. Pittsburgh Steelers insider Mark Kaboly doesn’t view Mike Tomlin’s call for “necessary changes” after three straight defeats to be an exception.
But Kaboly argued there’s one significant personnel change the Steelers could make for Week 18 — bench veteran cornerback Cameron Sutton in favor of undrafted rookie Beanie Bishop Jr.
“That’s the only logical place you could make changes,” Kaboly said on 93.7 The Fan during a guest appearance on December 27. Unless he’s talking about making philosophical changes. This is a team that’s really struggled.”
Sutton is in his eighth NFL season, the last three of which he has been a regular starter. But since Sutton returned in Week 10, the Steelers defense has progressively gotten worse.
Should Beanie Bishop Jr. Replace Cameron Sutton?
Bishop has a lot less NFL experience than Sutton. But approaching the end of his first professional season, Bishop isn’t a raw product anymore.
He played at least 50% of Pittsburgh’s defensive snaps in each of the team’s first nine games. Bishop manned the nickel back role during the first half of the season because Sutton was unavailable while serving an 8-game suspension.
Bishop went through the typical undrafted rookie growing pains. But he also experienced some tremendously great moments, including a 2-interception performance versus the New York Jets.
With Bishop playing most of the snaps at slot cornerback, the Steelers allowed 302.7 yards and 215.5 passing yards per week in the team’s first nine games.
But since then, Bishop has played more than 50% of Pittsburgh’s defensive snaps in just one game. Over the last three contests, all of which have been losses, Sutton has played more.
The Steelers defense has yielded 402.7 yards and 262.7 passing yards per contest during the 3-game losing streak.
Surely, the competition has gotten tougher. The Steelers faced Jalen Hurts, Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes the past three games.
But Sutton doesn’t appear to be part of the solution for the Steelers defense getting back on track. Sutton has posted a 51 Pro Football Focus player grade, including 47 in coverage this season.
Is Cameron Sutton the Steelers Defensive Culprit?
After losing to the Chiefs on December 25, several Steelers defenders, including captain Cameron Heyward, made comments to the media as if there was one player causing a lot of the defensive issues.
“When 10 guys do their job and one guy doesn’t, we are screwed,” Heyward said to the media, via Steelers insider Mark Kaboly.
It’s possible the “one guy” Heyward may be referring to is Sutton.
In fairness to Sutton, though, there are a few Steelers defensive backs that are playing poorly enough that Heyward could have been referring to one of them too. Kaboly argued on X that Minkah Fitzpatrick, Donte Jackson, and Damontae Kazee were responsible for defensive breakdowns versus the Chiefs.
During an appearance on The Pat McAfee Show on December 26, Kaboly referred to “hero ball” as an issue. By “hero ball” Kaboly meant players going “outside of their capabilities” to try and make plays.
Fitzpatrick has been noticeably out of position a lot over the past several weeks. But it’s difficult to tell whether that’s a result of poor communication or Fitzpatrick flat out making a mistake with his positioning.
Even if Fitzpatrick is the “one guy,” though, the Steelers aren’t benching the 3-time All-Pro. They aren’t likely to give up on Jackson, who leads the team in interceptions, or Kazee either.
The lone defensive switch the Steelers could make before Week 18 is sitting Sutton in favor of Bishop.
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