The Pittsburgh Steelers 2022 NFL season has come to a detailed. As a result of the Steelers are among the many 31 groups who didn’t end fulfilling their final purpose, they’re within the technique of wrapping up their season and shifting ahead to 2023.

Because the Steelers performed exit interviews with all their gamers, we right here at BTSC thought we might do the identical. By outlining two gamers every day, we can have a look at their season looking back in addition to wanting towards the long run. Since Coach Tomlin has beforehand acknowledged he began his interviews with rookies, first 12 months gamers, and people heading into free company, we’ll do the identical. To start out, I paired a possible free agent with gamers on rookie contracts. Now that the rookie contracts are achieved, I am going to pair a participant below contract with a free agent as we work by means of this course of to ultimately cowl the whole Steelers roster.

Subsequent up are cornerbacks Ahkello Witherspoon and Cam Sutton.

Ahkello Witherspoon

Photograph by Michael Hickey/Getty Photographs

Place: Cornerback
Years with the Steelers: 2
Years within the NFL: 6
Contract Standing: Signed by means of 2023
Contract Particulars: $5,482,500 wage cap hit for 2023. Would price the Steelers $1,482,500 in lifeless cash if launched and would save $4,000,000.
Video games performed in 2022: 4 common seasons
Video games began in 2022: 4 common seasons
Snaps (common season): 248 (protection), 13 (particular groups)
PFF rating: 45.4 (DNQ for rating)
Notable stats: Witherspoon had 20 tackles, two passes defended, and an interception in 2022.

Notes: After signing a two-year cope with the Steelers earlier than the 2022 season, Ahkello Witherspoon’s enjoying time was extra of a disappointment than his earlier season. Not even getting a helmet till the second half of 2021, Witherspoon’s 9 video games performed in his first season with the Steelers dwarfs his 4 video games this previous season. However this 12 months it was all attributable to harm. After Witherspoon didn’t full the Steelers Week 3 matchup, he did not take the sphere once more till Week 8 and solely lasted half the sport. It was Witherspoon’s final time on the sphere with the Steelers earlier than ultimately touchdown on the Reserve/Injured Listing. Designated to return in January, The Steelers season ended earlier than Witherspoon’s 21-day window so he by no means made it again to the lively roster. In the case of protecting Witherspoon for subsequent season, there may be some cap house to be gained if he’s launched however probably would price extra to seek out his substitute. As a result of harm, Witherspoon could also be a type of gamers who goes ahead with the Steelers with none excessive expectations for 2023.

Cam Sutton

Photograph by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Photographs

Place: Cornerback
Years with the Steelers: 6
Years within the NFL: 6
Contract Standing: Impending Free Agent (contract voids on February 10)
Contract Particulars: Contract expiring with $2.1 million in lifeless cash attributable to void years ($700k per season for 3 years).
Video games performed in 2022: 16 common seasons
Video games began in 2022: 15 common seasons
Snaps (common season): 931 (protection), 61 (particular groups)
PFF rating: 72.2 (twenty seventh of 118)
Notable stats: Sutton had 43 tackles with one being for loss whereas including three interceptions and 15 passes defended.

Notes: There’s a lot occurring with Cam Sutton, a lot in order that Geoffrey Benedict and I lined this in a Steelers Vertex article final week. With it being within the Steelers greatest curiosity to get a deal achieved earlier than the void years kick in, I do not know if they’re going to press to take action or how a lot they see the additional $1.4 million in opposition to the cap as an element within the equation. The larger query is how a lot it is going to price the Steelers to retain Sutton and if it is value it to their protection. Though he was their most suitable choice at cornerback in 2022, counting on Cam Sutton to be a primary nook might not be within the Steelers’ greatest curiosity. But when they will preserve their greatest nook from 2022 and have him be a complementary piece to a different nook at his degree or larger, it will actually enhance the Steelers secondary. Whether or not or not that is one thing the Steelers can or hope to perform is the large query.

Be sure you test again every day for one more set of exit interviews. When you have missed any of the earlier articles, they’re listed right here:

Kenny Pickett & Mason Rudolph
George Pickens & Miles Boykin
DeMarvin Leal & Larry Ogunjobi
Connor Heyward & Zach Gentry
Mark Robinson & Devin Bush
Jaylen Warren & Benny Snell Jr.
Calvin Austin III & Derek Watt
Najee Harris & Terrell Edmunds
Pat Freeiermuth & Trent Scott
Dan Moore Jr. & Jesse Davis
Isaiah Loudermilk & Chris Wormley
Tre Norwood & Damontae Kazee
Pressley Harvin III & Marcus Allen
Kendrick Inexperienced & JC Hassenauer
Alex Highsmith & Malik Reed
Kevin Dotson & Tyson Alualu