Steelers A to Z: Cameron Sutton’s impact on secondary delayed because of suspension
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Editor’s note: From now until the first practice of training camp at Saint Vincent College, TribLive is running through the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 90-man roster, looking at each player and assessing his outlook for the 2024 season. The breakdown will run in alphabetical order with at least two players each day between June 14 and July 25. Contract data courtesy spotrac.com.
CB Cameron Sutton
Experience/age: Eighth season/29
Contract status: $547,222 cap hit for 2024 because of eight-game suspension
The past: One of the most controversial signings of the NFL offseason came in June when the Steelers brought back Sutton on a one-year contract for the league minimum.
Sutton was let go after one season in Detroit when he was charged with domestic battery by strangulation following an altercation with his girlfriend March 7. Sutton evaded police for several weeks. After he turned himself in, the charges were dropped to a misdemeanor, and he entered a pretrial diversion program in April.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, however, didn’t take it easy on Sutton, handing out an eight-game suspension that the veteran cornerback did not appeal. Sutton won’t be eligible to return until after the Steelers’ bye week.
After spending six seasons with the Steelers, including his final two as a starting outside cornerback, Sutton was lured to Detroit by a three-year, $33 million contract. In his lone season with the Lions, Sutton started all 17 games and the postseason when Detroit advanced to the NFC championship game. For the season, he had one interception and six pass breakups.
Cam Sutton with the pick! pic.twitter.com/XsXiCNa8hz
— The Dylan & Dylan Show (@DylanDylanShow) January 9, 2022
2024 outlook: Sutton was signed by the Steelers to help address an opening at slot cornerback. After the Steelers drafted Sutton in the third round in 2017, he emerged as a vital role player capable of playing inside during subpackages. Sutton was the proverbial Swiss Army knife until he settled into a full-time starting role in 2021.
The length of Sutton’s suspension means the Steelers will be without an experienced corner to man the slot in the first two months of the season. The Steelers, though, will get Sutton back in time for the second half of the season when they play all six of their AFC North games against Cincinnati, Cleveland and Baltimore.