Steelers A to Z: Grayland Arnold among many options for slot/nickel, across secondary
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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.
DB GRAYLAND ARNOLD
Experience/age: 5th season, turns 27 the week the regular season begins
Contract status: $985,000 cap hit if he makes the team in 2024
The past: Arnold tied a career high with eight games played in 2023 and more than doubled his career defensive snaps played when he spent an early-season stretch as the slot/nickel for the Houston Texans. Included in that timeframe was a blowout victory against the Steelers in which Arnold set career highs with six total tackles, five solo tackles and one tackle for loss. But Arnold had the gig only because of injury, would play on defense just one more week for Houston, appeared in just four more games and landed on injured reserve a month later. Before last season, the only appreciable NFL work on defense Arnold got was as an undrafted rookie for the Philadelphia Eagles in 2021. Part of the front office of that team at the time was current Steelers assistant general manager Andy Weidl.
2024 outlook: Arnold was signed June 5. For all of exactly two official hours, Arnold seemed to have a decent outside shot at landing the Steelers’ vacant starting slot/nickel role. The Steelers announced the signing of Cameron Sutton, though, later that day. Sutton immediately becomes the frontrunner for the job that was held by a cast that included Patrick Peterson and Chandon Sullivan last season. Both were let go over the offseason.
While the 5-foot-10, 187-pound Arnold lacks ideal size, the Steelers have shown in the past that they don’t need a big body to do what they asks of their nickel backs. Consider that the best player the Steelers have had in that role over the past decade — Mike Hilton — is only 5-8, 184 pounds. Hilton was a sure tackler and deft blitzer who was good against the run. Arnold is certainly a willing tackler. His pass-rushing skills off the edge are largely unknown, at least inasmuch as Pro Football Focus has charted a mere six career pass-rush snaps. He forced two hurries.
Arnold will need to impress in camp both on defense and special teams if he is to beat out the likes of Sutton, rookie Beanie Bishop and veteran Josiah Scott to be the first-team slot/nickel.