The Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t sign former All-Pro cornerback Jaire Alexander. Instead, he landed with the Baltimore Ravens.
But it doesn’t sound like the Steelers tried very hard, if at all, to sign the veteran cornerback.
“[The] Falcons he was considering, the Miami Dolphins he was considering,” Fowler said on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Saturday. “But Baltimore had the clear edge throughout that process.”
Fellow ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter reported on June 18 that the Carolina Panthers pursued Alexander. But Schefter portrayed Baltimore as the favorite to sign the cornerback.
“The Ravens are in the conversation, and there is mutual interest.”
Neither ESPN insider named the Steelers. Because Pittsburgh wasn’t even mentioned, it’s not clear if the Steelers were flat-out not interested or if they initially pursued Alexander, and he didn’t consider them.
But one could infer with Fowler and Schefter both omitting the Steelers from their reports that they weren’t involved in Alexander’s free agency.
While that’s not super shocking, it will be surprising to some. Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer floated the Steelers as a possibility for Alexander during a mailbag answer on April 30.
Since then, there’s been chatter about the potential for Alexander to start opposite Joey Porter Jr. in Pittsburgh this season.
Steelers Not Interested in Jaire Alexander or Other CB Free Agents?
Unless fans want to get caught up in a “we didn’t want him anyway” game, it doesn’t really matter if the Steelers pursued Alexander or not. The 2023 second-team All-Pro will be on the Ravens roster when the Steeler renew the rivalry twice this season.
But the fact the Steelers were apparently not involved for Alexander is likely a strong indication that the team might not be interested in any cornerbacks still available this summer.
Pundits previously linked the Steelers to another former All-Pro cornerback, Jalen Ramsey. But on Friday, Schefter reported Ramsey is likely going to play for a West Coast team this season.
Schefter didn’t make any mention of the Steelers in that report either.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox also argued Thursday the Steelers as a landing spot for veteran slot cornerback Mike Hilton.
Unlike Alexander, maybe the Steelers will make a late push for Ramsey or show interest in Hilton. But with insiders leaving Pittsburgh completely out of the conversation, the implication seems to be the Steelers are content with their current cornerback depth chart.
“Pittsburgh may be more comfortable with their options than many think,” Steelers on SI’s Noah Strackbein wrote Sunday. “With [Cory] Trice and Brandon Echols, the team could be set on the outside with depth.
“On the inside, which is where their next trade could come into play, they may be fine with [Beanie] Bishop and seventh-round pick Deonte Kent.”
Steelers Cornerback Depth Chart
Steelers fans on social media have pushed for the team to add Alexander or Ramsey to start opposite Porter. But the Steelers signed 34-year-old Darius Slay, who seems to be taking on a little bit of a leadership role early in his tenure with the team.
In the slot, pundits expect 2024 undrafted free agent Beanie Bishop Jr. to start.
The Steelers also have eight other cornerbacks on their offseason roster — Brandin Echols, James Pierre, Donte Kent, D’Shawn Jamison, Quindell Johnson, Cameron McCutcheon, Kyler McMichael and Cory Trice Jr.
It’s not surprising given the inexperience and/or inconsistencies of those players and Slay’s age that Steelers fans expected the team to pursue Jaire Alexander and Ramsey. But the team appears ready to roll with their current cornerback room entering training camp.
