Steelers secondary coach, Teryl Austin: DB Cam Sutton ‘has a great feel for the pass game’
Heading into his fourth season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, big things going to be expected of defensive back Cam Sutton. It appears, according to secondary coach Teryl Austin, that he’ll have plenty of opportunities to show he’s a player worthy of a contract extension.
“I think Cam will have an expanded role, I would think in terms of—he will
still play some nickel for us, he plays some dime for us,” offered Austin during a Tuesday press conference. “He plays corner for us, he has played some safety for us.”
Sutton was a multi-positional player at Tennessee, so it’s only natural that his role expands with more playing time.
Austin spoke highly of that versatility Sutton brought with him to Pittsburgh in 2017.
“He has a lot of versatility, a super-smart guy. I think we will just carve out his role as it goes during the season and we will try to get him in there as many times as we can because he is a really good pass defender and he has a great feel for the pass game.”
That flexibility has made Sutton a valuable asset to the Steelers, as Austin has a player he can rely on to play inside, outside, or safety, depending on their opponents or the situations they’re in.
Sutton’s duties increased in 2019, and he embraced the challenge. After playing in dime packages during his second season, he shared with Mike Hilton the slot corner role in both nickel and dime packages.
In 227 coverage snaps, Sutton allowed just 14 receptions on 29 targets in 16 games for a Pro Football Focus grade of 74.5. With a coverage grade of only 56 in 2018, it was painfully obvious he needed to improve.
If the Steelers can craft a player- and team-friendly contract, Sutton could be the next man up if the Steelers aren’t able to extend the more expensive Hilton in 2021 — he just needs to continue to prove he’s capable of the call.
