Steelers Give Surprising Names First-Team CB Reps At Friday's Practice Due To Injuries

The Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback room has went through many ups and downs in 2023. Ahead of the team’s Week 8 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars, the unit is banged up. Levi Wallace and rookie Joey Porter Jr. have missed practice time this week with varying injuries. Their status for Sunday remains in question, and they are two of the top three corners for Pittsburgh.

As a result, according to Nick Farabaugh, two surprising players saw first-team reps in Friday’s practice: Luq Barcoo and Darius Rush. The team signed Barcoo back in May, and he’s mostly been on the practice squad since. Barcoo was an XFL standout last year, which garnered recognition from the Steelers and other NFL squads. For Rush, via Mike DeFabo of The Athletic, he knows that this is an opportunity that he needs to seize.

"For me to come here and only be here two weeks now and have an opportunity to play, it's just an opportunity I gotta take advantage of," Rush said on Friday via DeFabo.

Just a few weeks ago, the team cut Desmond King in order to sign Rush off the Kansas City Chiefs' practice squad. Rush, selected in the fifth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, failed to make the Indianapolis Colts' 53-man roster this season. He was seen as an intriguing prospect just months ago, and the Steelers showed interest in him then. Now, the rookie may get his NFL chance to prove himself with Pittsburgh. 

Rush actually jumped Elijah Riley on the team’s depth chart, as he’s listed as the second-string nickel cornerback behind Chandon Sullivan. The signing of Rush made one thing clear: the team is going after tall, lengthy cornerbacks. Porter and Cory Trice Jr. fit that billing, and now Rush does as well. Even if it weren't for a severe injury suffered before the season, Trice may have been in the starting lineup by now. 

Should The Steelers Be Concerned About Depth At Cornerback?

Scout and former Steelers cornerback, Ike Taylor confirmed what the team is now going after in their new-age cornerbacks. Sullivan hasn’t exactly performed well though in his 145 (33%) defensive snaps in 2023. It remains a mystery as to why the team continues to send him out there, while Riley has been used as primarily a special teams guy. Riley has played 115 special team snaps in 2023, but just 10 on defense. 

Patrick Peterson has also been seeing snaps across the secondary, including at nickel. He was used this way in the Week 7 victory over the Los Angeles Rams, and the coaching staff confirmed that they will continue to move him around more. The Steelers now seem to be focusing on putting their best guys on the field from the cornerback room. Injuries are playing a role in these guys seeing first-team reps, but they are finally letting the young guys get a real chance.

While Barcoo and Rush have the talent, it's got to make fans nervous to hear them get first-team reps on Friday. In 2023, they have combined for a total of zero snaps. It's not like the Steelers are facing an easy offense this weekend either, as the Jaguars possess a lot of talent amongst the skill positions. While the possibility of Porter and Wallace playing hasn't been ruled out by any means, it has to make the coaching staff uneasy just days away from a big AFC game.

If Porter and/or Wallace is out for Week 8, who are you most forward to watching? Do you think Rush has the potential to become a long-term answer for the Steelers? What will/should Sullivan's role be moving forward?