PITTSBURGH — Cam Sutton put a stamp on Saturday’s game against the Las Vegas Raiders with the game-winning interception. That play alone will earn him applause from around the team facility on Monday, but it is not the only thing that has made Sutton so good this year alone.
“That was surreal to be a part of, man,” Sutton said. “I saw the ball come, made a break on it, and it went into my hands. It was an instinct play.”
But this year alone, Sutton is on a breakneck pace in the ball production department, the biggest leap in his game this year. He has three impressive interceptions this year, the most in his career, and 14 pass deflections, another career-high. Sutton is making splash plays and making them often.
Sutton did allow the lone touchdown against Hunter Renfrow on Saturday, but it was in tight coverage and a great catch by one of the best third-down safety valves in the NFL. But working in the slot on those key third downs, Sutton held Renfrow to just two catches for 22 yards when he was in the game, and shut down Davante Adams when against him, too, according to PFF.
“I’ve really embraced the challenge of some of these guys across from me,” Sutton said, “I think I can compete with anyone out there. You know, if the coaches want me to cover that guy, I’m going to give it my best shot no matter what.”
That is the extraordinary thing about Sutton. In the misfit secondary that is covered by multiple guys that would be labeled as ‘CB2s’, Sutton has stepped up to be the alpha guy in that group. Now, is he really an NFL number one? Probably not, as he has allowed four touchdowns and has games where he is up and down at times. When Sutton is there, he does not close off the other side completely, but he makes hard-to-complete passes his way.
The overall catch rate allowed by Sutton this rate is down to a lowly 45.9%, the 4th best mark in the NFL. His passer rating allowed when targeted is just 79.8. And that is with Sutton working both on the outside and in the slot. The Steelers have tasked Sutton with guarding the best that teams have to offer, and he has risen to the occasion in every conceivable way to that challenge.
This is also the first season Sutton has truly been tasked in that role and he has been wonderful. He covers multiple positions as a chess piece in the room. But then that brings up the elephant in the room, too. Sutton is a free agent this offseason, and the Steelers will already have a need at cornerback circled on their offseason board. Levi Wallace has settled in well late in the year, but outside of just those two, there is no true number-one presence or much depth.
However, any blueprint for strengthening the secondary really involves bringing Sutton back to the team. You can call Cam Sutton CB1 for right now because that is what he has been for the Steelers in 2022. He’s been so good at it that he is forcing himself to be a must-retain for Omar Khan and the Steelers front office this offseason.