Steelers Daily Links: Peterson Leads CB; Highsmith Contract Prediction

Steelers cornerback Patrick Peterson has taken rookie cornerbacks Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice under his wing, but that type of veteran leadership isn’t always practiced. During a recent episode of the All Things Covered podcast, Peterson criticized Tennessee Titans quarterback Ryan Tannehill for how he treated Malik Willis last season. Before the year started, Tannehill made it known he wasn’t fully invested in mentoring Willis, and instead was concentrating on keeping his starting job over the third-round rookie.

“I don’t know what it was, not mentor, not give info, to the younger QB,” Peterson said. “Man, like we’ve got so much information that these guys haven’t seen. Why would we wanna keep that from them? Why would we wanna hinder their career on maybe something that we can give them? Not to backtrack, that kind of rubbed me the wrong way.”

? Spotrac predicts that Pittsburgh Steelers outside linebacker Alex Highsmith will receive a four-year, $55.6 million contract extension. That breaks down to $13.9 million per season, which is lower than the average annual of $16.25 million that Pro Football Focus projected. Spotrac gave no estimation of what the guaranteed money would be for Highsmith’s extension.

? Pro Football Hall of Fame: On the 30th anniversary of his enshrinement into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, former Steelers head coach Chuck Noll will again be honored in Canton this summer.

? CBS Sports: The Steelers have the second-fewest losses (122) over the past 20 seasons. Only the New England Patriots have had fewer (92). Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns have had the most losses over the last 20 seasons with 222.

Ex-Steelers wide receiver and return man Ray-Ray McCloud credits Mike Tomlin for saving his career. McCloud got released by the Buffalo Bills twice and the Carolina Panthers before finally catching on with the Steelers in August of 2020. McCloud’s two seasons in Pittsburgh turned his career around and led him to a two-year, $10.4 million contract with the San Francisco 49ers last offseason. McCloud led the 49ers with 356 yards on punt returns and 599 yards on kick returns in 2022. He also caught 14 passes for 243 yards (17.4 average) and a touchdown, which was a 78-yarder.

“[Tomlin] sat next to me, and I was tying my shoe. He wrapped his arm around me and said, ‘Ray-Ray McCloud.’ We had met a few times at the [NFL] Combine. He started naming places in Tampa, he had coached there. … “He was just having a real conversation with me,” McCloud said on the Getcha Popcorn Ready podcast with Terrell Owens and Matthew Hatchette.

“[We would] sit down and have real man-to-man conversations. It was about life. I was just about to have baby. [He taught me] about being a dad, all that type of stuff. It just taught me how to be a professional. I carried it over to the 49ers now. It’s every day, you gotta do something to be a better person.”

? Steelers defensive back Tre Norwood hosted his first youth football camp at his alma mater Northside High School in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Norwood said the hope is to make this a yearly event, giving back to his hometown where his pro dreams started.

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