Steelers Stand Pat at Cornerback Before Jaguars Game

The Steelers will not elevate cornerback Luq Barcoo from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Jacksonville Jaguars, which is good news for the three cornerbacks listed as questionable. Cornerbacks James Pierre (ankle), Joey Porter Jr. (calf), and Levi Wallace (foot) are all questionable with their injuries, and while one of them may not play, it seems that at least one will suit up with Barcoo not coming up.

On Friday, Barcoo and rookie Darius Rush said they received first-team reps alongside Patrick Peterson. Slot cornerback Chandon Sullivan factors into that equation as well. But it remains to be seen who will play or who will sit, but if any of them sit, Rush will get the first nod.

Rush views the first team reps as a show of confidence from the staff in him to play already. There is no reason for him not to play to a standard in those dime packages, even if the team knows Rush has not been there for long. So, Rush vows to play up to the standard they want him to play out of the gate.

“I have to meet expectations,” Rush said. “That’s the standard I’m supposed to play at. It’s the standard I’m going to play at every time I’m between the white lines. If they feel I wasn’t prepared, they wouldn’t have me out here. They showed confidence in me, so I have to show confidence in myself. It’s up to me to go out there and make plays and execute at a high level.”

For Barcoo, it is a situation where he was prepared to play, but the team was happy with what they saw from their injured cornerbacks to at least expect one of those players to suit up and play. The likely starters for the game if everyone plays is Peterson and Porter.