Tomlin: Beanie Bishop Hasn’t Earned Starting Job Yet

PITTSBURGH — Undrafted rookie Beanie Bishop is the only slot cornerback on the Pittsburgh Steelers 53-man roster, but head coach Mike Tomlin said on Tuesday that doesn’t mean that Bishop has earned a starting job just yet.

Bishop has been listed as a starter for the team since the first depth chart came out before the first preseason game, and had been working with the first team since the very start of training camp, but an injury late in the process meant that he got fewer than expected reps toward the end of training camp and the last two weeks of the preseason.

While the Steelers cut Thomas Graham in the final move to get down to 53 players last week, Tomlin said that the more-experienced option could still be in play for the Steelers this week.

“We have player elevation opportunities and things of that nature in the course of a work week that determines how we divide the labor up,” he said. “Beanie is an exciting, young guy. We’ll watch him during the week, along with some others, and we’ll make decisions at the end of the week that’s best suited for winning this game.”

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens makes a catch over cornerback Beanie Bishop at training camp on Aug. 14, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now

That came in contract to Tomlin’s announcement about left guard, where he was definitive that Spencer Anderson will take over for injured starter Isaac Seumalo.

So it seems that Bishop still has some hurdles that Tomlin wants him to jump through before he gets anointed a starter at his point.

The undrafted rookie’s lack of draft status was more about his stature than a lack of college success. Playing outside cornerback at West Virginia last year, the 5-foot-9 Bishop led the NCAA in passes defended.

Graham has played in 11 games over the last three seasons after being selected in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft out of Oregon. 

The Steelers will also utilize strong safety DeShon Elliott as a box defender in their Heavy Nickel package, that features three safeties, especially this week against Atlanta Falcons tight end Kyle Pitts, who essentially functions as a big slot receiver.

RELATED: Steelers Locker Room: Beanie Bishop Breathes ‘Sigh of Relief’ after Making Roster