The Steelers left Paris with a win, a fifth victory of the season, and a temporary share of the AFC North lead after holding the New Orleans Saints to 10 points. But the final score did not tell the whole story.
What stood out again was the split personality of Pittsburgh’s defense. Up front, the pass rush and defensive line did plenty of damage, and after they disrupted Saints quarterback Tyler Shough, it was hard to miss how dangerous the front seven can be. On the back end, though, the problems keep hanging around.
The Saints found their lone touchdown by attacking the outside, where Pittsburgh simply did not match their speed. Since the team traded Joey Porter Jr., it has not replaced him with another reliable boundary corner, and that absence is showing up too often. The Steelers have tried to manage the situation, but at this point they need to add a cornerback through a trade right away.
The recent additions of Sean Murphy-Bunting and Terrell Smith made sense. With injuries piling up in the secondary, those moves bought the Steelers some room over the last few weeks.
They have not solved the deeper issue, though. If anything, they’ve delayed a decision that has been building for months.
The need is pretty clear: Pittsburgh needs another starter next to Jamel Dean, ideally someone with the speed and physicality Patrick Graham wants in his defense. More than that, the Steelers need the kind of player they lost in Porter Jr. - a corner who can handle man coverage and be disruptive in tight situations.
Philadelphia Eagles veteran Riq Woolen has come up as a trade target, and he fits a lot of what the Steelers are missing. He is a big-bodied, physical corner who won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks last season.
Another option is Washington Commanders veteran Rasul Douglas, who would come cheaper. Douglas, a former 2017 NFL Draft pick, has done the job for multiple teams. He defended 13 passes last year with the Miami Dolphins, and this season with the Commanders he already has an interception and five pass breakups.
That kind of move would not cost much more than a seventh-round pick, but it could still bring in a player who helps make the kind of stop Pittsburgh needed at the goal line against the Saints.
If the Steelers want to think bigger and chase a player who could matter for 2026 and beyond, Tampa Bay Buccaneers corner Zyon McCollum is another name to watch. Pittsburgh saw him recently, and the former fifth-round pick has been a steady starter for several seasons.
McCollum is under contract through 2028 after signing an extension that pays him an average salary of $!6 million. That is only a few million more per year than the Steelers currently pay Jamel Dean, which makes the fit easier to imagine if Tampa Bay decides to move money around.
And Tampa may have reasons to do just that. Baker Mayfield’s extension takes effect in 2027, and that changes the Buccaneers’ cap picture in a big way. If they need to clear salary, Pittsburgh could be in position to benefit.
Whether the Steelers take a big swing or go for a quicker fix, the message is the same. They can’t keep putting off the cornerback issue. It has reached the point where they need to act immediately if they want a complete defense in 2026.
In Other News...
Steelers Finally Have A Defensive Trend Fans Can Believe In
For a defense that has spent much of the season looking for something stable to build around, Week 7 offered a promising glimpse in the middle of the field. Payton Wilson and Patrick Queen were central to the Steelers' best work against the Saints, with both linebackers showing up against the run and helping keep New Orleans from finding any easy answers through the air.
Wilson was active around the ball all afternoon, stacking up run stops and making a big play that flipped field position. Queen was just as busy, finishing with 10 tackles, a pass breakup and a sack while staying disciplined in coverage, a stretch of play that gave Pittsburgh a clear reason to think this pairing can anchor a more dependable defensive trend going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers 5-2 Start Feels Good Until This Familiar Concern Returns
A 5-2 start is exactly the kind of cushion the Steelers wanted heading toward the bye, especially with a chance to get to 6-2 before the break. The defense under Patrick Graham has done enough to keep the club in position, and the overall vibe around the team is positive enough to make the standings look better than they have in a while.
Still, the same old offensive unease keeps creeping back into the discussion, and that is what makes this stretch feel so familiar. Mike McCarthys group is searching for a clear identity, with the attack seemingly pulled in different directions, while the bigger concern is whether this is just another promising November setup that leaves the Steelers wondering about the same issues once the games matter most. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Search For Rodgers Successor Just Hit Another Bump
The Steelers long-term quarterback search took another hit over the weekend, and it came from a matchup that had scouts watching closely. Ole Miss and Texas offered a look at two names that have been tied to Pittsburghs future plans, with Trinidad Chambliss and Arch Manning both coming out of the game with more questions than answers.
Chambliss has generally been the steadier of the two this season, but his rough outing came at an inopportune time, while Mannings uneven play has only added to the uncertainty around his draft stock. For a team already thinking ahead to the 2027 NFL Draft as it looks beyond Aaron Rodgers, performances like these only make the next quarterback decision feel more complicated than it already was. [Read more 🡒]