Daylen Everette is about to get a real crash course in life as an NFL starter, and the schedule is handing him a pretty manageable first chapter.
The rookie cornerback is set to open his stint on the boundary opposite Asante Samuel Jr. while Jamel Dean works through an ankle injury that is expected to keep him out for several games. For a player taken in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft, this is not exactly the path anyone drew up.
Everette was supposed to be a development piece. Instead, he’s already logged meaningful work early, including 79 snaps over the past two weeks, and now Pittsburgh is asking him to hold down a starting job.
That assignment could have looked a lot uglier. In Week 5, Everette and the Steelers draw an Indianapolis Colts offense that will be without No. 1 receiver Alec Pierce.
Pierce put up 1,003 yards and six touchdowns last season before returning to Indianapolis on a four-year, $114 million deal, but a heel injury landed him on the reserve/injured list ahead of Week 3. He had been Daniel Jones’ preferred target in 2025, so his absence should take some of the heat off Everette in his first start.
The next week brings another favorable setup. Pittsburgh will face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6, and Baker Mayfield’s thumb injury has pushed undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels into the starting role. Daniels struggled in his first career start in Week 4 against the Green Bay Packers, finishing 19-of-27 for 148 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions.
That gives Everette and the Steelers’ secondary a chance to breathe a little while he settles in. He’s still a raw player, and rookie cornerbacks are rarely built to walk in and make an instant impact, especially one selected near the end of Day 2. Pittsburgh knows the growing pains are part of the deal.
The bigger issue is the state of the secondary around him. With Dean sidelined and Joey Porter Jr. gone to the Dallas Cowboys in a trade during his contract dispute, the Steelers are leaning on Everette sooner than expected. The message now is simple: ride the ups and downs and see what he can handle.
There have been reasons for encouragement already. According to SumerSports, Everette has allowed five catches on nine targets for 116 yards.
He’s also broken up two passes and been flagged for pass interference once. The flashes are there, even if the losses have come with them.
No one is calling him the answer to Pittsburgh’s defensive problems. But if Everette starts fast against Indianapolis and Tampa Bay, there’s at least a path for him to keep the boundary spot and maybe push Samuel Jr. down the depth chart once Dean is healthy again.
In Other News...
Colts Face A Week 5 Matchup Pittsburgh Could Exploit
The Steelers head into Week 5 at 2-2, and the matchup with Indianapolis carries a little extra intrigue because both teams have the same record. ESPN has already flagged tight end Darnell Washington as a player who could matter in a meaningful way for Pittsburgh, which is the kind of early attention that tends to follow a player whose role is starting to draw notice in the offense.
Aaron Rodgers has also shown a preference for getting Washington involved, and the timing of that could be important as Pittsburgh sorts through its game plan for Sunday. The Colts present a chance for the Steelers to lean on a part of the passing game that has been building, and Washingtons usage is one of the more interesting subplots as the team looks to turn a .500 start into something steadier. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Suddenly Have A Cornerback Problem Nobody Saw Coming
The Steelers secondary has gone from a place of relative certainty to one of sudden urgency. After dealing Joey Porter Jr. to Dallas for future draft compensation, Pittsburgh had to start thinking about the cornerback room in a different way, especially with the franchise waiting years to see the full return from that move. The front office also moved quickly to patch the depth chart, bringing in Sean Murphy-Bunting and Terell Smith from practice squads to help stabilize a position group that can unravel fast when the numbers get tight.
What makes the situation more awkward is how many moving parts are still unsettled around the rest of the defense. Injuries have already thinned the cornerback mix, and Jalen Ramseys status adds another layer of uncertainty the Steelers cant ignore. For a team that expected to be sorting out roles and matchups, not emergency coverages, the next stretch could reveal whether those recent additions are enough or just the first stopgap in a longer fix. [Read more 🡒]
Steelers Already Have A New Quarterback Debate For Life After Rodgers
The Steelers may still be sorting out what comes next behind Aaron Rodgers, but the long view is already coming into focus. With Drew Allar and Will Howard on the roster, Pittsburgh has bodies in the quarterback room, yet the expectation is that the front office will stay aggressive when the next real wave of passers reaches the NFL. For a team that has spent years trying to line up its post-Rodgers answer, the 2027 draft class is starting to look like the place where that search could finally sharpen.
Several college quarterbacks are beginning to separate themselves as names worth tracking for Pittsburghs future plans, even this early. CJ Carr, Darian Mensah, Drew Mestemaker and Kamario Taylor all have the kind of current NCAA production that makes them worth circling now, and the Steelers will be watching closely as their evaluations evolve. It is still the kind of conversation built on projection, but for a franchise thinking past the present, the next quarterback debate may already be taking shape. [Read more 🡒]