Steelers future Hall of Famer loves what he sees from rookie CB duo
The Steelers have undergone a total makeover in the cornerback room. Gone are the Arthur Maulet's, Ahkello Witherspoon's, and Cam Sutton's of the world. But with their departure came free-agent acquisitions like Patrick Peterson and Chandon Sullivan. Not to mention there were also the two draft picks in Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr. […]
The Steelers have undergone a total makeover in the cornerback room.
Gone are the Arthur Maulet's, Ahkello Witherspoon's, and Cam Sutton's of the world.
But with their departure came free-agent acquisitions like Patrick Peterson and Chandon Sullivan. Not to mention there were also the two draft picks in Joey Porter Jr. and Cory Trice Jr. As you may have guessed, this bunch is getting along swimmingly:
Once a highly touted rookie in his own right, Steelers current CB and future Hall of Famer Patrick Peterson has been singing the praises of the Steelers rookie CBs, telling Teresa Varley of Steelers.com the following:
"Those guys definitely make me feel young," said Peterson. "Just trying to keep up with those guys. It's tough, but I am giving it my best go. These are guys who are tremendous athletes, big, strong. I told these guys they are new day and age cornerbacks. This is what NFL general managers and teams are looking for. Big, long guys who can run and have those physical attributes.
It's fun to see the evolution of the NFL as a whole. When Peterson came into the league, he was a top-five pick thanks in part to his size at 6'0" and 220 pounds. Flash forward a little over a decade, and now you have corners like Joey Porter and Cory Trice both clearing 6'3" with similar straight-line speed.
So Peterson knows the rookie duo is the future of the league, as teams look to covet length on the perimeter as they aim to disrupt the physical presences of players like Ja'Maar Chase, Tee Higgins, Mike Evans, Drake London, and others.
"To have both of these young, as coach likes to call them, "avatar cornerbacks," it's going to be special," said Peterson. "Both of them want to learn, want to get as much knowledge as they need to be successful. It's definitely fun to have these young guys around because maybe they can help me play three more years."
Peterson may have only signed a two-year deal that can retroactively default to one year should the Steelers want to move on, but the 12-year vet hasn't shown any signs of slowing down, with his mental speed making up for the soon-to-33-year-old's erosion of athleticism.
I may not be a parent yet, but isn't there a saying that "kids keep you young"?
Peterson is hoping to find a similar fountain youth, just in a slightly different manner.
Featured image via: © Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
