Immediately I wished to circle again to the cornerback place contemplating CB Josiah Scott was operating as first-team slot nook this offseason. Not overreacting to that reality but it surely’s worthy of studying extra concerning the participant and what it might imply for the 2024 season.
Pittsburgh reunited with CB Cam Sutton this offseason, however his providers have been obtainable resulting from a home violence felony decreased to misdemeanor. The NFL has suspended him for eight video games, opening up alternatives for males corresponding to Scott and others.
Utilizing Sports activities Data Options (SIS), this examine will take a look at varied protection stats from the 2022 season, the one 12 months of Scott’s four-year profession with substantial snaps. I will even embrace present and former Steelers since 2022 for comparability.
Let’s dive in. Right here’s 2022 protection snaps (minimal of 200) and targets for amount context:
Although 2022 was Scott’s most snaps in a season so far, it was the least of centered gamers. His 250 protection snaps ranked 99th out of the 111 qualifying corners (minimal of 200).
Scott’s 26 targets have been the least among the many highlighted group, which tied for a hundred and fifth (sixth-least). Not a lot amount in comparison with the league and gamers of curiosity, which is essential to recall as we be taught extra.
NOTE: On the finish of the article, there’s a desk that features full rankings of the seven present and former Steelers for additional comparability.
Listed here are 2022 snap alignments for the gamers in our sights, from Professional Soccer Focus (PFF):
This paints a transparent image of the place their alternatives got here in 2022, with nearly all of the group having an outlined spot. Sutton was the participant with essentially the most versatility in 2022, earlier than Pittsburgh let him stroll in free company. He was picked up by Detroit the place he performed the overwhelming majority as a large nook, however would seemingly return to a extra versatile position with seemingly even larger slot snaps than 2022.
Scott performed most as a slot nook, which is the most important present void the Steelers want to fill. He’s the present Steeler that match the invoice most in 2022, with former Steelers Chandon Sullivan and Arthur Maulet being these males beforehand. Nice information on Scott, particularly paired with an identical examine I did on the remainder of the corners in 2023.
Different essential context is man versus zone, and listed here are these charges:
The very first thing that’s essential to notice are schemes of the totally different groups the corners performed for. Peterson and Sullivan for instance, had very low man charges within the Minnesota Vikings protection whereas Jackson performed essentially the most zone with Carolina.
Scott had a 27.1 man fee, in the course of the pack of our seven centered corners, and his 58.1 zone fee was second most. Sure, issues might look a lot totally different in Pittsburgh if he earns taking part in time. Sullivan’s charges final season as the first slot nook (28.5 man, 59.8 zone) have been eerily just like Scott’s in 2022, so that might profit the latter if he sees the sphere in 2024.
Now let’s start to look at the standard of play with completion share and deserved catch fee, which is the variety of completions and drops divided by the variety of catchable targets and passes defensed:
Scott posted an undesirable 69.2 completion fee allowed, tying for 104th, the seventh-worst variety of qualifiers in 2022. His 75.0 deserved catch fee allowed was a lot rosier although, touchdown barely above the NFL imply (T-Forty eighth).
Of the 26 targets thrown his approach, 24 of them have been catchable passes, permitting 18 completions, and 6 passes defensed. Being utilized much more in zone protection, together with the speed of catchable passes is smart given his low completion fee allowed, however the stronger extra telling deserved catch fee is encouraging to see.
Subsequent, let’s take a look at the yardage of the targets with yards per try and yards per recreation:
Touchdown in an identical quadrant to the earlier view (low high left), Scott allowed an 11.2 yards per try quantity that ranked 107th, fifth-worst amongst his friends and bottomed the listing of gamers we’re centered on. The yards per recreation consequence fared a lot stronger at 26.5 although, rating 56th.
The latter is smart along with his decrease snap alternatives and factors to the discouraging yards per try quantity being the extra essential (and regarding) one for Scott’s outlook.
One other stat used usually to judge defenders in protection is QBR In opposition to (elements in completions, yards, touchdowns, and interceptions), so let’s see how they fare together with factors saved per play (PSPP – The full EPA accountability whereas in protection utilizing the Complete Factors system that distributes credit score amongst all gamers on the sphere for a given play, with optimistic numbers being good.
Totals are scaled as much as map to the typical factors scored or allowed on a workforce degree, with the participant’s snap rely figuring out how a lot to regulate. For cross defenders, this consists of accounting for cross rush, damaged tackles, dropped interceptions, turnovers, and turnover returns.):
In these phrases, Scott landed beneath the imply in every information level. His 129.0 QBR In opposition to was third-worst of the examine (109th), whereas 0.022 factors saved per play landed him at 83rd. The extra particular person metric is QBR In opposition to, which was unlucky to see him fare so poorly in. His PSPP being the higher of the 2 checks out, given the workforce degree elements inside a high quality Eagles squad.
To shut, let’s take a look at SIS’s Growth and Bust percentages to see the charges of massive performs allowed or made in protection.
Growth % = The share of dropbacks that resulted in an EPA of 1 or extra (a really profitable play for the offense)
Bust % = The share of dropbacks that resulted in an EPA of -1 of much less (a really unsuccessful play for the offense)
Right here we see Scott beneath common in every as soon as once more, anticipated given the prior findings. His 34.6 increase fee allowed ranked 97th, and 11.5 bust fee allowed slotted in at one hundred and first. Not nice. Exterior of the low marks I’ve already laid out, Scott allowed three touchdowns and had two interceptions. Although the latter is extra encouraging, the unhealthy outweighed the nice general for Scott in 2022.
Right here’s a wrap up desk of the info and conclusion:
So, we clearly see that Scott would have his work minimize out for him to be able to earn Pittsburgh’s slot nook position in 2024. Together with below attaining in protection general, he’s a 12 months faraway from these substantial snaps, one other issue working towards his probabilities.
The Steelers are clearly doing their due diligence, as they need to, wanting to seek out out what they’ve all through the depth of their roster. They’ll proceed doing so to fill essentially the most obtrusive gap on the protection, not less than till Sutton is eligible to return following the Week 9 bye.
Talking of Sutton, this reminder of his sturdy 2022 season was a pleasant journey down reminiscence lane that warranted a contract extension in our opinion at Steelers Depot. Lots has occurred since and whereas a return to that efficiency is clearly the hope, it’s removed from a assure.
We additionally see some former Steelers that fared effectively, that may additionally play within the slot, so that’s after all an possibility. No hurry although, contemplating their familiarity with the Black and Gold, and eager to see youthful gamers (rookie Beanie Bishop for instance) earlier than maybe signing a veteran like Peterson or Sullivan again.
I’m fascinated to observe this transpire, and what finally occurs at slot cornerback for Pittsburgh in 2024.
