After playing his first six seasons for the Steelers, Sutton falls on the top right, offering durability and availability for the Detroit Lions in
2023. Sutton finished the previous season with 1,024 overall snaps, good for seventh place out of 107 qualified CBs, and 367 run snaps,
which placed him somewhat lower at 18th. Even though he didn’t have as many opportunities to play run defense as his colleagues did, he
was nonetheless frequently on the field taking on the run.
Donte Jackson, a former Carolina Panther, is another new cornerback for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had fewer overall snaps (30th) in 2023 with them and played more versus the run (415 run snaps). The latter placed eighth among qualifiers, giving us an idea of its playing durability.
Following the guys in our sights with 1,045 total snaps with Pittsburgh in 2023 was Patrick Peterson, a free agent at the moment. At the position, that was the fourth-most, with 397 run snaps ranking eleventh. That’s a lot of snaps from last season that are lost until he is brought back. Nevertheless, Sutton and Jackson are experienced players.
Because of a domestic abuse felony that was dropped to a misdemeanor, Sutton’s services were available. Naturally, that clouds Sutton’s future prospects and may mean that he misses some games in 2024.
The last remaining qualifier from Pittsburgh from 2023 is Joey Porter Jr. In his debut season, he nearly reached the mean, and during that campaign, his snap percentage increased. Porter finished with 263 run snaps (T-56th) and 764 total snaps (T-46th).
Then, two former Steelers who had only mediocre chances in each are shown. While Chandon Sullivan, a free agent currently, had just 401 overall snaps (T-least among qualifiers) and 135 run snaps (sixth-least), Levi Wallace, now with the Denver Broncos, had 695 total snaps (57th) and 239 run snaps (66th).
Vital quantity context before delving into several elements of play quality.
Let’s now examine tackling, which is a critical component of becoming a top-notch run defender. The average tackle depth and number of tackles made by each player are shown in the chart below:Sutton’s high volume of opportunities was matched by a very strong 1.1 average tackle depth, which tied for 14th place the previous season. From an outside CB, where Sutton spent most of his time in 2023, that is a very positive result. Combining that with 3.8 tackles per game, he tied for the 49th spot, which is slightly above the mean.
Jackson was one of those players, combining a slightly above average 1.8 average tackle depth (T-56th) with a 49th-place ranking in tackles per game. In fewer run snap opportunities, Sutton equaled Jackson’s number of tackles per game while offering a better depth of tackle.
The average tackle depths of former Steelers Sullivan and Wallace were above average; the former’s 0.8 rating was the highest among concentrated players and tied for sixth best the previous season. That was accomplished on a significantly lower snap count than most qualifiers, which is further supported by the fact that he had the fewest tackles per game (1.2) of any qualifier.
Wallace’s 2.4 tackles per game tied for 97th place, while his 1.5 average tackle depth tied for 43rd place. The four cornerbacks for Pittsburgh were all below average in terms of tackles per game during the previous campaign. Hopefully, Sutton and Jackson’s more robust play in run defense during that campaign will help the black and gold in 2024.
Among them were Porter and Peterson, whose performance in both data points was below average. In terms of tackles per game, they were tied for 94th place at 2.5, but Porter’s average tackle depth was higher at 2.0 (T-65th) than Peterson’s at 2.8 (T-90th). Given that Peterson moved throughout the formation far more—including safety snaps well from the line of scrimmage—that number does make sense.
Using broken and missed tackle rates (negative plays) and SIS positive play percentage—the proportion of run plays that resulted in a positive expected points added (EPA)—this next view aims to balance positive and negative plays. Lower percentages indicate the best results.
Sutton was the only player who was over average in both. His better marks came from a 36.5 positive % inside the Lions defense (T-33rd) and an 8.5 broken/missed tackle rate, which ranked 17th among qualifying corners. Data that keeps getting better for Sutton.
In 2023, the group as a whole performed below average in positive percentages, but above average in broken/missed tackle rates. Porter had the highest positive rate among featured players—an astounding 31.6, ranking third in the league. On the other hand, the 76th-ranked 16.0 broken/missed tackle rate represented the flip side of the coin. This below-average score is one I’m keeping a close eye on in the hopes that Porter and Pittsburgh will both improve by 2024.
Wallace and Peterson, two former Steelers, also had positive rates that were higher than the mean. Wallace tied for 41st place with a 34.8 score, which tied for 14th place. Jackson’s 2023 Panther average of 37.6 (T-45th) was somewhat above average.
Sullivan was the only player, with a 41.5 positive percentage (T-82nd), who was below the league mean that we are concentrating on. His second-best 13.0 broken/missed tackle rate among players in our sights (48th overall in the league) was a plus for him. The other players in the group had less than optimal broken/missed tackle rates: Jackson (14.1, T-58th), Wallace (15.6, T-69th), and Peterson (20.4, 95th).
This provides particular context for Pittsburgh’s need and expectation for improved run defense at the position in 2024, as Sutton’s strong performance last season attests to.
Finally, here’s a more comprehensive look at the participants in the run game:
Points Saved per Play: The sum of a player’s EPA obligation on run plays, calculated by dividing the credit for a particular play among all players on the field; positive values indicate good play. The player’s snap count determines how much the totals are adjusted to match the average points allowed or scored on a team basis. In terms of run defense, this entails taking into consideration boxed-in defenders, forced blown blocks, broken tackles, turnovers, and turnover returns.
Points Above Average per Play: Using the same Total Points system, assign a value to each point that a player performs above the average level:
Sutton wins this final point analysis as the best run defender. His points-above-average per play came in somewhat lower and tied for 22nd, while his points saved per play tied for 19th. Finding this out was really energizing, and hopefully, a continuation or even improvement of this trend in 2024.
The fact that Jackson came in second in our sights is also promising. In addition to a points-above-average per play that tied for 40th place, his points saved per play tied for 35th. With these two arrivals, there appears to be a clear improvement over the position room from the previous year.
This summary chart of all the data utilized today will highlight this even more:
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