Despite proving he's up to the challenge, Cameron Sutton OK with returning to Steelers' bench
In the span of a month, Cameron Sutton has gone from the injured reserve list to the active roster to dressing for a game but not playing to earning some playing time to starting ... and now back to the bench?
Sutton is taking it all in stride.
“Whatever it is, you just kind of go with the flow,” the Steelers' rookie cornerback said. “Do everything to the best of your ability and when they do need me, just be ready.”
Sutton figures to be little more than a backup Monday when the Steelers play at Houston. Last week, Sutton was so valuable he played all but two of the team's defensive snaps at left cornerback against the New England Patriots.
The longest play thrown to a wide receiver on Sutton's side of the field all game was a 12-yard gain, although Sutton was beat on Brandin Cook's 4-yard touchdown later that quarter.
Still, with Joe Haden's return after a five-game absence because of a broken fibula, Sutton could go from an every-down player to a no-downs player.
With right cornerback Artie Burns, slot cornerback Mike Hilton and dime back William Gay all entrenched in their roles, there doesn't appear to be room for Sutton.
“Too many (quality) DBs is not a bad problem to have,” defensive coordinator Keith Butler said.
Sutton said this week he only has been getting practice reps at the outside cornerback spots. During training camp before a hamstring injury that landed him on IR for 10 weeks, Sutton at times got practice reps in the slot.
It's possible that the Steelers might choose to ease Haden and his leg back into game action and not expose him to a full game's worth of wear and tear.
Either way, Sutton said he will be ready. And he's shown his teammates he can handle it.
“I believed in Cam the whole time. Cam is very, very confident,” Haden said. “…He's not afraid, and that's one of the biggest things he shows everybody out there.”
Chris Adamski is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at <a href='mailto:cadamski@tribweb.comcadamski@tribweb.com<mailto:cadamski@tribweb.com> or via Twitter @C_AdamskiTrib.
