I wanted to start this article by stating, the team here at Steel City Underground has taken it’s fare share of speculative stances on players as of late. Within recent years, the Steelers have had a trend of bringing back former players. We’ve written about LaMarr Woodley, Will Allen and Michael Vick over the last few months, examining whether any of these former Steelers would be a potential (albeit hypothetical) fit for the current team.

It’s no wonder, when news dropped last week of the New Orleans Saints cutting cornerback Keenan Lewis, formerly drafted by the Steelers, that we took the brunt of some jokes from our colleagues:

https://twitter.com/Steel_Report/status/766799583036846080

I say give him a look, but not planting my flag on it like a Will Allen

— 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗖𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 (@steelcityundrgr) August 20, 2016

Despite several draft selections and other moves to improve the league’s 30th ranked passing defense, I too felt there was a “never say never” chance that the Steelers could give their former starting corner a look.

However, be it peer pressure, or too many speculative stances as of late, I wasn’t ready to plant my flag on bringing Lewis in.

Give him a look? Sure… but I’m not sure how much of a look the team would be willing to take.

Pittsburgh definitely has a need in their secondary, with a castoff brought in off waivers last season (Ross Cockrell) and a rookie first-rounder (Artie Burns) potentially vying to start at one of the outside corner spots. Burns has been banged-up, and Cockrell had trouble beating out former Steeler Atwon Blake for the starting spot last season; an astonishing feat considering Blake was responsible for giving up 25% of the Steelers passing yards, and has continued his “not so good” ways in Tennessee this preseason:

Per @PFF, #Titans CB Antwon Blake gave up six catches for 113 yards and a TD on Sat., surrendering a reception every time targeted.

— John Glennon (@glennonsports) August 22, 2016

Veteran Will Gay is entrenced as the team’s number 1 corner, but typically excels in the slot. Pittsburgh’s other slot option, Senquez Golson, just had surgery on a Lisfranc injury which could sideline him for half, or more, of the 2016 season.

Regardless, Golson has never played in any game, pre-or-regular season, and can hardly be considered an option in the secondary rotation at this point. Second round pick Sean Davis, who has college experience as a corner and a safety, has been splitting time at both spots during training camp and the team’s first exhibition games. He could be an opening day starter, but behind him lies very little depth.

Robert Golden, recently signed to a 3-year contract, will likely be the other starting safety opposite the solid Mike Mitchell. Besides Mitchell, Golden and Davis, the team is relying on fourth-year safety Shamarko Thomas to elevate his game; something the anticipated replacement for Troy Polamalu has been unable to do.

The Steelers are so desperate for answers that they’ve tested playing last year’s fourth round pick, Doran Grant, at both the corner and safety positions. Grant was a corner in college, but many speculate he’s not quick enough to play the same position in the pros.

More castoffs and free agents round out the names in camp, which illustrates the lack of talent in the secondary, even with the starters named.

This is how Keenan Lewis, released by the New Orleans Saints due to a hip injury, is even in consideration for joining the Steelers. I didn’t think a player who appeared in only 6 games last season would have a chance, yet, Lewis is visiting with the Steelers:

The #Steelers are hosting former #Saints CB Keenan Lewis on a visit today, source said. His first since he was released… PIT drafted him

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 23, 2016

Keenan Lewis flying to Pittsburgh tonight to visit the Steelers https://t.co/EvNOMMpfbm

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) August 23, 2016

Interestingly enough, it was Lewis’s final year in Pittsburgh which landed him a 5 year, $25,550,000 contract with the New Orleans Saints (including a $6,000,000 signing bonus, and $10,300,000 in guaranteed cash) back in 2014.

Many reports stated the Steelers didn’t attempt to bring Lewis back then, and allowed him to “get away.” Yet, the team was incredibly cash-strapped with deals gone wrong (Woodley) and kicking the can on those playing out contracts (Polamalu, Heath Miller.) Signing Lewis may not have been practical at the time, but Pittsburgh definitely panicked when not allowing another young corner, who saw significant playing time and flashed decent play early, when they awarded Cortez Allen with a large contract the following year.

Allen never displayed the same talent again, and was mostly sidelined throughout the remainder of his time in Pittsburgh: he was released this offseason.

The tale of these two corners gives me the opinion that the front office was ill-prepared on how to handle expiring rookie contracts. They did not expect Lewis or Allen to potentially play as much as they had, and thus shell out more money to retain their services. (After all, it wasn’t until recent that rookies, let alone second or third year players were seeing time on the Steelers defense.)

Less playing time meant less tape, or less value to other teams, for the younger Steelers to pursue employment elsewhere. However, Lewis ended up playing more than they may have expected, due to the departure of William Gay, and some other opportunities. Lewis started seeing more playing time in his second year, 2010, appearing in 9 games, before playing in all 16 in 2011, and starting every single game in 2012, after William Gay left for a single season to play for the Arizona Cardinals (again, due to the Steelers having little money to retain Gay’s services that season.)

Speculation started as to whether the Steelers would resign Lewis. Some claim the Steelers allowed him to sit in free agency for too long, when Keenan’s home town, New Orleans came in with an offer, and swooped him off the streets, following weeks without interest. While Pittsburgh could’ve brought him to the table, I’m sure there were talks behind doors that many of us are unaware of, and the traditional way of doing business, in situations such as Lewis’, is to allow the player to get feelers as to their market value.

Following Lewis’ departure, the Steelers brought back Gay, misfired on keeping Allen, and have had a number of waiver pickups attempt to fill the other starting corner position, including Blake, Cockrell, and Brice McCain.

So while I originally felt that, yes, the Steelers should give Lewis a look, I wasn’t sure it would come to fruition. Yet, here we are: Lewis is flying to Pittsburgh, as the Steelers have had trouble filling his spot since he’s left. If Keenan can pass a physical, and the price is right, I’d expect the Steelers to bite on adding a player, that when healthy, can contribute.

In 33 starts with the Saints (starting all 16 games his first two years with the franchise) Lewis amassed 87 solo tackles, with 6 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles. He was one of few bright spots on an otherwise awful unit in New Orleans (one which ranked even worse in passing defense than the Steelers last season; something that’s hard to imagine!)

That’s why I feel it was time to say, Keenan Lewis, Steelers Nation is ready to welcome you back with open arms. Let’s hope you are the square peg for the square hole, and not the alternative, that other options at the position have been over the last few years. Lewis is capable of playing the outside position, and could allow William Gay to slide over to the slot, which will give the team some time to ease both Sean Davis and Artie Burns (who’s been banged up in practice) into their respective roles; while giving the team a 30-year-old player (by comparison Gay is 31) with lots of experience, who may have a lot of tread left on the tires.

That’s not a bad insurance policy to have, on a team desperate for solid secondary play.

Update

Senquez Golson said he's seven weeks away from returning. Encouraging news if he is able to make that timetable.

— Ray Fittipaldo (@rayfitt1) August 23, 2016

Golson says he'll definitely be back this season. Says cleats may have been contributing factor to lisfranc injury.

— Chris Bradford (@PghBradford) August 23, 2016

Despite the Senquez Golson update, the Steelers will still be a corner short through mid-October, even with this optimistic news. This would still leave a spot open for Keenan Lewis to sign with the team.

The safety depth is a still a concern; Grant may fall into a category of playing both positions (as stated above) and thus the Steelers could carry Grant as their 5th safety on the depth chart (Mitchell, Golden, Davis, Thomas) for a total of 10 DBs once Golson is healthy and able to play.

Note: there’s always the possibility that Golson goes to Injured Reserve, however, the Steelers only have one designation to return: I’m skeptical they would want to use it this early in the season, in the event a highly valued player were to get hurt to start the season.