It’s been four months since the Pittsburgh Steelers cut Steven Nelson and he’s still searching for a new home. Now it appears a decision is on the horizon, maybe in the next day or so.
Nelson, a former third-round pick in 2015, posted “Today or tomorrow stay tuned” to his Twitter account on Tuesday. There has been no shortage of suitors for his services, including the Philadelphia Eagles. Fourteen teams expressed interest in signing Nelson, but the starting cornerback has been “patiently waiting for right fit and opportunity,” per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Other teams knocking down his door include the Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, and Buffalo Bills.
The 28-year-old has been among the top outside corners in the NFL since 2018. Pro Football Focus ranked him No. 13 on their list of the “32 Best Outside Cornerbacks” and called him the most “undervalued” player at his position. The stats speak for themselves:
Nelson was another surprise release by a team strapped for salary cap space. His addition, along with the signing of Joe Haden, helped stabilize a turbulent cornerback position in Pittsburgh over these last two seasons. Nelson ranks among the top 10 cornerbacks in the league in both completion rate allowed (53.9%) and passer rating allowed (75.1) among 68 players at the position to see at least 100 targets since 2019. There’s a reason he has received plenty of interest since his release.
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Eagles Looking to Trade Fletcher Cox?
Jimmy Kempski of Philly Voice started a wild rumor on Monday when he explored the possibility of the Eagles trading Fletcher Cox. There had been reports of the All-Pro defensive tackle having “too much clout” in the organization so maybe they should move on. Kempski listed three main reasons for a trade: He’s expensive. He’s aging. They can get something good for him now, but if they wait it’ll be too late.
Cox will turn 31 years old on Dec. 13 and he carries salary-cap hits of $23.8 million in 2021 and 2022. The six-time Pro Bowler may be on the decline, too. ESPN ranked him fifth in a recent ranking of the top interior defensive linemen but noted a “little bit on the descent” as he dropped three spots from the previous year.
Malcolm Jenkins Continues to Give Back
Malcolm Jenkins might be in New Orleans but he’s still giving back to the Philly community. The Pro Bowl safety covered the cost of a suit for a local high school student. Christie Ileto of 6abc relayed the story of how Jenkins helped Ibrahim Diawara of Boys Latin Charter School get fitted. The 16-year-old needed to look his best during a presentation for a pre-college summer real estate program.
The assist from Jenkins stemmed from his work with the after-school program, Focused Athletics, which helps student-athletes prepare for college. The non-profit organization picked up the entire tab of the suit.
“I’m real grateful for it,” Diawara told 6abc. “When he said he was getting me a suit, I was like ‘really? a suit?’ That’s not chump change. That’s something that’s really going to stick with me,” said Diawara. “I’m going to remember this forever.”
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