Pittsburgh Steelers: Signing Nnamdi Asomugha Makes Sense

Every team's defense covets a shutdown player: someone who can end a play or drive by themselves.

The problem is that there are only a handful of those players in the NFL.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have needed a shutdown player at the corner position since Rod Woodson departed. They still haven't filled that void.

They have a chance to do just that this year with one of the league's best all-around corners on the market.

That man is Nnamdi Asomugha. He's a free agent and should be the primary focus for the Pittsburgh Steelers as they navigate the free agent market.

Here's a look at why this all makes sense.

Oh, The Possibilities

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OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 15: Nnamdi Asomugha #21 of the Oakland Raiders warms up before their game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on November 15, 2009 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

One of the biggest knocks on the Steelers' current crop of corners is that they can't cover one-on-one. Ike Taylor is the only player who can, and he often commits penalties when trying to execute single coverage in the red zone.

That won't do.

Want evidence that the Steelers struggle in single coverage? Take a look at the game tapes from when Troy Polamalu and/or Ryan Clark were missing from the lineup over the past two years.

It's not pretty. Even Taylor struggled.

When the focus comes off of play-making safety Polamalu, the defensive backfield is badly exposed. There's not a ton of talent back there.

Asomugha changes that. He, like Polamalu, is a game-changing player. You have to know where he's at all of the time and you have to account for what he may or may not do during the play.

Putting him and Polamalu together in the same defense would be lethal. Both can make plays by themselves.

Asomugha might also thrive in this scheme, where corners get some freedom to blitz and make plays outside of coverage. Asomugha has the raw speed and attention to detail to be successful here, so he's definitely someone who would improve the defense by himself.

Put him with Polamalu and you may go from the league's top defense to something off the charts.

Teamwork

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DALLAS, TX - FEBRUARY 04: Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award finalists Nnamdi Asomugha (R) of the Oakland Raiders and Israel Idonije (2ndR) of the Chicago Bears pose with the Peyton family, Connie Payton (2ndL), wife of former Chicago Bears great Wa

One of the cornerstones that Pittsburgh's hallowed franchise is founded upon is the principle that they would rather have good men and team-oriented players than the me-first, highlight-grabbing variety.

They've done away with players like Santonio Holmes and Bam Morris for not buying into this system. There was talk they would even try to unload highly successful quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, but his efforts to reform his life seem to have quelled that talk.

Asomugha is another of those great team-oriented players.

He's not big on flash or grandstanding. He prefers to let his play do the talking. Think of him as Troy Polamalu without the hair and possibly even quieter.

He was a finalist for the NFL's Walter Payton Man of the Year Award, one of the most prestigious awards the league doles out each year. The last Steeler to win it was Jerome Bettis (in 2001).

That's the kind of guy Asomugha is.

You're in Good Hands

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OAKLAND, CA - NOVEMBER 12: Cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha #21 of the Oakland Raiders returns an interception against the Denver Broncos at McAfee Coliseum on November 12, 2006 in Oakland, California. The Broncos defeated the Raiders 17-13. (Photo by Jed Jaco

Ike Taylor can cover. Maybe he's not as good in single coverage, but he's not a player you'd call a liability.

When it comes to hands and the ability to make a play on the ball, however, it's not even close.

Taylor is lucky to get one interception a year. He usually has that, along with three or four drops. Those missed opportunities aren't a part of Nnamdi Asomugha's game. He makes those plays.

It's a fair belief that, should he be signed by the Steelers, he'd be a lot like another Troy Polamalu. He's fast, sure-handed, and excellent in coverage. Those hands, though, make a huge difference. The Steelers go through long spells where they need a turnover and can't make one happen. The corners often drop interceptions.

Having a player with excellent hands would help alleviate some of the play-making pressure the defense has.

Can The Team Afford Both Asomugha and Ike Taylor?

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PITTSBURGH, PA - NOVEMBER 21: Ike Taylor #24 of the Pittsburgh Steelers lines up prior to the snap during the game against the Oakland Raiders on November 21, 2010 at Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images)

Then there's this question: having one good cornerback would be great, but don't we already have a pretty good guy in Ike Taylor?

The answer is yes. But he's a free agent also. So what do you do?

Can the Steelers possibly sign both players? Well, it depends.

If Taylor is willing to take below top dollar for his services and is also willing to take a shorter deal, he may be brought back. If the team signs Asomugha, he will have to meet all of those criteria. They certainly can't afford to pay two corners at full price.

Another possibility is an either/or scenario. This is most likely.

The team is high on Crezdon Butler and insists that he will be part of the team's future at the position. There's also the likelihood that a player like Asomugha would improve the defense alone and that Taylor's presence would be of minimal benefit.

The team would certainly be better with both players, but it's not a reasonable possibility. The chances of having both players in the same defense is more of a pipe dream than anything.