Pittsburgh doesn’t exactly have a lot of depth at Cornerback. Behind Ike Taylor there is virtually no player who can step into the shutdown role that the Steelers need. Bryant McFadden struggled last year as did William Gay. Both have shown flashes but still are weak in terms of staring Cornerback status. The shallow secondary makes Taylor all the more valuable, which means that the new CBA is bad news for the Steelers.
Without Taylor, Pittsburgh may have to rely on a rookie to play major minutes. Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown were both selected in this year’s draft and could someday find themselves starting in the NFL. While there is virtually no chance that either player will stumble into a starting role next season, Brown has potential to make an impact immediately. Obviously, the best option for the Steelers would be to re-sign Taylor. But, with a raised salary cap and players like LaMarr Woodley, Lawrence Timmons, and Troy Polamalu due for contracts next season, the return of Taylor seems unlikely.