Remaining cornerback free agents the Steelers could target for 2017

With a week into free agency, there are still many players that have not re-upped with their own team, or were lured away with an excessive amount of frog skins. The Steelers have kept two of their own (David Johnson and Landry Jones) in the fold, welcomed a new face (Justin Hunter from Buffalo ), said goodbye to a few (Lawrence Timmons to Miami, Markus Wheaton to Chicago and Jarvis Jones to Arizona) and definitely have holes to fill and needs to be addressed.

Cornerback is still a position that the Steelers wish to upgrade. Ross Cockrell has been generating interest and may not return, but still could. His possible departure would leave Artie Burns and William Gay as prominent players at the position. Rumors floated around Dre Kirkpatrick, Marcus Cooper and Logan Ryan. Davon House came in for a visit and it seemed like he was a good possibility, but he agreed to terms with Green Bay while at Steelers HQ. so the position remains in flux.

A run has restarted on the position with Morris Claiborne agreeing to a contract with the Jets and Brandon Carr joining the Baltimore Ravens. But there are still capable players available at the position. But they should act fast. Here's a look at the best of the rest.

Malcolm Butler - New England Patriots

Butler was assigned a first-round tender for $3.91 million for 2017. The Super Bowl hero has 31 pass defenses and six interceptions the past two seasons. With Stephon Gilmore signing a huge deal with the Pats, I think New England is hoping another team signs Butler. They would get a coveted first round selection. Butler is a legitimate talent and would definitely be worth giving up that pick. I just don't see the Steelers Pittsburgh giving up their top choice and a ton of loot to acquire anybody. Butler recently visited the New Orleans Saints, and the team looks as if they are a potential suitor for his services.

Darrelle Revis - New York Jets

Revis, at 32, regressed in 2016. But the a Jets were terrible and he was injured a lot. However, he still believes he has gas left in the tank at corner or safety. His legal troubles are no more and he wants to play in Pittsburgh. But the Steelers claim not to be interested in him. That could just be a smoke screen though. If he is willing to play on the cheap, it could be worth the risk on experience and presence alone.

Brandon Flowers - Los Angeles Chargers

This is the direction I think they are going to go in, but it frightens me. It's true that the veteran is a contributor when healthy. Flowers had five pass defenses and one pick in only six games last year due to two concussions. If healthy, Flowers could be a great fit on a team-friendly "prove-it" deal. But if we learned anything from Ladarius Green's concussion woes, they linger.

Deshawn Shead - RFA - Seattle Seahawks

Shead started 15 games opposite Richard Sherman for Seattle and really came into his own as a starting corner in the NFL. Shead has great size at 6'2" and had an interception at 14 passes defended. However, the RFA was not tendered by Seattle because of an ACL and meniscus tear. He is expected to start the season, but he comes with risk. Still. the Steelers should still kick the tires on the 28 year-old DB.

Other Notables:

Marcus Williams - New York Jets

Nickell Robey-Coleman - Buffalo Bills

Sam Shields - Green Bay Packers

Darius Butler - Indianapolis Colts

Patrick Robinson - Indianapolis Colts

Leon Hall - New York Giants

Brice McCain - Tennessee Titans

Kyle Wilson - New Orleans Saints

Keenan Lewis - New Orleans Saints

Alterraun Verner - Tampa Bay Buccaneers