Cut down day has been a pretty busy affair for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Just a short time ago, the Steelers made their second trade of the day, sending cornerback Ross Cockrell to the New York Giants. Cockrell’s fate with the team was sealed following a poor showing this preseason, along with the emergence of several rookies. Cockrell came to the Steelers as a free agent after his release from the Buffalo Bills.
Steelers traded CB Ross Cockrell to Giants in exchange for a conditional pick in 2018 NFL Draft.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 2, 2017
Steelers Trade Ross Cockrell For Conditional Draft Pick
Cockrell played a role in helping to stabilize the Steelers secondary following his arrival in 2015. His ability to pick up the defense kept newly acquired Brandon Boykin on the bench. Cockrell was able to step in to an injury plagued unit and provide the secondary with a steady, physical presence. The Steelers had an interest in drafting Cockrell out of Duke, but the Bills got him first. Cockrell’s regression this summer led to the Steelers decision to seek a trade. Failure to trade Cockrell would have certainly resulted in his eventual release. This trade comes as a surprise, considering most teams were willing to wait for the Steelers released before acquiring his services.
The Steelers traded Cockrell to the New York Giants for a conditional 2018 draft pick. The writing was on the wall for this type of move when the Steelers signed cornerback Joe Haden yesterday. During his two seasons with the Steelers, Cockrell took on a leadership role within the young secondary, and was a good teammate. Unfortunately he became a liability on the field. Cockrell collected two interceptions and 80 tackles during his two seasons with the Steelers. Cockrell lost his starting job the moment Haden arrived in Pittsburgh. He became a liability with the emergence of rookies Mike Hilton, Cameron Sutton, along with the presence of Coty Sensabaugh.
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