The Pittsburgh Steelers have struggled to find a nickel back who can replace Mike Hilton, and many in the media and Steelers Nation expected the Steelers to acquire a cornerback to help bolster the secondary after final roster cutdowns. That move happened when the Steelers traded a 2023 5th round pick to the Seattle Seahawks for Ahkello Witherspoon.
Witherspoon was originally drafted early in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the San Francisco 49ers, the same round the Steelers drafted Cameron Sutton. The 49ers did not re-sign Witherspoon after his rookie contract expired, and he signed a $4 million, 1-year contract with the Seattle Seahawks, who traded him to the Steelers.