What happened: Pittsburgh's secondary is suddenly short on answers after the Joey Porter Jr. trade and a 27-24 loss to Cleveland. Jamel Dean's ankle injury and Daylen Everette's rough night against the Browns sharpened the case for a veteran addition at cornerback.

Why it matters: The problem lands early in the regular season, with Pittsburgh already adjusting after moving a starting outside corner to Dallas. Any missed time for Dean would leave the Steelers weighing more snaps for a rookie against a quick trip to the free-agent market.

What to watch: The next signal is whether Dean gets back on the field and whether Pittsburgh makes a short-term move before its next game. How the Steelers deploy Everette after Thursday should also show how urgent they view the spot.