The Steelers made a trade with the Eagles in August to acquire cornerback Brandon Boykin, which seemed to set him up for a role in the team’s secondary during the 2015 season.
It took a while for that role to materialize. Boykin played sparingly on defense through the first 11 games of the season before finally moving into a more prominent spot in the final weeks of the season. His ascension coincided with better play in the back end for the Steelers and set him up for free agency off some good performances. Despite the early time on the bench, Boykin says he’s open to coming back to Pittsburgh.
“At the end, the organization said they appreciated how I went about it, being a pro, not really talking about it,” Boykin said, via ESPN.com. “I don’t have any hard feelings toward Pittsburgh. Absolutely, under the right circumstances, for sure.”
The Steelers also have cornerbacks William Gay and Antwon Blake headed for the open market and Cortez Allen could be dispatched after playing just one game, leaving the team with some decisions to make about who will return along with Ross Cockrell, 2015 second-round pick Senquez Golson and 2015 fourth-round pick Doran Grant. If Boykin isn’t in their plans, his work in the slot over the years should lead to interest from other clubs.