Steelers CB Justin Layne named on 'roster bubble' ahead of training camp

Back in 2019, the Pittsburgh Steelers spent a third-round draft pick to acquire cornerback Justin Layne. While Layne has found a home with Pittsburgh's special-teams unit, the 24-year-old has yet to prove he deserves anything resembling a full-time gig in the secondary. As noted by Pro-Football-Reference and Josh Carney of Steelers Depot, Layne has logged 145 career defensive snaps compared to 599 snaps on special teams. 

For a piece published Wednesday, Steelers insider Brooke Pryor of ESPN named Layne as a player on Pittsburgh's "roster bubble" who will find himself competing for a job when training camp sessions begin late this month. 

"Since being selected in the third round of the 2019 draft, Layne has been primarily a special teamer," Pryor explained. "Despite injuries at cornerback last season, Layne played 28 defensive snaps, and James Pierre surpassed him on the depth chart. The Steelers didn't pick up a corner in the draft, which works in Layne's favor, but unless he shows a big jump in training camp, Layne is firmly on the bubble entering the final year of his rookie deal." 

Earlier this week, The Athletic's Mark Kaboly wrote that "the Steelers have shown no interest" in re-signing veteran Joe Haden, who featured for the organization from 2017 through this past season. If, however, Pittsburgh goes shopping for a different free-agent cornerback before or during the preseason, Layne could quickly become surplus to requirements.