PITTSBURGH – Pittsburgh Steelers veteran cornerback Ike Taylor expects first-year starter Cortez Allen to shock the world. The soft-spoken Allen would prefer his play do the talking for him.
Allen has the inside track to take over for Keenan Lewis, who left for New Orleans as a free agent in the offseason. Allen says he spent the last two years preparing for this opportunity and isn't overwhelmed by the pressure.
Allen played extensively in 2012 in nickel situations and finished with two interceptions and 47 tackles. At 6-foot-1 Allen is tall for a defensive back and hopes to use his size the way Lewis did last season. Lewis was second in the NFL with 23 passes defensed.
Allen expects opponents to test him regularly and says he's in the best shape of his career.
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