The Steelers will be players when it comes to free agency this offseason. They need to add some key components to a few areas if they want to stay at the top of the AFC North and not have a blunder of a postseason game like they did in their latest Wild Card game.
The secondary is the largest concern, and I’ve already highlighted a few corner free agents the Steelers could go after – like Chris Culliver, Kareem Jackson, and safety Da’Norris Searcy. However, the Steelers might wait until the draft to address that position. There are some strong prospects entering this draft that could fall to the Steelers’ 22nd overall pick. There are others still that could go in Rounds 2-3 who could be contributors early on.
Should the Steelers go heavy on corners in the early rounds, they will then target other free agent positions. One such position could be at tight end.
The Steelers have dragged their cleats when it comes to selecting a true compliment TE to Heath Miller. Now that Miller is getting on in years and is showing it on the field lately, it becomes a matter of successor rather than compliment.
The answers do not lie in soon-to-be free agents Matt Spaeth and Michael Palmer. Spaeth is a decent blocker (one of the better ones in the NFL), but his pass catching and route running are pretty pedestrian. Michael Palmer is a backup at best and had very little participation in the Steelers passing game. The team would defer to adding David Johnson or Mike Adams if they needed an extra blocker.
The Steelers need youth, and they need a receiving TE with blocking skills. There doesn’t appear to be a TE with the same well rounded skills as Heath Miller in free agency or the draft. But, there’s one free agent who could come close to a joker TE.
Charles Clay, Miami Dolphins
Clay is a strong young man (26 in February) who’s had two solid seasons since 2013. In those two seasons, he’s caught 127 passes for 1,354 yards and nine touchdowns. He was out two weeks in the second half of the season for a hamstring injury, but once he came back, he did not seem bothered by it averaging 14.5 YPC in the four games following his return.
Clay has a big frame and is built a lot like Miller is – tall and all muscle. He’s somewhat fast for a TE, running close to a 4.6 40, and gives linebackers a tough time when out in the middle of the field. He would be a far better compliment to Miller and eventually could settle in nicely as his replacement if signed to a long term deal.
Clay won’t come as hefty a price tag as say one of the cornerbacks we’ve looked at. He’s no Jimmy Graham and will more than likely secure a deal that will pay him somewhere around $2 million the first two years and go up from there. That’s a contract that will be very affordable for the Steelers. More expensive than Spaeth, but the payoff will be much bigger.
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The Miami Dolphins are under the salary cap rock right now and will have difficulty climbing from under it. With the projected cap being somewhere around $140-143 million, the Dolphins Top-51 are at $146 million (with our ol’ buddy Mike Wallace taking up the most space). They most certainly can save money by dumping players, but they will have to be very careful – no position holds much depth.
The Miami Herald did report that the Dolphins seem very committed in re-signing Clay. If the Dolphins can sign Clay before the March 10th Free Agency date, then game over. If not, then the Steelers could swoop in during negotiations and take Clay right from under Miami.
Certainly one to keep a close eye on in the coming weeks and month.