Steelers Signings, Linebacker Prospects, Vet Rides

The NFL free agency period is in full swing and you can bet that we won’t miss a beat of Steelers coverage. While the Steelers are releasing players, signing free agents, restructure and extending contracts and re-signing their own free agents we’ll be busy looking around for mentions of your Black & Gold. Here’s your Steelers Morning Huddle for Saturday, March 14^th.

Signing Contracts

The Steelers finally found ink for their pens on Friday when they not only signed quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to an extension but also signed former Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams.

Excited about signing with the @Steelers! Trust me when I say that I've got a LOT of gas left in the tank.... pic.twitter.com/ktRb3NUZ5D
— DeAngelo Williams (@DeAngeloRB) March 13, 2015

DeAngelo Williams deal with PIT is 2yrs/$4M but is effectively 1yr/$2M
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 13, 2015

Williams is set to be 32 this season and could be a viable backup for Le’Veon Bell. Williams was the Panthers’ all-time leading rusher before being released on Tuesday with a post-June 1 designation. Williams was limited to six games in 2014 with injuries but has 6,846 career rushing yards with a 4.8 yards per carry average.

Linebacker Problems

While the Steelers might be set at quarterback and running back, they’re awful thin at OLB. Paper thin. ESPN’s Scott Brown reminds us that the only outside linebackers the Steelers currently have under contract with NFL experience are Arthur Moats and Jarvis Jones. Howard Jones and Shawn Lemon round out the outside linebacking unit at the moment but neither have seen action in an NFL regular-season game.

What they’ll need is to get better at drafting and developing pass rushers, and get better at it in a hurry. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but the pass rusher pool (outside of James Harrison out lifting enormous amounts of weights in Arizona) is bone dry in free agency. Brown has compiled a list of the outside linebackers the Steelers have drafted since 2007. Warning: it will make you sad.

Rides for Vets

Former Steelers Jerome Bettis and Rocky Bleier are teaming up with the United Way to help local veterans get a ride. The two have teamed together with United Way of Allegheny County to raise money to provide up to 600 bus bases for veterans in the area to help them get to interviews, work, doctor’s appointments, etc.

The goal of the program is to provide three months of rides for the veterans. For every $100 donated, a veteran will receive a month’s worth of transportation. The United Way will match donations up to $40,000. Rocky Bleier served in the Army and Jerome is known as “The Bus;” it’s a perfect match. You can find all the information to donate right here.

Next: Steelers Free Agency Moves

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