Free Agency: Did the Steelers Blow it?

As a Steelers fan you have to become accustomed to little to no activity during free agency, particularly in the early stages. Building the team through the draft has been the motto for the NFL team with the most Super Bowl victories for nearly their entire existence.

Last year the team went out of character, of sorts, and spent a considerable amount of money to sign outside free agents. This year, not so much. Their free agent signings consist of running back DeAngelo Williams and that’s it. They hosted cornerbacks Patrick Robinson and Sterling Moore but both left to sign deals elsewhere.

Sep 7, 2014; Tampa, FL, USA; Carolina Panthers running back DeAngelo Williams (34) runs with the ball against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the second half at Raymond James Stadium. Carolina Panthers defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 20-14. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Have the Steelers blown their chance to improve the secondary by not signing any defensive free agents?

Mark Kaboly of the Trib reports that Steelers President Art Rooney II doesn’t expect the team to do much more in free agency.

"“We are still looking what the options are and will continue to do that. At this point, we are not expecting that there is going to be a lot more activity out there, but we will certainly continue to look. If there is a player out there that makes sense to pursue, we will do that.” – Art Rooney II"

There are considerable holes on the Steelers defense in the secondary and at outside linebacker. Is it a terrible plan for the team to fill those holes through the draft? Perhaps not. There’s no sense in signing a free agent cornerback just for the sake of signing a free agent cornerback, if the price is too high and there isn’t a reasonable expectation that any of the available ones were leaps and bounds better than the corners on the roster or the ones that could potentially be available in the draft.

The free agency class this offseason really cashed in bigtime thanks to an increased NFL salary cap. Guys got overpaid left and right. New York Giants co-owner John Mara called the majority of the available free agents this year “mediocre.” Maybe the Steelers are on to something by not shelling out big cash for mid-level defensive backs when they can spend less by drafting them?

By not markedly improving the secondary, the Steelers defense will leave themselves vulnerable to what has been one of their Achilles Heel’s for a while; giving up big plays. But, by rebuilding the secondary through the draft and better defensive player development perhaps they can correct that issue more organically. They are under a new defensive regime for the first time in over ten years, after all.

Art Rooney II not only said that he doesn’t expect much more activity in free agency for the Steelers, but he also remarked that the contract extension for Ben Roethlisberger was “the biggest piece of the puzzle.” Maybe he’s right. With the Steelers offense coming off of the year they just had and Roethlisberger in remarkably good health with the best wide receiver and running back in the game why not take your time rebuilding the defense?

This could be the ramblings of a hopeless homer but maybe Ben’s contract officially signifies that this is his team in more ways than one? Maybe it means that the Steelers are committed to being an offensive-minded team first, while the defense catches up. Instead of panicking about the lack of free agent acquisitions maybe it’s time to have the confidence that Ben Roethlisberger and the offense can really carry the team if necessary? Is this Steelers offense good enough to carry the team to the playoffs and achieve the first playoff victory in six years? This offense got the team out of the 8-8 funk and back on top of the AFC North last season, why couldn’t they do that and better again this year?

What do you think, Steeler Nation? Did the Steelers blow it in free agency or can the holes on defense be filled through the draft while the offense keeps the team in contention?

Next: Steelers 2015: A Look Ahead

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