Three non-Steelers free agents the team should look to sign
By Eric Hassel
The Steelers may still be looking for the right ‘cover’ LB
Deone Bucannon, the former first-round pick of the Arizona Cardinals, may be an option for the Steelers if we move on from Mark Barron, whom we signed as a free agent in 2019. Barron was signed presumably to be the ‘cover’ LB in sub-packages but was pretty terrible at it.
According to Pro-Football-Reference, Barron allowed a 73.2% completion rate while Bucannon allowed a 66.7% completion rate. Barron was targeted 71 times while Bucannon was targeted 12 times. Quite frankly, neither of those completion percentages is cause for celebration, but, ironically, both Barron and Bucannon were former first-round picks who played safety in college.
I realize the above-referenced targets can not be compared equally as Barron and Bucannon played in a different system, but it is telling to me that teams deemed Barron such a liability in coverage that they threw his way often.
Bucannon would be an upgrade over Barron if for nothing else than this fact: Bucannon is younger than Barron and would be less costly in terms of salary. Barron is still under contract, but I believe the Steelers will move on from him and try to find a younger, cheaper replacement. This is where Bucannon may come into the picture.
A change of scenery is sometimes what all players need to revitalize and rejuvenate their careers. This is what the Steelers may have been thinking when we signed Barron. Personally, I don’t think that signing has bourne any fruit. Who’s to say if signing Bucannon will have a different result? I guess we won’t know until or unless the Steelers sign him.
Let’s see why the Steelers may be interested in signing Billings.