3 defensive tackles Steelers can afford to sign to replace Javon Hargrave

The Pittsburgh Steelers lost Javon Hargrave to the Eagles in free agency. Here are three reasonably priced options who could replace him.

The Steelers have been very active to kick things off this offseason. After cutting ties with Anthony Chickillo, Mark Barron, and Jonny Holton, they set their sights on restructured the contracts of five players, including quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.

Now they have bigger fish to fry. Defensive tackle Javon Hargrave recently hit the free-agent market and was immediately snatched up by the Philadelphia Eagles. Hargrave earned a three-year, $39 million deal with $26 million fully guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter.

While Hargrave’s massive deal should haul in decent compensatory value for the team next year, the Steelers now have to worry about what to do to replace him. Fortunately, the group of free-agent defensive tackles in 2020 is deep. Pittsburgh doesn’t have a lot of money, but they freed up an estimated $8 million with all of their restructures, according to Over the Cap.

Here are three players who could replace Hargrave at a reasonable price and their calculated market value, according to Spotrac.com:

Michael Pierce

Estimated yearly salary: $4.7 million

The Steelers need a big defensive tackle to help vill the void left by Hargrave, and Michael Pierce is exactly that – big. Listed at 6’0” and 340 pounds, Pierce is a run-stopping defender who isn’t dynamic as a pass rusher. Though he only has 3.5 sacks through his first four seasons, Pierce has earned overall grades of 79.7, 86.9, 91.0, and 69.1 in his first four seasons, according to Pro Football Focus.

Pierce is a part-time run stuffer who will be forced to come off the field on third downs or in obvious pass situations. Still, he would make a solid anchor in the middle of Pittsburgh’s base defense at a discount price.

Danny Shelton

Estimated yearly salary: $4.7 million

Danny Shelton is a player who never quite lived up to expectations as a former first-round pick. He’s not quite the anchor against the run like Michael Pierce, and while he offers a bit more from a pass rush standpoint, it’s nothing compared to Javon Hargrave.

Still, Shelton could be a great bargain. The Steelers could plug him in at nose tackle on their base defense, and like Pierce, he will likely have to come off the field on third downs. Shelton has just 4.5 sacks in 5 NFL seasons, but he’s coming off one of his best seasons with New England.

Andrew Billings

Estimated yearly salary: Unknown

The Bengals didn’t have much luck on either side of the ball last season, but Andrew Billings had a quietly had a good year for Cincinnati. Though he registered just 1.0 sack and 4 tackles for a loss in 2019, he earned a respectable overall grade of 69.3 from Pro Football Focus.

Billings isn’t as complete of a football player as Hargrave, and as such, he will never be the same type of pass rusher. However, Billings has proven to be a solid two-down player who can get upfield in a hurry for a 328-pound player. He would be an interesting option.

With dozens of quality defensive tackles still in the free-agent pool, the Steelers can find one who fits both their scheme and their price range. These are three players to keep an eye on.