Arthur Moats, OLB
Contract: 1-year, $795,000
Steelers Stats: 62 G, 25 GS, 87 tak, 11.5 sacks
While some may overlook Arthur Moats, the impact he had on the Steelers was incredible considering his salary and the role he played. Moats spent four years with the Bills before getting signed by the Steelers. Signings like this aren’t expected to contribute much and they aren’t guaranteed a roster spot. That said, Moats came in and became a valuable depth option for the team.
Due to injury he started nine games that year and posted 4 sacks (nearly doubling his career total). He turned that solid year into three more as he resigned and stayed with the Steelers, always providing great depth and the ability to start if needed. As well, he was a great locker room guy that helped the young talent transition from the college level to the pro game.
While the argument can be made that a backup is in no way deserving of a spot on this list, Moats was a critical player consistently for the Steelers. Much in the way Tyson Alualu is today (he lost out due to Moats’ bargain deal), Moats embraced the “next man up” mentality, starting when he was called upon and acting as a reserve when not. While mostly a backup, this deal epitomizes a typical Colbert free agent: cheap, consistent, and a contract that won’t hurt the team long term.