While the Steelers won’t be able to make a huge splash in free agency, these four cap casualties from other teams could make a lot of sense for the team to sign.
One of the hardest times of the year for NFL veterans is the weeks leading up to the new league year. Teams are scrambling to get cap compliant by releasing veterans with a substantial cap hit. The benefit of signing a player like this is that they don’t affect the compensatory pick formula, which could be big for the Steelers as they stand to gain quite a few high-round picks in the draft next year because of it. Here are five early cap casualties that the Steelers need to try and sign.
Important note
Before delving into the list, know that the cap casualties around the league have only just started. With the likely hood that the salary cap space regresses this year, teams will be forced to make more cuts than usual. More than likely, the vast majority of those cuts will happen next week as teams look to first trade their expensive veterans. This means the list of cap casualty targets will likely grow.
As well, some popular names, such as Jesse James, are not on this list due to him still being under contract as of this writing. If he gets released sometime next week, he would be yet another potential target for the Steelers. This list is specific to those that have already been cut. With that said, here are the five cap casualties that currently make the most sense.
B.J. Finney
This one makes too much sense not to happen. The Steelers were thrilled when B.J. Finney inexplicitly fell out of the 2015 draft. He was thrilled to sign with his favorite team shortly after the draft, and he found success eventually with the team. Finally a free agent, he signed a respectable four-million dollars a year deal with the Seahawks the last offseason.
He failed to make an impact though, and as a result, he was traded midseason to the Bengals. Nothing improved for the veteran from there though, and he has since been released. There was a desire from the Steelers last season to resign Finney, but he got far too good of a deal to return. Now though, his market should be relatively quiet after a year that involved him playing a total of 31 snaps.
Would Finney be enough to fix the Steelers center issues? No, but it would be a good step in the right direction. The team could (and should) still look to draft a center in the draft. Finney gives them flexibility though, as he could man the position for the year in the worst-case scenario. If he gets beat out, he would still be a valuable depth interior piece. Assuming he plays for the minimum, a Steelers reunion with Finney makes a lot of sense.
Nick Easton
If the Steelers wanted to spend a little more money and get a more permanent fix at center, Nick Easton could be a mid-range signing that can help transition to the next center. Easton has position flexibility as well, as he has starting experience at both center and guard. While he hasn’t been a dominant lineman throughout his career, he would be more than serviceable on a short contract for the team.
If the Steelers signed Easton, it would mean that they wouldn’t be forced to pull the trigger on a center in the early rounds. While that could still happen, it wouldn’t be as big of a priority as it would be if Finney is the only addition before the draft. Eason could easily hold his own for a year or two as the team fills bigger needs or develops a later round center to take over.
The only question with Easton would be his price tag. While he never was a full-time starter, versatile linemen tend to find work above the minimum salary. That said, if the team could get him on a moderate two-year deal with a low cap hit in the first year, it could be well worth it. It would provide the Steelers with an instant starter and allow them for far more flexibility going into the draft.
Buster Skrine
There is a real possibility that the Steelers lose both Cameron Sutton and Mike Hilton in free agency, and if they do, slot corner suddenly becomes a huge hole for the team. Considering a player like Hilton on average plays 70-80 percent of the defensive plays despite being in a sub-package just goes to show how important this role has become. While the team has some youthful depth options in James Pierre and Justin Layne, neither are fit to man the slot.
While the team ideally brings back Sutton (Hilton is as good as gone, unfortunately), even he may be too expensive to sign. If both options walk, a player like Buster Skrine could be a cheap fill-in for the team. While he is far from the days of being one of the better slot options in the league, Skrine can still serve in that role. It would be a downgrade yes, but considering he would likely sign for close to the minimum, it could be a way for the team to preserve cap.
As well, the team could still target more of a slot option in the draft at some point. That would give the Steelers six corners to put on the roster, a number that they have worked with before. The biggest plus to Skrine is his likely salary, as it is hard to imagine him signing a significant contract. The team could lock him up cheap for a year, look to the draft for a developmental option, and more than likely hold off this position from becoming desperate until a year from now.
Golden Tate
While there is a clear want for JuJu Smith-Schuster to be brought back by both sides, his likely contract number may keep the team from being able to sign him. If he leaves, the team will need to find a new slot option as the other receivers on the roster are best served as outside options. The recently released Golden Tate could be a solid add assuming he is willing to play on a cheaper contract.
Tate is clearly a player regressing, but he could be serviceable as the third option on the team and the primary slot receiver. He was never a receiver that relied on elite speed to win, instead using quickness and run after the catch ability to make his big plays. While his routes aren’t as sharp, he would benefit from being on a team that wouldn’t rely on him being the main threat.
Some will question his age, but the Steelers have signed older veteran receivers in the past like Jerricho Cotchery (29 when signed) and Lance Moore (31 when signed). The real question is what kind of a contract he can get. Middle-of-the-pack receivers can get hefty contracts, so Tate would have to be willing to take a two-year deal worth less than he may get from other teams. That said, if the price was right, he would be a great option to replace Smith-Schuster in the slot short term.
Kyle Rudolph
Out of all of the recent cuts, a player like Kyle Rudolph should be extremely intriguing for the Steelers. The former Viking is more of a throwback to an old-school tight end, as he can throw a block just as well as catch a pass. While his athleticism is pretty mediocre, he is still a big body that can come down with tough catches. He would make this tight end depth chart instantly better.
As with the other options, the real question for him will come down to price. He was one of the top-earning tight ends last year, but his struggles on the field as well as time split with the Vikings’ other tight ends caused his overall stats to regress. He isn’t the player he once was, but luckily his declining speed won’t matter much as being a burner was never a critical aspect of his game. Instead, he could be a solid possession tight end that can block, essentially an upgrade to Vance McDonald from last year.
Again, the question with him will be his cost. While he will be hard-pressed to get a contract like the one he had before, the tight end market is notoriously overvalued. That said, if he would be willing to take a two-year deal for 6-8 million dollars total, the Steelers could keep his first-year hit at a reasonable level. He would be a weapon in the red zone and a huge upgrade at a position that the team has struggled with in recent years.
While none of the names in this list are top players anymore (or ever were in some cases), they could be valuable additions to the Steelers this year. The team is not yet ready to rebuild as evident with Ben Roethlisberger’s new deal, so finding some cheaper free agents will be key. Keep an eye on the names from this list, as any one of them could better this unit in 2021.