4 free agents the Steelers must sign before the 2021 draft

John Simon

Had this post been written a few days ago, Arden Key would have taken this spot as edge depth. While he is younger and has more potential on defense, there is a more established reserve option still on the market. John Simon would be a great fit at this point for a team that has no edge rush depth currently on the roster.

The Steelers lost both their starter and backup outside linebackers to the Titans this offseason. While Alex Highsmith should ascend to starter, there is no option behind him to rotate in with. Cassius Marsh was fine as a reserve, but it would be less than ideal to rely on him as a top backup. Simon would be far better suited for the roll, as he can provide a steady pass rush while also stopping the run.

Better yet, he is still a stalwart on special teams despite being over thirty. This means that he can still provide value even if he isn’t playing on defense. The only issue is that Simon would likely command more than the minimum given that he was technically a starter last season (although he was regularly rotated out on defense). If the Steelers could get him on a two-year deal though, his cap hit wouldn’t be that big. He would instantly make this depth chart better and this defense more complete.

While the Steelers have done a fine job of filling their needs, there are still some talented free agents that make sense to add before the draft starts. Doing so opens up the draft board immensely and would allow the team to go with more of a best player available route. Keep these four free agents in mind as fits for the team before the draft begins.