The Steelers failed to address the edge rusher position before late in the NFL Draft. Here are four discount edge defenders they could sign.
The Steelers have always been a team to pride themselves on their spectacular pass rush. This has been what they have been known for since the Steel Curtain teams of the ’70s. Over the past 20 seasons, Pittsburgh has had some spectacular edge defenders walk through their doors. Players like James Harrison and Joey Porter were some of the best in the business at what they did.
In recent years, the Steelers found a potential future Hall of Famer in T.J. Watt. Bud Dupree was ideally suited to play opposite of Watt in Pittsburgh’s 3-4 defense. Unfortunately, Dupree has now departed for the Tennesse Titans, and the Steelers did next to nothing in the way of replacing him.
Kevin Colbert added Quincy Roche in the 6th round of the 2021 NFL Draft – a player I really like – but the Steelers need more. With Watt and Alex Highsmith as the only viable options on the edge, here are four players discount Pittsburgh could add to help keep their pass rush elite:
Justin Houston
If we want to start a discussion about one of the most underrated players in the league over the past decade in football, look no further than Justin Houston. Do you remember his 22.0-sack, first-team All-Pro season back in 2014? Houston may only be a shade of his former self, but he would still make a quality number three edge defender for the Steelers.
Houston is now 32 years old, but he doesn’t seem to be declining at a rapid rate like you might assume. After being a dominant 4-time Pro Bowler for most of his career on the Kansas City Chiefs, Houston still managed 19.0 sacks over the past two seasons as a member of the Colts, and he certainly provides a spark as a rotational edge defender. Due to his age and the fact that he’s still sitting in the free agency pool, perhaps the Steelers could sign him to a reasonable deal – maybe even a two-year contract to lower his first-year cap hit.
Ryan Kerrigan
It wasn’t that long ago that Ryan Kerrigan’s value was through the roof. He was one of the highest-paid edge defenders in the league as well as one of the most consistent defenders in the NFL. From 2014 to 2018, Kerrigan averaged 12.0 sacks per season and graded out among the best edge defenders in the league.
However, these past two years have not been kind to him. In 2019, Kerrigan suffered through injuries that shortened his season, and last year he understandably fell out of favor thanks to the impressive play of Chase Young and Montez Sweat.
There have been talks that Washington could look to bring Kerrigan back this year, but the Steelers should make a move first. Because he has now had two straight down years and has managed just 5.5 sacks per year during this span, Pittsburgh may be able to get him for a favorable deal. After all, Kerrigan is going to be 33 years old before the start of the season. He could revamp his once stellar career in Pittsburgh as a dominant pass rusher in the defensive rotation for Watt and Highsmith.
Anthony Chickillo
This wouldn’t be the flashiest of free-agent signings. We have seen what Anthony Chickillo offers to the Steelers, and it’s not ideal. However, if the Steelers wanted to go especially cheap and bring in a guy that already knows the system, this could be a good signing.
What we saw from Cassius Marsh last season was hard to watch. While the veteran signing offered up a few pressures rushing the passer, he was mauled in the run game and his spot on the roster could easily be taken if something better came along.
While Chickillo wouldn’t be a substantial upgrade over what they already have, some upgrade is better than none at all. Chickillo played just 164 defensive snaps last year for the Denver Broncos, but the veteran still offers value on special teams, as he now has 1,337 career snaps in that department, according to Pro Football Reference. Chickillo could compete with rookie Quincy Roche for the third edge spot and the veteran could probably be picked up on a minimum contract this offseason. This isn’t exactly a fun signing, but it makes a lot of sense.
Bruce Irvin
Bruce Irvin has never really been a dominant full-time edge defender, but he was one of the better pass rushers in the league during his glory days, and he has had 6 seasons where he managed to record at least 6.5 sacks. After earning 8.5 sacks in just 13 games in 2019 with the Carolina Panthers, Irvin rejoined the Seattle Seahawks. Unfortunately, an ACL tear ended his season back in September.
Because of his age (33) and the fact that he is coming off a major injury, the Steelers might be able to acquire Irvin for half the price he would have initially gone for. Irvin isn’t exactly a stout defender against the run, but he’s certainly no worse than Marsh in this department. However, what he offers as a pass rusher could rival that of even Alex Highsmith this year.
Bruce Irvin’s best days are no doubt behind him, but this potential free-agent pickup could help make sure the Steelers maintain an elite pass rush if something were to happen to Watt or Highsmith this season.
The Steelers don’t have a lot of needs to fill after the NFL Draft, but this is a position that could certainly stand to be upgraded after losing Bud Dupree and Ola Adeniyi this offseason. These four players could be had for the right price and would offer a significant upgrade to their depth on the edge.