4 remaining free agents Steelers must consider before it’s too late
By Tommy Jaggi
EDGE Justin Houston
I don’t want to beat a dead horse here, but who wouldn’t be in favor of this. Before you go saying how unrealistic it would be to land a player of Justin Houston’s caliber, consider the aforementioned ways of going about this contract.
With either a voidable-year deal (similar to what Ryan Kerrigan received) or a multi-year deal with an affordable first-year cap hit, Houston could be in Pittsburgh tomorrow. It just depends on how badly the Steelers are serious about strengthening some positions with some very concerning depth.
No, Houston would not be brought in as a replacement to Alex Highsmith; rather an excellent complement to Highsmith and T.J. Watt. Houston could be a pass rush specialist that could spell the two edge defenders of snaps and tee off on quarterbacks late in the game. With 19.0 sacks over the past two seasons, we have seen that the former first-team All-Pro player can still be a force in his old age.
Right now, the Steelers top two edge defenders behind Watt and Highsmith are Cassius Marsh and Quincy Roche. I was a big Roche fan, but it’s unfair to expect the sixth-round rookie to perform in such a big role right away. Meanwhile, Marsh offers limited pass-rush skills and was horrible as a run defender last year. “Houston, you are clear for landing in Pittsburgh.” Let’s make this happen, Steelers!