Steelers free agent wish list after David DeCastro’s release

Steelers sign Jesse James

Projected contract: 1-year, veteran minimum

The first position is an easy one to target, as the Steelers’ tight end depth chart beyond their top two options is full of question marks. In a normal case, having two capable tight ends is more than enough. What hurts the team though is that Pat Freiermuth is a rookie. Rookie tight ends have a notorious difficult transition to the pro game, so expecting him to make a huge impact in year one is a stretch. Add in the fact that he only played four games last season and he will certainly have some rust to shake off.

Sitting on the market is Jesse James, the team’s former starter and a good all-around player. No, James isn’t an elite receiver or a perfect blocker, but he exemplifies the idea of “jack-of-all-traits” and the offense could use a player like that. James may not have the best opportunity with the Steelers long-term, but he would essentially be guaranteed a roster spot given his primary competition would be Kevin Rader and Zach Gentry.

What he would provide is a transition player for Freiermuth. Eric Ebron will resume his role as a starter, but if the team wants to get a second tight end involved, banking on Freiermuth being ready, especially early in the season, is a risk. James could fill in until Freiermuth is ready to add more to his role. As well, he would be great injury insurance. Considering his market hasn’t been very hot, adding James on the cheap would be a great way to allocate some of the DeCastro savings.