6 free agents Steelers must sign to replace Tyson Alualu

Steelers should sign Atkins

A name all Steelers fans should recognize, Geno Atkins is a similar player in the ‘Kawann Short’ mold: an untraditional nose tackle that can get after the quarterback but may struggle to stop the run at this point. He was one of the leagues best up until last year, where injuries held him to a mere 119 total defensive snaps. The Bengals cut him, as a result, this offseason.

While he is the oldest player of the group, he has had the most success out of anyone on the list. As well, despite being a great pass-rusher, Atkins can also hold his own in the running game. This makes him a more flexible defender and a better all-around replacement for Alualu. To be frank, he is a more complete defender than Short at this point, which is why he is higher up the list than Short was.

While Atkins is undersized, he can also chip in at defensive end if the team needed him. If the team wanted the most one-for-one replacement for Alualu in terms of veteran leadership and all-around play, Atkins is the guy. While the Steelers would likely still have to mix in their younger guys in order to get better run defense, Atkins could take on the role of pass-rushing nose tackle. Again, having a line of him, Tuitt, and Heyward would be unfair for opposing offenses.