With the Steelers starting off on a rough patch, the team has to look towards 2022 to see significant improvements, and any of these six pending free agents would improve the team.
While it is still extremely early in the process to be looking at 2022, the Steelers season is making it hard to find optimism for 2021. While some of their issues are fixable, most will have to wait until the offseason to have solutions.
Luckily for the team, their cap situation should be better than it is in most years, so some bigger names could be targeted. Here are six 2022 free agents the Steelers need to be keeping an eye on.
Steelers should consider Williams
While the tight end of the future is already on the roster in Pat Freiermuth, the team will likely be looking for a compliment for him as Eric Ebron’s contract is set to expire. Maxx Williams is a name that should ring some bells for Steelers fans. The team was heavily interested in him during the 2015 draft before the Ravens scooped him up in the second round. He found little success there before moving on to play with the Cardinals.
As of now, he is on pace to have his best season as a pro (not that hard considering his current best season was his rookie year, where he had 268 receiving yards and a touchdown). While his stats won’t be amazing, he would be a fine complement to Freiermuth for a year or two as the current rookie continues to develop.
Add in the fact that he is still young and a capable blocker and he could be a valuable addition for a team that will be short on tight end depth next season.
Steelers should consider Crowder
More than likely, JuJu Smith-Schuster is playing his final year with the team in 2020. He returned on a one-year deal, but the team continues to misuse him and hold his value back. He likely won’t make the same mistake again, and he will leave the team void of a slot receiver assuming he leaves. While the Steelers are one of the best drafting receiver teams in the NFL, a free agent could be brought in to aid an already young group of pass-catchers.
Insert Jamison Crowder, as the former Washington and Jet receiver is set to have his second shot at free agency. Far from an elite receiver, Crowder is a prototypical slot receiver that thrives on short passes and moving the chains. That is exactly how the team has been using their slot receiver as of late, so Crowder would be a natural fit.
He will likely command far less money than Smith-Schuster will want, and he would add a veteran presence to an extremely young receiving room. His style matches what the Steelers use in the slot right now, so he could be a sneakily good add.
Though he will be a little older at 29 next offseason, he should still have a few seasons left to be a capable producer. He would be a natural replacement for Smith-Schuster assuming he departs next offseason.
Steelers should consider Peppers
Staying in the New York area, the Giants have another player that the Steelers were extremely high on in the draft process. The do-it-all safety Jabrill Peppers is set to be a free agent in 2022, and the team could finally see him don a black and gold jersey. He fits all of the requirements the team looks for when signing defensive players (young, athletic, and has draft pedigree) and he has the added bonus of the team having a plethora of pre-draft interest in him.
With Terrell Edmunds set to likely depart, Peppers would be a one-for-one replacement for him. While Edmunds is the better all-around player at this point, Peppers could start at strong safety initially before kicking down to a box role assuming a rookie is brought in and develops. His speed and tackling would make him a natural there, thus making him a logical signing for the next offseason.
While far from an elite defender, a low-risk deal with Peppers screams of a Steelers type of move. He can be penciled in as a starter, an early-round rookie can develop behind him, and when they are ready, Peppers can kick into the box.
Peppers can also serve as a returner, making him valuable in multiple facets on the field. With Edmunds likely set to leave, Peppers could be brought in to keep this secondary filled with talent.
Steelers should consider Teller
It is no secret that the Steelers’ offensive line has been one of the weakest positional groups on the team, and the team will likely look to improve upon that group in 2022. While the draft could certainly be a way to fill some of these needs, adding a top free agent could also do the trick. Wyatt Teller of the Browns would be a huge get if he signed with the team.
Teller really came into his own during the 2020 season and has continued his strong play into the 2021 season. While the Browns will likely try and bring him back, they have a Baker Mayfield contract extension upcoming to contend with and they may have to let Teller walk. Their loss could be the Steelers’ gain, as Teller would instantly be the team’s best lineman if he were signed.
With Trai Turner likely being a one-and-done type of player for the team, a new guard will be brought in next season to replace him. Teller would be a plug-and-play starter for the team and would present a huge upgrade along the interior of the line. It would open up the early rounds of the draft as well, as the team wouldn’t have to target an interior lineman early at that point.
Steelers should consider Mariota
While many Steelers fans are clamoring for the Steelers to draft a quarterback next offseason, I don’t believe they will. This team has far too many needs for a rookie quarterback to succeed. Unless the team has a top-five pick and their perfect prospect falls to them, the team would be wise to invest in the rest of the team and look for their future franchise quarterback in the coming years.
That doesn’t mean that a new quarterback couldn’t be brought in though. While there is currently a surplus of potential free agents at quarterback (that list will certainly shrink as some quarterbacks get extended), the one that makes a lot of sense is Marcus Mariota. The former Titan and current Raider has had a rough career as a top draft pick, but he possesses mobility and a decent arm that a Matt Canada-led offense would excel with.
Add in the fact that his deal would likely be on the smaller side for a quarterback and the Steelers would be wise to add him. He can compete to start, and considering the current options on the roster, he would likely start. He would be a good fit for a typical Canada offense and could man the fort down for a few seasons until a rookie is drafted and ready to start.
Steelers should consider Jackson
The Steelers are more than likely going to let veteran Joe Haden walk as a free agent next offseason given his age. This opens up a huge hole at cornerback, and it’s one that the team will have to fill at some point. While the team could draft a cornerback, their track record there is less than stellar. Signing a talented veteran makes more sense.
A name that makes a lot of sense is Donte Jackson, as the current Panther cornerback fills the same criteria that a player like Peppers fills with his speed, age, and draft pedigree. Add in the fact that he has regularly been one of the best corners in the league and he would be a huge get for this defense. He would instantly take on Haden’s role as a top cornerback and add yet another talented player into this secondary.
Something that Jackson has in spades is speed. The Steelers’ current secondary group is lacking there, so adding a speedy corner like Jackson would be a plus. Cameron Sutton can continue to play as both the starting outside and inside cornerback while James Pierre can continue his development as a defender. Signing a veteran is a far safer bet than drafting one, and Jackson would be a great fit for this aggressive defense.
While there is still quite a bit of time between now and the 2022 offseason, the Steelers’ bad start has to have them thinking about the future. These six pending free agents should be some of the top ones on the team’s list next offseason. Each would fill a huge need and be a solid addition to a roster lacking talent.