6 free agent defensive lineman Steelers can sign for depth

Steelers could sign Aldon Smith

If the Steelers want to get as close to a player as they had in Ingram, Aldon Smith makes the most sense. The veteran edge rusher was cut from the Seahawks at the end of the preseason, but he has historically been a strong edge threat. He has seemingly gotten his career back on the right track as well, as he played his first full season since 2012 with the Cowboys in 2020.

While he isn’t a complete player on the edge, he can still be a rotational pass rusher. He is ok at stopping the run, but Smith does his best work with his ears pinned back and going after the quarterback. Don’t expect coverage snaps from him either, as he has next to no value there. He is limited in terms of what he offers a defense, but his pass-rush ability makes up for that.

While he doesn’t offer as much in terms of a complete depth player as a Murphy or Simon do, Smith would have the biggest impact on defense right away. He can get after the quarterback still despite his age, and he is an effective situational pass rusher. With the team losing Ingram, Smith could help alleviate that loss by adding a veteran pass-rushing threat.