5 free agents the Steelers should pursue in the coming weeks

Steelers can sign DT Kawann Short

Since Tyson Alualu got injured in the Raiders game, Cameron Heyward and Chris Wormley have been taking over the role of DT and have done a good job, but the run defense hasn’t been the same. Pittsburgh needs a heavy player in the middle, and I think Kawann Short can be that guy.

Short was one of two defensive tackles taken by the Carolina Panthers in the 2nd round of the 2013 NFL draft, Star Lotulelei was their first-round DT choice. Short outplayed Lotulelei in almost everything and was a sack machine from 2015-2017. Short made it into the backfield a lot and when he wasn’t hitting the quarterback he was blowing up run plays and forcing the football out of the ball carrier’s hands.

Short would play the role that Alualu played and it would open the doors to a better performing run defense. The defense does perform well against teams who run a limited amount of times but when teams pound the rock against the front 7 they end up getting gashed, see the Seahawks game for an example. The Steelers are also down Carlos Davis at the moment as he landed on IR a week ago and Short would provide a replacement until he gets back and for cheap.