With free agency coming up, here are eight budget-free agents that should interest the Steelers in 2022.
Free agency is a time of excess for the NFL, as teams dedicate huge contracts to new players in hopes that they help set them apart in the next season. The Steelers are a notoriously frugal team, usually opting for players on cheap deals and hoping to get the most out of them.
Even with more money than usual in 2022, the team will likely still target cheaper free agents under the 2-million-dollar price tag. Here are eight budget-free agents that should interest the Steelers.
Steelers may sign Avery
Genard Avery has had an interesting career arch in the NFL. Drafted by the Browns, he quickly made an impact as a reserve and rotational pass rusher. He was subsequently traded in his second season due to his scheme fit no longer being there. The Eagles tried using him as a linebacker and occasional end, which also didn’t play into his strengths. He now enters free agency hoping to get one more shot at being on a roster.
While he hasn’t been an overly productive player since his rookie season, Avery fits the bill of what the Steelers should be looking for in a reserve edge this offseason. He is used to only seeing the field rarely and contributing on special teams as well as defense. The team had an interest in Avery in the draft as well, further linking him to the team.
Considering he has struggled to consistently play well for the Eagles (in part due to his poor scheme fit) he likely won’t be playing on a significant deal. While he may get more than the minimum, it won’t be much more than that. He fits the mold as a slightly undersized edge rusher for the Steelers and would be a good addition to the roster in 2022.
Steelers may sign Johnson
Duke Johnson is a player that has always felt like he belongs on this roster. He is a tough, productive player that doesn’t get much hype but doesn’t really seek it out. No, he isn’t some sort of a dynamic player, but in the right system and used properly as a reserve, he can still be an effective player. The Steelers need some running back depth, and Johnson would certainly be an aid there.
Najee Harris is the unquestioned leader of this room going forward. That said, he can’t continue to play as much as he did and touch the ball as much as he already has and be expected to remain healthy. The team doesn’t have a capable option to spell Harris either, making a better backup running back a priority for this offseason.
Johnson can be both an effective runner and receiver for any team. While not a dynamic threat out of the backfield, he is an efficient and effective player. Add in his receiving ability, which is his greatest strength, and you have a perfect backup running back. While landing a top reserve isn’t necessary, adding a running back like Johnson on the cheap would be a savvy move.
Steelers may sign Settle
While many fans are hoping for the Steelers to aggressively add defensive linemen, the actual need along the front seven is a relatively overblown one. Sure, a few depth pieces would help, but with the potential return of Tyson Alualu and Stephon Tuitt as well as the solid play of the reserves turned starters, this group is relatively set. That said, a lower lever free agent or rookie would make sense, especially considering the strains the depth chart felt last season.
Tim Settle is a prototypical nose tackle and has been a valuable run-stopper for the Commanders since being drafted. The depth of the interior of Washington’s line is immense yet Settle still found a way to rotate in and be effective when on the field. He’s normally good to play 20-30 percent of the defensive snaps for a team, and he makes a formidable nose tackle when on the field.
While he did post an impressive five sacks in 2020, that seems like more of an anomaly than an expectation. While he is a slightly better pass-rusher than he may get credit for, his focus is on taking up space in the middle of a defense. Even if the Steelers bring back Montravious Adams, adding a player like Settle makes this line deeper and better. A deal akin to Chris Wormley’s deal would likely get him signed, and it is one that may be worth it for the Steelers.
Steelers may sign Siemian
While the Steelers may get more aggressive than a lower-level free agent as a quarterback, adding a veteran like Trevor Siemian on a short deal to help transition this room from Ben Roethlisberger makes a lot of sense. The next deal he plays on won’t be massive, yet he has proven to be a consistent quarterback when called upon to start. He showed that once again last season for the Saints as he held his own when forced into action.
While not an elite player by any means, Siemian can make all of the proper reads and complete most passes needed for a starting quarterback. While his arm strength won’t wow anybody, he has more than enough to make all of the necessary throws. Add in some semblance of athleticism and you have a lower-end quarterback that should be enticing to this team.
While adding Siemian won’t fix this roster long-term, it could add a capable branch quarterback as the team assesses its options for the future. Siemian certainly won’t break the budget, but he should provide a capable lower-tier starter if signed. The Steelers could do far worse than him, and he would make a lot of sense on a cheap contract for next season.
Steelers may sign Jewell
Linebacker is quickly becoming one of the Steelers’ top needs this offseason. With Joe Schobert likely getting released and Devin Bush severely regressing, linebacker has a lot of question marks moving forward. While the draft is filled with intriguing options, an upcoming free agent could also be an improvement over what this team currently has on the depth chart.
Josey Jewell is far from a household name nor is he a top talent at linebacker. That said, when healthy, Jewell is one of the better run-stopping linebackers in the league. He is aggressive when he fills gaps and despite not having great size, he is willing to deliver big hits to his opponents. For a team that struggled as much as it did against the run, Jewell would provide a more consistent and stable face in that department.
Jewell was an unathletic linebacker with coverage issues entering the league in 2018, and most of those issues still persist. You won’t be able to use him as an every-down linebacker, but he could be a fine base and occasionally a nickel linebacker. He is coming off an injury which should keep his price down as well. The Steelers have to make a push to sign him in order to get this run defense back on track.
Steelers may sign Goodwin
An underrated need of the Steelers is their need for speed on offense. Almost every position on the roster is lacking some speed. There is no spot more obvious this than receiver, as while both Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool are athletic, neither have that true burner speed. This limits what the team can do with their deep passing attack.
While Marquise Goodwin is in the back half of his career, he can still use his speed to win deep. The former third-round pick has always excelled at running deep routes, and he still provided that value with the Bears last season. While he can’t be counted on for more than a few passes a game, Goodwin can help stretch a field.
For a team that wants to get back to running the ball more, having a capable field stretcher and deep passing game forces defense to play less in the box. Goodwin wouldn’t be a long-term solution, but he should be cheap speed if he were added. He can rotate in to keep the defense focused on the deep ball. It would help the offense as a whole get back on the right track. He still has plenty of speed and would be an affordable option for the team in 2022.
Steelers may sign Fackrell
As stated earlier, the Steelers need to add a capable reserve edge defender. While Avery presents a player who has had a tough few years but could rebound, Kyler Fackrell is a stereotypical edge reserve. Outside of his surprise 10.5 sack season in 2018, Fackrell has been the next man up off the bench and has been effective in said role.
He is good to play 15-25 snaps a game and start on occasion if needed. This would help keep the starters well-rested and healthy longer. Fackrell is decent when on the field as well. Last season he only started one game for the Raiders, yet he still found a way to post four sacks on the season. He may not get the most snaps, but he makes the most of the snaps he gets. Better yet, he is still a willing special teams player.
While his stats alone would make him seem like a fringe starter, his age and salary from last season suggest otherwise. He only made 1.5 million in Las Vegas and his next contract likely won’t top that much. He would provide the team with a capable third option that can be rotated in to rest the starters. No, he isn’t an elite name, but he is a fine backup that would strengthen this depth chart.
Steelers may sign Harrison
Terrell Edmunds is one of the Steelers’ biggest question marks this offseason. A fine starter, he is set to enter free agency and there is a real chance he ends up signing elsewhere. If he does, the team will have a huge hole at strong safety. A potential name that makes sense is Browns safety Ronnie Harrison, as he should be an affordable starter for whoever signs him.
Like the rest of the names on this list, Harrison isn’t an exceptional option, but he has proven to be a steady starter for both the Browns and Jaguars. He isn’t quite as consistent nor talented as Edmunds, but on a discounted deal, he can fill in for a year or two. You sign a player like Harrison and try to draft someone that can take over from him in a season or two.
While Harrison and Edmunds are comparable players, Edmunds is the more proven and consistent commodity. Thus, his next deal will likely be larger than Harrison’s. That said, neither’s deal will be groundbreaking as the safety market is pretty depressed. Harrison can be a fine starter in the short term on a cheap deal for this team as they try to draft their next starter.
As free agency draws nearer, the Steelers will begin to shift their focus to who they will want to bring in on a new deal. While the team has more cap space than usual, finding cheaper talent that can contribute is always a win. Keep these eight free agents in mind as Pittsburgh heads into one of the most critical offseason this franchise has faced.