The Steelers have made some noise in free agency but they should continue being aggressive by pursuing some that remain unsigned.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been unusually active in free agency thus far. They have added some names at holes that were lingering on their roster. Their amount of cap space has dried up quickly but that could be changed quickly if the team wished to do so.
The club has options with different contract restructures and releases to get more cap space to spend if they would like. That might not be on anyone’s radar as the team normally would not do something like that in this phase of free agency. It has been an unusual spending spree for this club so never say never until its absolute.
The black and gold have gotten many starters in key roles for this team but there are other needs that must be addressed still. The draft is the likely option for this club to address those needs, but this has been an untraditional offseason thus far. With some remaining free agents and other outside options, this team could still be active.
There have been rumors that Joe Haden is leaving via free agency after he seemingly alluded to it on social media. That makes sense after the team signed both Ahkello Witherspoon and Levi Wallace in free agency. They also saw JuJu Smith-Schuster sign with the Kansas City Chiefs on a one-year deal.
There are still some big-name options out there that could come to Pittsburgh. The team does not have much cap space now so they will need to make some moves with cap-maneuvering. They could address some major needs in free agency before they turn their full attention on the draft.
Steelers should pursue Landry
Jarvis Landry was a cap casualty for the Cleveland Browns after becoming a leader on that team. His former employer has made some crazy moves and now wants to shoot back into contention status. They have been in contact with Landry’s camp with the hope of bringing him back on a cheaper deal.
It is not very common for a player to be cut from his deal and come back for cheaper. Landry is a prideful person and might not want to return right now. He could always imagine the Browns as legit Super Bowl contenders with the addition of Deshaun Watson. In that case, then perhaps he would return to the club.
The Steelers should be on the phone with Landry and his agents as we speak. They desperately need a slot-receiver on this team. Not only do they need someone to dominate the slot like Landry does, but they need a veteran in their positional group.
This free agent would provide that veteran leadership that this team has been missing for a couple of years now. It has been a young and upcoming group for a while without a true leader among the youthful players. This would be a great addition and take away a huge hole on the roster that will need to be addressed in the draft either way.
Steelers should re-sign Edmunds
Terrell Edmunds seems to be one of the last big fish in the free agency pond that the Steelers want to get signed. He has been their starting strong safety for the past four seasons after they took him in the first round. It was a shocking pick then, but they have been able to help develop this player into a solid contributor on their defense.
Minkah Fitzpatrick has voiced his opinion on wanting his safety partner to return to Pittsburgh. It will likely cost some decent money to get this player to return after the club turned down his fifth-year option. Time continues to tick for both the team and player, so it is possible that his market is starting to dry up.
Franchises around the NFL are starting to sign players and that could spell disaster for Edmunds as he looks to cash in. Perhaps as his market depletes, the black and gold will swoop in and lock him up to a new contract. He has been getting better each season and he heads into the prime years of his career.
A shorter-term deal around three years would be solid for this free agent. He would still be young after his new contract concludes and could be brought back on another extension at that point or moved on from. Safety is one of the biggest holes that this team needs to fill before the season begins.
Steelers should pursue Goldman
Eddie Goldman was a cap casualty of the Chicago Bears and could get a decent market. He projects as a nose tackle and the Steelers could be in the market for that. They need some depth and youth in the defensive trenches. This free agent is currently 28 years old and could interest a team like Pittsburgh.
It is possible that the franchise decides to wait until the draft to address the defensive line. Youth infusion seems like the likeliest option but bringing in Goldman would be a huge boost. Right now, Stephon Tuitt’s future is an unknown so bringing in a starter would be huge.
If Tuitt doesn’t return, then there will be depth issues at the position and competition for the starting spot. Goldman would come in and battle for the starting spot and provide tremendous depth at the least. He brings great experience along the defensive front and draft pedigree, being drafted in the second round in 2015.
The Baltimore Ravens have shown interest in this player and that could provide some competition for Pittsburgh. This player would fit perfectly in the AFC North and bring a big improvement in stopping the run. He knows how to stop the opposition’s rushing attack and that would be a big benefit for the black and gold.
Steelers should pursue Beasley
Cole Beasley is another option that Pittsburgh could investigate at the receiver position. They need to find a replacement for JuJu Smith-Schuster in the slot-receiver role. Beasley is a specialist in that spot and has been around the league for years.
He would bring an immediate veteran presence that is missing for this group. He still produces well for his age and doesn’t seem to be slowing down too much. His ability to find the soft spots in the opposition’s coverage and get open is the bread and butter of this free agent’s career.
Mitch Trubisky played with this player during their stints as Buffalo Bills. There is a connection there already, even though Trubisky was the backup quarterback there. Interaction in practice and the safety blanket that Beasley provides is something that could attract the Steelers.
They need someone to come in and do their job without any issues and this free agent would do that. He shouldn’t cost too much and that would be another advantage in this potential marriage. He can play in cold weather and bring a reliable player that has been doing this for a while now. His age could scare some teams away, but he would be a nice fit in the Steel City.
Steelers should pursue Mathieu
Tyrann Mathieu has been demanded to be signed by the Steelers many times over his career. He has always gone elsewhere during his time as a free agent, but fans hope that he finally comes to Pittsburgh. He has chosen both the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs before, but it might be different now.
This free agent will command a good market in free agency so that could cause an issue. He has shown interest in the franchise before on social media, but there have been no legit rumors between the team and this player just yet. The fans are trying to push this deal into reality and there is somewhat of a fit here.
Mathieu is a solid veteran that has some solid playing abilities in his own right. Adding him into this defense with Minkah Fitzpatrick as his safety partner would be special. That would be a great duo in the secondary, but there is somewhat of an issue with this plan.
The biggest concern would be the contract that would have to be shelled out to acquire a player of his stature in free agency. The other issue is this player has not played a ton of strong safety during his NFL career and that is what the black and gold are looking for. This would be a huge splash in the second portion of free agency, but don’t get your hopes up just yet Steelers Nation.
The Steelers have done a great job by filling holes in free agency and the news filtering in is slowing down. They could still add to the club if they want to.