The Steelers have been overly active in free agency, but these three budget players would be savvy additions before the draft.
The Steelers have used their unusual abundance of resources well so far this offseason. Most of their major needs have been filled and this roster looks surprisingly complete compared to how it did a few weeks ago. That said, there are still some issues and holes that need to be addressed on this team before the draft.
Steelers need flexibility
While the Steelers will surely add more talent in the draft, having a relatively complete roster beforehand will be key. All signs currently point to this team targeting a quarterback early in this draft. There is a real chance a trade-up occurs, which means having a filled roster is even more important. This team isn’t flush in draft capital, so making the most of limited picks will be a must.
There appear to be three holes still left on this roster. While the team could bank on filling those needs only through the draft, not being forced to select a certain position has its benefits. Thus, adding these budget-free agents before the draft commences is a must. While these players won’t be huge names or play vital roles, they will be key in giving this team draft flexibility.
These names may not be the most expensive or could be counted on long-term, but these three cheap free agents would be great depth pieces for this roster before the draft.
Steelers should sign Wilson
While losing three receivers was a blow for this offense, the team will almost certainly retool this position sooner rather than later. In a perfect world, the Steelers would land both a legitimate deep threat and a capable slot receiver in the draft but allocating two draft picks to receivers would be quite the expense. Finding a capable slot receiver before the draft opens the door to different receiving options.
Albert Wilson is a smaller, faster slot option than what the team possessed before. He has never been a major factor in an offense, but he is a capable slot option that can also stretch the field. On top of this, he can take shorter passes and win after the catch. Wilson can run any major route needed and can function both as a big-play threat and a safety valve.
He is coming off a relatively quiet season. On top of that, the receiver pool in the draft is insanely deep, further adding to his decrease in value. He could likely be had for close to the minimum if signed. This would allow the Steelers to look at either a typical slot receiver if needed or a deep threat. This means that the team can open up their options in the draft at receiver.
Steelers should sign Neal
A name that makes a lot of sense for the team, a former safety, turned linebacker, and now back to safety, Keanu Neal checks a lot of boxes off. He was a first-round pick for the Falcons a few seasons ago and the Steelers had pre-draft interest in Neal. Now a free agent again, the box safety would be a cheap option to start while a rookie developed.
Neal was once seen as an up-and-coming strong safety and a pioneer of the hybrid safety/linebacker role for a defense. Injuries derailed his last few years with the Falcons before he tried to completely transform himself into a linebacker. The results weren’t great, thus his decision to return to his more natural safety role is a logical one.
While there is some inherent risk in banking on Neal to be a starter, he should be cheap enough to warrant that risk. He may get more than the minimum, but it won’t be by much. It seems like the Steelers are out on most of the bigger safety names left on the market, but Neal could provide a realistic budget option for the team. There is little reason to believe that he can’t play similarly to how he did earlier in his career.
Steelers should sign Cohen
One of the more underrated needs of this team is a backup running back. While Najee Harris is obviously the lead back and a focal point in this offense, having a capable backup that can give him some rest will prolong his career. Harris won’t be able to survive handling 350 plus touches a season for long. Finding a complementary change of pace back would make this offense that much better.
With draft capital thin, signing someone should be the preferred option right now. A name that makes a lot of sense for a variety of reasons is Tarik Cohen. The former Bears back is a hybrid runner/receiver that can make big plays from all over the field. He was injured for all of last season which led to his release this offseason, but his dynamic play would be a welcomed addition to this backfield.
While he can use his speed to bust open a big play at any time, he is also a potent receiver. He can be effective on screens and even play some in the slot if need be. He has a good history with Mitchell Trubisky on top of all this, making him an even more interesting fit into this offense. Assuming he was willing to play for the minimum this season to recoup his value, the Steelers have to be all over bringing Cohen onto this roster.
The Steelers have aggressively filled most of their needs already, but there are some holes that should be addressed before the draft occurs. These three names in particular make a lot of sense as budget options that would fill a need. Keep an eye on these names as the offseason turns away from free agency and heads toward the draft.