The Steelers still have holes to fill on their roster before the draft, and these six free agents would make a lot of sense for the team moving forward.
While the Steelers have done a decent job of filling most of their major needs before the draft, they are still missing a few positions as of this writing. With the intention of this draft seemingly focused on landing a top quarterback, making sure the other needs are already filled gives this team more flexibility with what they can do with their draft picks.
Here are the five free agents the Steelers could sign to fill a need before the draft.
Steelers could sign Beasley
There are two major needs on this team, and both will be discussed in this post. The first of the two is a slot receiver, as the loss of J.J. Smith-Schuster will certainly be felt by this team. That said, Cole Beasley has been one of the more consistent slot receivers for the past ten seasons and he finds himself as a free agent after the Bills cut him.
While he is a slot-only option, Beasley uses a variety of routes and soft hands to make himself a dependable target for his quarterback. He won’t stretch the field, but he can attack the short middle and come up with critical yards when called upon. He would instantly be the best slot receiver on this team if he were signed.
Despite playing on a decent-sized contract last year, odds are Beasley would sign a shorter and cheaper deal given his age. While some may say that at 32 Beasley is far too old to be a target, adding a veteran to this locker room would be a good thing. Beasley would provide just that as well as serve as the team’s primary slot receiver until someone else could step up.
Steelers could sign Cohen
A name that has made a lot of sense for the team in recent weeks is former Mitchell Trubisky teammate Tarik Cohen. Cut this offseason after two seasons of being limited by an ACL tear, Cohen was once a dynamic threat out of the backfield. He could do damage as a runner, a pass-catcher from the backfield, and even split out as a slot receiver.
While not a complete starter by any means, Cohen excels at being a reserve option and a situational player. Get the ball in his hands, however you can, and watch him make plays. For a team that allowed Najee Harris to touch the ball 381 times, finding a capable player to spell him is a must. Cohen would provide just that, as he can be called upon for a few drives a game as well as provide a faster running option than Harris.
Given his lack of play over the past two seasons and the general value, or lack thereof, of running backs in the league. Cohen could likely be had for at or close to the minimum. The value he would provide as a backup would be immense, as he could handle a sizable load as a reserve and help keep Harris fresh. While Harris can and should be used heavily, finding someone to spell him and provide injury insurance is a must. Cohen provides that in spades and his unique playstyle makes him a great fit for what this team needs.
Steelers could sign Collins
The Steelers have a clear and obvious need at safety, and Landon Collins would fill that need. Collins is an efficient box safety that can play the run well but struggles in general coverage. Why he is higher on this list though is due to his more consistent play to this point. He has been on the field far more regularly and maintained a more consistent play than Neal.
Collins was, at one point, seen as one of the best safeties in the league. This led to him signing a mega-contract with the Commanders, a deal he never lived up to. While his play was never horrible, he regressed in coverage when he was the focus of the secondary and as a result, he was limited to being mostly just a box safety.
Now a free agent, Collins would do well on a short deal to groom the team’s next strong safety option that they draft. He should garner more money than the minimum, but it won’t be astronomical. Collins fits what the team wants in their strong safety, and while a little older, he should still have enough juice in the tank to be effective for a season or two.
Steelers could sign Young
The Steelers already added a new face and brought back a familiar one in the cornerback room in Levi Wallace and Ahkello Witherspoon. The issue is that they are both outside starters, and based on the team’s draft focus, a slot cornerback could be on the table. If they wanted to avoid the position in the draft though, Tavon Young would make a lot of sense.
The former Raven has been one of the league’s best slot cornerbacks when healthy. Last season he was a regular force in that secondary as both a coverage option and a run defender. His play is similar to Mike Hilton, as both are feisty players who play bigger than their size. The main difference between the two is that Young is better in coverage while Hilton is the better run defender.
The main issue with Young has been his health. He has missed two complete seasons so far and barely played in another because of lingering injuries. That said, with Tre Norwood and even Cam Sutton capable of playing inside, adding Young despite his injury concerns can be worked with. He makes a lot of sense, especially if the team wants a player similar to what Hilton provided.
Steelers could sign Landry
As mentioned with Beasley, a slot receiver is the team’s biggest offensive need at this point. One of the better slot receivers over the past five seasons was released by the Browns this offseason, and he would make a lot of sense for the Steelers to sign. Jarvis Landry has been a dependable and consistent receiving threat for years and he would function well as the team’s slot receiver.
What Landry does well is making the tough catch and gaining a consistent number of yards. No, he isn’t going to stretch the field every play. He doesn’t have the straight-line speed to do that. What he can do though is attack the middle of the field and pick up tough yards. He won’t be a dynamic big-play threat, but he is a dependable and consistent target over the middle of the field.
The main issue with Landry maybe his self-evaluation. Reports surfaced that the veteran wants 20 million a season, which is far too much, especially in a deep receiving class. Assuming he was willing to sign for a more reasonable price, Landry would make a lot of sense for this roster. He would be an instant solution in the slot and give whatever rookie receiver is drafted proper time to develop before seeing the field.
The Steelers still have some major holes before the draft begins. While the team could bank on filling all of these needs in the draft, it would make more sense to fill them with a veteran beforehand. That way, the team has some flexibility of who they can draft or move up for once it is their turn to pick. Keep an eye on these five players, as they would be great additions to this roster.