6 free agency deals the Steelers missed out on during 2022
By Andrew Falce
Steelers missed on Jackson
It is rare to point to one of the top deals in free agency and call it a good value, but that is just what the Chargers got when they inked J.C. Jackson to his new deal. Despite three extremely impressive seasons as arguably the league’s best cornerback, Jackson signed for far less than most anticipated. Many expected him to get close to 20 million a season, yet he only signed for 16.5.
The Steelers are lacking a top cornerback. While Levi Wallace and Ahkello Witherspoon are great options on the cheap, neither are in the same realm of talent that Jackson is. Jackson is one of the best man coverage corners in the league and he has been for a while now. Add in his insane ability to take the ball away and Jackson was worth a mega-contract.
While 16.5 million dollars a season is a steep price, for an elite cornerback, it isn’t that bad. The Steelers could have structured the deal to keep his first-year cap hit to be reasonable. Even if they had to give him a little more per season to keep his total guarantees down, Jackson would have been a no-brainer signing for a team lacking a top cornerback, especially when you consider the price he signed for.
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The Steelers had an active and eventful free agency, and while they added some needed talent, there were deals still left on the table. These six moves in particular would have greatly helped the roster get ready for a new age of football in Pittsburgh. It seems like, right now, the Steelers missed out on these six free agency deals.