5 free agents the Steelers should consider after the 2022 NFL Draft
By Tommy Jaggi
Steelers should pursue DL Akiem Hicks
The Steelers should be getting back Tyson Alualu for the 2022 season and they added DeMarvin Leal in the third round this year, but there are still many question marks around the interior defensive line. The most notable is the pending status of Stephon Tuitt.
When he played a full season in 2020, Tuitt was fantastic. The long, powerful defensive lineman earned 11.0 sacks, 10 tackles for a loss, and 25 quarterback hits in 15 games (healthy scratch in Week 17), but he sat out the 2021 season after dealing with injuries and the tragic loss of his younger brother.
Kevin Colbert still hasn’t given a definitive answer as to whether or not Tuitt will be returning, but it’s not looking overly encouraging at the moment. Akiem Hicks is a mammoth defensive lineman who is still a solid athlete for his size. Though his production has dipped as he entered his 30s, he could be a solid stop-gap option if Tuitt is not planning to return.
Hicks would help a run defense that ranked 32nd in the NFL last year in both yards surrendered and yards allowed per attempt. His market value is estimated at just $5.5 million per season, according to Spotrac.com, but the Steelers might be able to get him cheaper because of how long he has been on the market.