The Steelers have a complete roster full of starting capable players, but these free agents are still interesting options.
The Steelers have been forming a solid roster ever since the 2022 offseason started. They spent a good amount of money during the first wave of free agency before they took a step back. They decided to put a pause on their spending before the draft and see how that event played out.
They got younger and stronger at different positions and now must decide their level of comfort going forward. There are still some question marks on this roster, but the team seems like they could be fine with how things currently sit. Pittsburgh should still consider adding these veteran options in free agency before the season starts up.
The biggest question marks on the team currently are center, cornerback (based on experience at the position), defensive line (because of Stephon Tuitt), and outside linebacker depth. There are still good options out there that could play a nice role for this team. The black and gold only have a little more to spend, but they could find ways of getting some of these players on the roster.
Steelers should consider a veteran at center with J.C. Tretter
J.C. Tretter is kind of a shocker just sitting on the open market. He is still a solid starter at the center position and would be an upgrade over the current options on this team. He would also become the leader in the room for an offensive line that is a very young group.
He was a cap casualty due to the amount of money that the Cleveland Browns needed to acquire a player like Deshaun Watson and sign him to a massive contract extension. Tretter has been one of the best linemen for the Browns in recent seasons, which has become one of the better groups in football. They will miss his experience and leadership in the middle of the trenches.
Ryan Kerrigan could add much-needed depth to the outside linebacker group
Ryan Kerrigan would break the normal mold for the Steelers free agent targets. He is over 30 years old and that could be concerning as his skills diminish. The team has gone away from this thought process of not adding older free agents, especially on cheap and shortened deals.
This would be a good option as Pittsburgh tried to get a nice veteran role player last offseason by adding Melvin Ingram. That experiment ended in an unhappy veteran that demanded a trade from the franchise, which they obliged. Getting Kerrigan would seem to have a different outcome than Ingram.
He is an older player that has not been what he once was. His numbers across a season during his career have been good, but he does show good production all around. This would be a tremendous addition to this defense that needs someone to occasionally come in for their starters.
T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith cannot be on the field all the time and finding a veteran that you can rely on is very important. Kerrigan could be an answer as he can still add some pass rush while also being reliable on run defense. Getting him would strengthen the roster and allow for the coaches to breathe more when Watt and Highsmith need a playoff. There were also rumors of the club’s interest in this player last offseason before he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Steelers need to bring back Joe Haden to compete for a starting spot
Could a reunion with Joe Haden be on the horizon for him and the Steelers? It has not seemed likely ever since the team added Levi Wallace and Ahkello Witherspoon in free agency. There have been a few rumblings that perhaps something like this could formulate at some point.
A lot of this will depend on the different offers that Haden could be mulling over currently. He is at the point in his career where he wants to win a Super Bowl and that probably will not happen in Pittsburgh this year. If a contender would offer him a deal similar or the same as the black and gold would offer, many would assume that he would take the contenders deal first.
Not many people know the market for this veteran cornerback now and it seems very quiet. There are a few rumors or reports being made about Haden and his camp. Some thought that he would have a decent market heading into the initial wave of free agency, but he is still available to sign with any team at any time.
The Steelers should keep calling him and other veteran options at the position. They need reliable players to challenge for starting spots, especially on the outside. Witherspoon and Wallace seem like reliable options, but competition creates better teams. Bringing Haden back to fight for a starting gig and be a reliable depth piece and leader would be a huge benefit to the roster.
Tarik Cohen would be an upgrade behind Najee Harris
Tarik Cohen is an interesting option for the Steelers as they head into the pre-season process. The team did not add anyone to the running back room this offseason besides some undrafted free agents. Perhaps one of the undrafted rookies will surprise us, but the team needs to find a reliable veteran option.
This small back is a shift player that has shown the ability to be a threat both running and catching the ball. He has never been the main back on a team but has done well working as a tandem in an offense. Cohen would only need to show flashes of his ability and give Najee Harris some breaks.
Getting someone that can be a dynamic playmaker on offense while Harris takes a handful of snaps off during a game is very important. It will preserve Harris’s future while also adding a new wrinkle into Matt Canada’s offense. He would be a nice option on a vet minimum contract for this season.
He would provide competition at a couple of spots for this roster in camp. He can play on offense when called upon both in the running and passing game, but he can provide other abilities as well. Cohen has been able to be a return man during his career as well, which the Steelers need to figure out despite signing Gunner Olszewski earlier in the offseason.
The Steelers have a decent roster set in place at the moment, but it could be better. Adding some of these free agents listed above would make their team stronger.