With the Super Bowl teams set, the Steelers should be scouting some potential free agents to sign away from both of these teams.
The Super Bowl is set to take place between the Chiefs and the Eagles, and while the Steelers will be watching from home, they should still have plenty of interest in the game. Beyond this just being the championship game for the NFL, both of these teams represent as the best two teams in the league.
With the Steelers being far from that accolade, targeting some of these pending Super Bowl free agents makes sense. While some of these names will be kept and others will be very expensive, there are quite a few players to keep an eye on. Here are the six pending Super Bowl free agents the Steelers need to consider in the offseason.
Steelers could add Mecole Hardman to a thin receiver room
The Steelers receiver room has become a relatively big weakness for this unit. Despite numerous years of depth at the position, the Chase Claypool trade, while the right move, destroyed the depth at the position. The team needs a few dependable faces and some options that offer different ways to win.
Mecole Hardman hasn’t developed into a premiere receiver like many thought the former second-round pick would, but he has speed, some flexibility on where to play, and likely won’t be an extremely expensive name to sign. He wouldn’t be a prime starter, but he could rotate in for some deep shots while also serving as a returner for this team.
Steelers need a complete linebacker
Easily the biggest weakness for this current Steelers roster, linebacker is full of question marks. The only player locked into a roster spot next year is Mark Robinson, as the rest of the roster is either a free agent or a likely cap casualty. T.J. Edwards has gone from an undrafted rookie to a quality starter and would be a good fit for this defense.
Edwards doesn’t have the prototypical size or speed for the position, but he makes up for it with great instincts as a defender. He is great at coming downhill and filling gaps while also proving to be good at shedding blocks. While not his primary forte, Edwards has gotten better as a coverage linebacker during his Eagles stint.
My main issue with Edwards is going to be his cost. He has been a good, not great, defender for most of his career, but this season he earned his first-ever all-pro. That will likely jack up his price tag, which could make him unaffordable. As well, the Steelers won’t want to get locked into a big contract for a one-year superstar. The Eagles have a better and more budget-friendly linebacker to target.
Kyzir White should be the target instead
While Edwards is regarded as the better pure linebacker, Kyzir White has also put together a strong season. A former safety, White made the move to linebacker with the Chargers where he has thrived as a coverage player. He is essentially the inverse of Edwards, as he has been a steady coverage linebacker that has improved his ability to be an impact run defender over time.
White has been a versatile chess piece since being drafted. A player the Steelers reportedly had a lot of interest in, White ended up with the Chargers, where he quickly became a fixture on their defense. Playing on a great Eagles defense has taken his game to the next level though, as he has become a key reason for their overall linebacker play.
While Edwards is the more highly regarded player right now, White would be cheaper and would finally give this defense a linebacker that can cover. While he isn’t as explosive as a run defender, White can still wrap up securely and make a tackle on any given play. He would give this defense a viable linebacker on a budget though, and that is something that is desperately needed.
Steelers could reunite with Javon Hargrave
A name every Steelers fan should remember, Javon Hargrave, helped make up one of the best defensive lines the Steelers have fielded in recent memory. The small-school prospect wowed Pittsburgh into making him a third-round pick, and he never looked back. While not a traditional nose tackle, he did enough to earn a big money deal with the Eagles three years ago.
Both Hargrave and the Steelers are in very different positions now than what they were during 2020. Hargrave has had three great years with the Eagles, including a Pro Bowl last year and an impressive 11 sacks this season. He is likely set for a big payday as a prime interior player. Pittsburgh’s line, meanwhile, is lacking almost everywhere and is no longer a strength.
Hargrave would likely return as a base nose tackle and a sub-package pass rusher, meaning the Steelers would be able to justify spending big on him this season. That said, there is a good chance Hargrave earns a contract bigger than Cameron Heyward, and Pittsburgh may not be willing to fork that kind of money over. That said, he would be a great reunion target for this defense.
Steelers could get a versatile defensive back
The Steelers have some question marks at safety and slot cornerback, as they have pending free-agent starters at both positions. A great insurance policy for them could be C.J. Gardner-Johnson. The Eagles traded for him late in the offseason after contract talks broke down between him and the Saints, and as of this writing, he hasn’t agreed to a long-term deal yet.
If he becomes a free agent, the Steelers have to be interested. Gardner-Johnson is as versatile as they come, as he can play either safety spot, can play a hybrid linebacker, and can work in the slot. He would be an upgrade as a safety over Terrell Edmunds and could fill in as a slot cornerback if Cameron Sutton departs in free agency.
Adding a true chess piece like that would give this defense both versatility and a boost of talent. Gardner-Johnson has proven himself to be a great fit wherever he plays, and the Steelers would be wise to try and bring him in. He would be a perfect addition to this secondary that can wear a lot of hats for a defense that faces some potential key turnovers.
The Steelers could land a big fish at tackle
One of the best names set to be a free agent this offseason, Orlando Brown has become one of the best linemen in the NFL. A poor athletic showing caused him to tumble down to the third round of the draft, but he quickly established himself as the Ravens right tackle. He flashed on either side though, and a trade to the Chiefs saw him become the primary left tackle.
Brown hasn’t missed a beat there, and given he is still young and the talent is clearly there, Brown will likely be one of the biggest contracts in the offseason. Pittsburgh could use an upgrade at either tackle spot, and Brown would be a plug-and-play mauler for a line that is still needing some talent from being a top unit.
My biggest issue isn’t with Brown as a player, but instead the type of deal he will garner. It will likely be past the 20-million-dollar mark and will be full of guarantees. That screams atypical for a Pittsburgh team that is conservative in free agency, even with bigger names. That said, Brown would be a huge boost for a line that needs to improve this offseason.
The Steelers may not be playing in the Super Bowl, but there is plenty of talent they can be scouting during the big game. Both rosters are filled with talent set to be free agents, and Pittsburgh would be wise to consider signing some of these contenders to their roster this season.