Free agency is just around the corner, and everyone loves a good bargain. The Steelers are no exception to this rule. For a long time, all they would try to bring in was cheap and budget-free agents with the hope of them excelling on a new team.
While we get the occasional big signing, this team still values a good deal.
Last year, we saw the team target DeShon Elliot on a cheap contract to start at strong safety. Pittsburgh still loves their veteran benefit deals, as evident with Russell Wilson and Van Jefferson, both starters last year on minimum contracts.
While this free agency class should have a notable name or two given the money the Steelers have to spend, you better believe there will still be value signings.
While the offense should have some money spent on it this year, these four names could be great second-wave targets and should be had on the cheap. The Steelers would be wise to target these four budget offensive free agents.
Pittsburgh Steelers budget free agents to target in 2025
Kelvin Beachum, OT
Even most casual fans should remember Kelvin Beachum’s stint with the Steelers. An undersized tackle taken in the seventh round, Beachum defied the odds and became a quality starting tackle for this team. Injuries opened the door for Alejandro Villanueva to take over, but Beachum has maintained his high level of play elsewhere.
While he never found a consistent home, he has been viewed as a viable starter on the right or left side of the line everywhere he has played. Most recently with the Cardinals, he has spent a handful of years as the starter as well as the emergency swing tackle.
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Given his age, that is ideally the role he would play here. The Steelers have two pedigree but unproven tackle options, so they need someone to back them up and push them. Beachum can do both, and if either falters, he can still hold his own as a starter.
Because he is so old, no team will likely view him as their planned starter, so his value should come in low. He played on the minimum last year, and I’m assuming his next deal comes in somewhere around there or slightly higher. For the value and experience he brings though, it would be a deal well worth doing.
Robert Hainsey, IOL
Sticking with the offensive line, the starters are set on paper right now, as the two young tackles will get their chance to start while the interior will return the starters from last season. That said, depth is always needed, and specifically, someone who can play center.
Robert Hainsey is just that. Initially a starter with the Buccaneers, he has been phased out of the lineup in favor of a backup role. He hasn’t played that bad though, so his value as a versatile backup is certainly there.
Given his experience, he can also push for some guard snaps. While Mason McCormick will enter the offseason as the presumed starter, competition is always needed. Even if Hainsey couldn’t win a job there, he would be the next man up and provide the team with a better backup center.
Oh, and let's not forget that the Steelers had pre-draft interest in him coming out of Notre Dame and he grew up locally. Add all of this in and I think we could see Hainsey come to the team on a short-term deal at an inexpensive cost.
Josh Palmer, WR
While all of the talk is about adding a big-name receiver in free agency or the draft (or both), the fact of the matter is an Arthur Smith offense struggles to feed two top receivers, instead favoring one dominant name and a few other middling options.
If George Pickens is kept, that means paying big money for a receiver two is hard to justify. You certainly can sign a top name, but you may not get that elite production from them.
What you could do instead is plan to add a young receiver early in the draft and sign a competent number two receiver like Josh Palmer. He has been a steady presence for the Chargers over the past four seasons, and he isn’t expected to garner a lot of attention in free agency given some of the bigger names available.
Signing him keeps Pickens as your top guy, and provides you with a capable number two if need be, or he can serve as the third target if a top prick is added. He brings all of this and he shouldn’t cost much in an inflated receiver market.
Javonte Williams, RB
The Steelers are most likely set to lose Najee Harris in free agency, and the plan seems to be to build the run game around Jaylen Warren. This will mean that they want a few names behind him to keep him fresh. Among the free agent options, Javonte Williams could be a slam-dunk addition.
Williams was an explosive and hard-to-tackle player in school and looked the part when he entered the league four seasons ago. Unfortunately, an injury in his second season zapped a lot of his speed and agility over the past two years, causing his stats to slip.
We saw last year just what happens when a running back gets healthy. J.K. Dobbins was signed for a minimum contract by the Chargers and, finally healthy, had a great season. Williams isn’t a sure thing to repeat that success, but if the price is right, I’m willing to gamble on that.
While some are speculating that this running back free agency class will come in a little hot, I can’t see Williams fetching a big price given how deep this draft class is. He may cost more than the minimum, but adding him on the cheap gives you a potential rebound candidate.