5 free agents the Steelers should aggressively pursue in March
By Tommy Jaggi
Jaylon Johnson, CB
Personally, I'm always in favor of spending huge on one star in free agency rather than piecing out your money to a handful of average stop-gap starters. In fact, this is probably one of the biggest mistakes that the team has made in free agency over the years.
Instead of going after a superstar, the Steelers divvy their spending money out to players like Myles Jack, Mason Cole, Patrick Peterson, and Levi Wallace (the list goes on). They could change that this year with an aggressive play in free agency from Omar Khan and Andy Weidl.
Jaylon Johnson graded out as the number one cornerback in the NFL during the 2023 season, according to Pro Football Focus. He earned a 90.8 PFF grade, accompanied by allowing just a 33.3 passer rating when targeted. There were talks that the Steelers could get aggressive before the Halloween trade deadline during the 2023 season, but the Bears took Johnson off the market.
Chicago is likely going to try to get him back with an extension, and the franchise tag is an option as well. But if he hits the free agent market in March, the Steelers need to pounce. Pittsburgh is desperate for a good CB to pair with Joey Porter Jr. and signing Jaylon Johnson could instantly turn a weakness into a strength.