The black and gold are currently in a cap crunch at the moment. They have more than enough time and options to get a significant amount of cap space over the next month and some change before free agency opens. They will want to invest their money wisely as they hope to not spend too much money this offseason.
With that being said, there is a clear path to make a lot of spending changes for Pittsburgh. Cap casualties will happen for this club just like there will be around the league. Some of those cut players will be interesting free agents for the Steelers to target if or when they become available. These are all projections about potential cap casualties that could become free-agent options this offseason.
Bradley Bozeman could be an interesting cap casualty option at center
One option that could be out there is Bradley Bozeman. He was the starting center for the Carolina Panthers for the past couple of years. Things have not been great in Carolina, and the future seems bleak. A new coaching staff and front office could also provide changes to the roster. Bozeman could be on his way out of Carolina.
The Panthers have plenty of cap space to work with, but they might want to move in another direction. Bozeman didn't have a great season, but he was one of their best offensive linemen on a bad group. Maybe he would benefit from a change of scenery. The black and gold would be a nice landing spot for Bozeman and his career.
Pittsburgh should cut Mason Cole and that opens the door for a replacement at starting center. The Steelers could sign Bozeman on a short-term cheap deal and draft a center high. That way you have experienced and quality depth battling for the starting job. Adding both depth and an upgrade at starting center in the process by adding someone like Bozeman.
Justin Reid would provide an excellent partner for Minkah Fitzpatrick
Another position of need that has gone under the radar has been at safety next to Minkah Fitzpatrick. Maybe it's a luxury to make that upgrade work with money issues, but it's not out of the realm of possibility. There are a couple of options in free agency that might be a fit. Right now, the Steelers have some decisions to make with players currently on their roster.
Both Damontae Kazee and Keanu Neal could be cap casualties of their way. It would save the team roughly five million bucks or more if both were released. That could be used for an upgrade at the position. Free agency has some interesting names to monitor. One could be someone like Terrell Edmunds if both parties are interested in a reunion.
Maybe someone like Justin Reid will be let go by the Kansas City Chiefs this offseason. The Chiefs are up against the cap again as they try and keep their winning window open. Reid just might not be financially feasible to keep around. It could be another Tyrann Mathieu situation that plays out with Reid looking for a new job.
We know the Steelers showed interest in Reid during his draft process. It was also rumored that Pittsburgh showed some form of interest in Reid during his last free-agency stint. It would make sense for both parties and there is a history between the team and player. Could be a nice get, but Reid will likely be in high demand.
Geno Smith is a starting Quarterback that the Steelers could target
Quarterback is going to be a position that is looked at closely this offseason for the Steelers. It seems like free agency won't be a strong market for quarterbacks, but there could be some interesting options to challenge Kenny Pickett. Names like Kirk Cousins, Baker Mayfield, and Russel Wilson will be the top names people demand.
Looking at more realistic options might be the best course of action for the Steelers and temper down what the fans imagine. It might be someone like Ryan Tannehill or maybe even an unexpected cap casualty like Geno Smith. Smith is someone that could see the door shown to him this offseason. It is a realistic possibility.
He has been the starter in Seattle for the past two years. He did a good enough job to stick around and got the league talking after last season where he did an admirable job for Seattle less than a year after trading Wilson at the time. Another area of interest is the connection between Smith's time in West Virginia and the closeness to Pittsburgh that it presented.
Seattle would save 13 million dollars if they let Smith go this offseason. They're in cap troubles of their own and they have a new coaching staff on the way. The Steelers would get a proven veteran guy who can push for the starting spot but also be comfortable as a backup if needed. Smith is a sneaky option for Pittsburgh if he does get cut by the Seahawks.
Mike Hilton could return to Pittsburgh in Free Agency if he becomes available
A reunion in Pittsburgh? Maybe it could become a reality. Mike Hilton left Pittsburgh years ago in free agency and the Steelers have been kicking themselves since. Hilton proved to be much more difficult to replace than Mike Tomlin had thought. Hilton moved to Cincinnati and remains a top-slot cornerback in the league.
Cincinnati has a ton of cap space this offseason, so Hilton may return for at least another year. The issue with that amount of cap space is the number of valued players that are pending free agents. The Bengals will need to re-sign many and reconstruct some of their roster. There are other big contracts on the horizon like Ja'Marr Chase.
Hilton could be on the chopping block if cap space is too sparse. They do have some alternative options that are younger and could play a similar role if Hilton were let go. If he is cut, then a return to the Steelers would be a logical choice for both player and team. The history is there, but it all depends on if Hilton becomes available.
Chandon Sullivan wasn't good in the slot role, even an older version of Hilton will be an upgrade over the current situation. He still has quality play in front of him and the Steelers would like to show interest. This scenario mostly hinges on whether Hilton will be let go or not with the amount of cap space they will have this offseason to work with.
Hunter Renfrow could be a cheap slot receiver option for the Steelers
Both sides of the ball in the slot both at receiver and cornerback have not been good for the Steelers. The offense has been a mixed bag of players that Pittsburgh has tried to throw different bodies at. Chase Claypool, Steven Simms, and Allen Robinson II are just a few names that the black and gold have tried. All of those options have mostly failed.
Now the Steelers are back looking for a slot receiver as Robinson is likely to be a cap casualty himself with a ten-million-dollar savings number if cut. There could be another interesting option available in free agency if the Raiders cut him. There could be many teams interested in Hunter Renfrow.
He started his career strong but has fallen off completely since he got a short-term contract extension. With a new front office and coaching staff, it seems like a good time to find Renfrow a new home. Las Vegas is projected to have nearly 40 million bucks in cap space currently.
They still need to sign plenty of pending free agents that were starters for them this past season, so that money will disappear quickly. It would make sense to move on from Renfrow, especially with how poorly he has been playing lately. He is a nice slot option looking for a bounce-back that the Steelers might be looking for this offseason.