7 available free agents Steelers could sign before Week 1

In one fell swoop, the Pittsburgh Steelers cut their roster down to 53 players and filled out their 16-man practice squad ahead of Week 1. But there's still work to be done. A handful of names at the bottom of the roster leave a dissatisfying taste in our mouths and there's still room to upgrade.

Mike Tomlin and general manager Omar Khan probably aren't making a blockbuster trade unless something drastic happens, but there are still some quality free agents and practice squad players the Steelers could poach to strengthen their roster before their Week 1 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.

QB Ryan Tannehill

Do the Steelers need a backup to their backup? You never know. In 2023, Pittsburgh deployed all three quarterbacks on their roster, and their third-string QB ended up being the most efficient of the group.

I don't envision that being the case here, but injuries can strike fast (as the Steelers have already witnessed on their offensive line). If push came to shove, I'd have a lot more confidence in Ryan Tannehill than Kyle Allen. Tannehill may be waiting for teams to come calling when injuries strike, but Pittsburgh should be the first to call. Tannehill has been connected to the Steelers thanks to his relationship with offensive coordinator, Arthur Smith.

WR Tim Patrick

It's hard to say I've got a lot of confidence in a player who missed the past two seasons with major injuries. After sustaining an ACL tear that caused him to miss the 2022 season, Tim Patrick suffered a ruptured Achilles during Denver's 2023 training camp.

Though his last appearance in a regular-season game came in 2021, Patrick was an incredibly reliable and efficient receiving option for the Broncos when he played. At 31 years old and two major injuries later, Patrick may not be the same player, but the 6'4'' receiver is worth poaching from the Lions' practice squad for a spot on the Steelers' active roster.

OG Matt Feiler

Inexperience on the offensive line could be an issue for the Steelers early in the season. Mike Tomlin feels the need to play Broderick Jones out of position, while Isaac Seumalo sustained a pectoral injury and will miss time early in the season.

The Steelers plan to roll with unproven swing offensive lineman Spencer Anderson at left guard. If that experiment fails, they could turn to rookie Mason McCormick. Having a veteran who played with Pittsburgh in the room isn't a bad idea. Matt Feiler isn't a special player, but he started 79 of 91 games -- most of which came as a left guard.

C Will Clapp

Speaking of offensive line injuries, the Steelers are putting a lot of faith in Zach Frazier's ability to stay healthy. After Nate Herbig went down for the season, Pittsburgh did nothing to replace his spot on the team. Instead, third-string center Ryan McCollum received a promotion.

Pittsburgh is now one Frazier injury away from inserting a player into the starting lineup who doesn't have any business being on an NFL roster. Will Clapp is a name in free agency who has experience and could be a stop-gap starter at center if push comes to shove.

OT Chris Hubbard

If the Steelers won't move Dan Moore's stubborn butt over to right tackle because he claims he's not good over there, then find a backup who could play right tackle in a pinch. Former Steeler and long-time NFL OT Chris Hubbard has loads of experience starting at right tackle.

Adding a swing tackle like Hubbard would give Pittsburgh the flexibility to move Broderick Jones back to his natural position at left tackle. Meanwhile, rookie Troy Fautanu could start at right tackle. Moore could be the backup to Jones and Hubbard could be the backup to Fautanu. It's a better plan than what the team has going for them at the moment.

EDGE Tyus Bowser

Tyus Bowser never lived up to lofty expectations as a second-round pick of the Ravens in the 2017 NFL Draft, but part of this is because he was playing out of position. When they moved him to the edge rusher position, Bowser had a seven-sack season in 2021. Unfortunately, he ruptured his Achilles nine games into the 2022 season and hasn't played an NFL game since.

Bowser is ready to make his NFL comeback, and he'll sign for the veteran minimum at this point. The former Raven has loads of special teams experience, and the Steelers don't have a fourth outside linebacker on their team. Bowser is a perfect scheme fit, and if the medicals check out, this would be a solid addition to their roster.

CB Tre Herndon

The Steelers need a slot cornerback, and they are unlikely to find the answer on their current roster. Undrafted rookie Beanie Bishop is expected to earn the first crack at the role, but he's completely unproven and is coming off an unspectacular preseason.

Though I'm cautiously optimistic about Pittsburgh's cornerback depth, I like the players better covering the boundaries than the slot. Meanwhile, Tre Herndon has played 83 games and has made 34 starts since 2018 for the Jaguars. He's not the solution to all their problems, but he has tons of experience playing nickel cornerback, which is more than we can say about anyone on the current Steelers roster.