Best free agent bargains still available for the Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers have retooled their roster during the 2024 offseason, but they aren't done yet. Just before the 2024 NFL Draft, Pittsburgh restructured Alex Highsmith's contract, clearing up significant salary cap space.

Apart from signing their rookie class, the Steelers have yet to do anything significant with this cap savings. Now Omar Khan and company sit on $18 million in salary cap space and several roster moves can still be made.

Though the free agent market dried up quickly this offseason, several veterans could step in and play pivotal roles for this team. Here are the four best bargain free-agents the Pittsburgh Steelers should pursue.

Adoree' Jackson, CB

Adoree' Jackson is coming off a down year and is looking for a new home, but this is exactly why the veteran cornerback could sign with the Steelers on a cheap deal. Jackson was a former 18th overall pick in the 2017 NFL Draft who saw good seasons on both the Titans and the Giants.

Jackson has struggled to stay healthy and he hasn't played a full season since 2018. While this could scare Pittsburgh away, they may be willing to take a chance on an athletic cornerback with loads of experience.

Jackson has experience from both the boundary and the slot, but the Steelers could use him as the team's primary slot cornerback. This is arguably the weakest position on the roster.

Though Spotrac.com projects $10.4 million per season for Jackson in new money average, the fact that he's been sitting in free agency for so long could lower the price tag if he wants to land with a team by the summer. The Steelers could ink Jackson to a two-year, backloaded contract that they could get out of in 2025 if things don't go well this year.

Calais Campbell, DL

There aren't many players in the NFL who can cheat 'Father Time' the way that Calais Campbell has, but he somehow continued to impress at age 37 in 2023. Working as a base end for the Atlanta Falcons last year, Campbell impressed with his ability to control the point of attack and defend the run.

Though Campbell wouldn't play on the edge for the Steelers, it would be a nightmare for teams to run the ball against a defensive line that has Cameron Heyward and Calais Campbell next to each other. If this were 2017, this would have been the stuff that dreams were made of.

While he's pushing 38 years old, Campbell isn't retired (yet) and he's considering playing another season in 2024. He just played under Arthur Smith in Atlanta last year. The Steelers should bring another Falcons player aboard.

Tyus Bowser, EDGE

Tyus Bowser was taken in the second round by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2017 NFL Draft thanks to his impressive bend and athletic traits. This never translated to elite success as he was part of a pass rush rotation. Now his fit with the Steelers feels perfect.

Bowser hasn't played football since the Ravens' playoff game against the Bengals on January 15, 2023, and he missed the entire regular season last year. Now it looks like he's finally ready to bounce back from a knee issue and is fully recovered from a previous Achilles tear.

Bowser is 29 years old and will need to prove that he still has juice as a pass rusher after the injuries, but the price is right. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Steelers desperately need another insurance policy at edge defender in the event that T.J. Watt or Alex Highsmith suffers a significant injury. Bowser's skill set makes him an ideal fit.

Bradley Roby, CB

If the Steelers wanted to go with a dirt-cheap option to add another body at slot cornerback, Bradly Roby is an option. Roby is coming off a down season in which he graded out poorly as a member of the Eagles and he's 32 years old. He also suited up for just 9 games last season.

Having said that, Roby has extensive experience in the slot and has played in 135 NFL games. Though he no longer possessed the same 4.39 speed he had coming out of Ohio State back in 2014, he's still quick enough to stay in the hip pocket of slot receivers.

Roby hasn't allowed so much as an 80.0 passer rating when targeted since 2021. Last season, he surrendered just 5.7 yards per target without giving up a touchdown. This equated to a 76.5 passer rating allowed, per advanced stats from Pro Football Reference. Roby would be a stable option and a likely upgrade over what the Steelers have at slot cornerback.