Budget free agents the Pittsburgh Steelers need to target in 2023

Steelers could bring in former draft crush Jabrill Peppers

It really looked like the Steelers were going to pick Jabrill Peppers in the 2017 draft. The team was all over him in the pre-draft process, and they had a need at safety. Peppers ended up going to Cleveland, and Pittsburgh settled for some guy named T.J. Watt. Peppers’s career hasn’t been bad, but it has been a very up-and-down one as of late.

After an injury-riddled 2021 season, Peppers signed with the Patriots and played in more of a reserve role. Bringing him in now is a low-risk move, as his contract likely won’t be high, but you are banking on him getting back to form as a player. Before this stint, he was among one of the better strong safeties in the league.

If he were brought in, he could play at his traditional safety spot. If the team adds other names there, Peppers can serve as the third safety while also taking snaps as a hybrid box defender. He was known for his versatility coming out of school, and the Steelers could try to recapture some of that on a cheap deal this offseason.