The expectation was for this free agency class to help stabilize the Steelers. While some have done their part, others have fallen flat and have hurt this team. In a year of poor play overall despite okay results, this once-praised free agency class is looking like more bark than bite.
With the season heading into its second half, I wanted to adjust my grades for the group. Things have trended slightly down overall from my initial reaction to the news, but some names have been pleasant surprises. Here are my updated grades for the Steelers 2023 signings.
The Steelers low-level deals
Composite Grade: A
Important to note that I am not grading any player who re-signed with the team this offseason. While those grades aren’t great either, I wanted to focus on the new faces this team brought in as opposed to the familiar ones they decided to keep.
This first grade is anyone who received a veteran minimum deal with the team. These are hard to grade negatively, as these deals don’t risk a lot. Even for a name like Le’Raven Clark, who didn’t make the team, he provided an extra body during camp to work with. He doesn’t negatively impact the cap, so no harm is done. The same goes for Breiden Fehoko, who has yet to register a defensive snap but won’t be graded harshly given his contract.
Where this group shines is at linebacker. The team added Markus Golden and Kwon Alexander late in the offseason on minimum deals, and both have been impact players. Golden has provided the team with a stable third edge rusher and Alexander is in line for a starting role due to injuries. Both have been great depth and served valuable roles, and because of that, this group as a whole ranks highly.
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Steelers grade for Keanu Neal
Grade: C-
I really went back and forth here for Keanu Neal, as his contract isn’t anything significant, but his play also hasn’t moved the needle that much. While expecting big things out of the hybrid player was foolish, the hope was for him to fill the role of box defender about as well as Terrell Edmunds did previously.
He has been able to fill that void and has tried to provide a physical presence for this defense. He has been a steady contributor on defense and has graded out favorably. He isn’t an every-down defender, but he has a clear role on this team, and given his price tag, it’s hard to be mad at what this team has been given.
The main issue has been missed tackles. Neal has struggled to wrap up and bring players down, a needed trait when playing the role of a box defender. That said, this tracks with his previous rates, as Neal has never been a great tackler. That isn’t an excuse, but it means that we shouldn’t have expected a sudden sharp turnaround from the veteran.
All of this considered, I think a low C is a fair score. His contract is cheap, and he has a consistent role on the defense. He lacks any big plays though, and his missed tackles have been an issue. There has been nothing to brag about, but it hasn't been a complete disaster either.
Steelers grade for Isaac Seumalo
Grade: B
The proverbial crown jewel of the Steelers' free agency class, the team once again paid out substantial money for a guard. Isaac Seumalo was viewed as one of the premier offensive linemen in this group, and to see him come over to Pittsburgh was a mild surprise. The hope was that he and James Daniels would help this team accomplish their bully ball dreams.
Things have not been that cut and dry, unfortunately. Seumalo started off the season on a cold streak, as he struggled to play anywhere close to the level he had played at while with the Eagles. The entire line was a mess, and while Seumalo wasn’t the worst offender, it wasn’t great seeing your prized possession struggle like he was.
Since then, Seumalo has progressively gotten better, building on some consistent performances and looking more like the stud that he was a year ago. He still hasn’t been elite, which is what this team envisioned with him and James Daniels leading the way through the interior of this line.
Not a huge blow to him, but it is curious that Kevin Dotson, the player Seumalo replaced, has gone on to be one of the best guards in the league this season. That is far more tied to scheme and coaching, but an interesting point either way.
Because of the lack of elite play overall and the struggles early on, I can’t grade Seumalo that high. He seems to be getting a little better each game though, the guards have been a highlight of this offense as of late. It was a good signing, just not as good as many had hoped for.
Steelers grade for Elandon Roberts
Grade: C+
Elandon Roberts was a weird signing for this team in the offseason. As the Steelers purged their linebacker room, Roberts was brought in to help restore some of the physicality that this group had lost. Never a great coverage linebacker, Roberts had a clear role with limited upside.
He has met expectations by all accounts. He has served as a base defense linebacker that can aggressively fill gaps and blow up runs. This defense hasn’t had that since Vince Williams, and that energy has been a welcomed addition. His coverage skills have been lacking, but that was expected, and this defense has schemed around him on passing downs.
My issue when he was brought in was his cost. While another cheaper addition, the linebacker market as a whole was rather cheap. While Roberts was a good schematic addition, a player with his limitations costing as much as he does is a harder pill to swallow. I still think he is a tad overpaid given his ability.
I’ll be curious to see how his role expands in the coming weeks. While Kwon Alexander is the primary beneficiary to the injuries in the room, Roberts will also likely see an uptick in snaps. While slightly overpaid, it is hard to be that upset with this deal halfway through the season.
Steelers grade for Nate Herbig
Grade: D
Four million a season for a backup guard seemed like a lot at the time. There was some initial hope that he could contend to start, but Seumalo was quick to clear that idea up. Even then, Nate Herbig was supposed to be this talented depth piece that could keep the interior together in case of an injury.
That hasn’t really been the case so far. While Herbig has been listed as depth at all three interior spots, he has only had the chance to play right guard so far this season. In those limited snaps, he hasn’t looked that good, and his pass-protecting in particular has been disappointing. With the interior healthy again, Herbig has been sent back to the bench.
What has been even more disappointing is his lack of ability as a center. While the plan was for Mason Cole to once again be the starter there, he hasn’t played particularly well. As a highly-paid backup, you would like Herbig to at least be able to push Cole. Instead, there hasn’t been any interior competition, as Herbig's play when called upon doesn’t warrant that.
While not a huge deterrent, I will once again point out that Dotson looks like a star in Los Angeles right now. He would also have been a cheaper backup to boot. Herbig really hasn’t provided much, and when he has been called upon, his play has been lackluster. It is hard to be thrilled with this move as of now.
Steelers grade for Cole Holcomb
Grade: B-
Unfortunately, this grade will likely have to remain this way for the rest of the year, as Cole Holcomb is likely to be lost for the remainder of the season following a freak injury. While some have attributed this to him being “injury-prone”, getting kicked in the leg on a play by your teammate and seemingly snapping your leg isn’t something you can avoid easily.
On the bright side, this looked like a good addition to the team before the injury, as Holcomb was a steady presence on defense. Perhaps it was due to the lackluster play at the position before, but Holcomb was a breath of fresh air. He communicated well and played the run efficiently. Not a great coverage option, he at least held his own.
Like Roberts, Holcomb does get slightly dinged due to his contract, as I believe he is overpaid. T.J. Edwards received a similar contract from the Bears and has been a force once again. That said, this isn’t the end of the world, and having a stable linebacker is worth the slight overpay.
Holcomb was a better-than-expected addition to this roster before his injury. While he may be slightly expensive given his talent, he has been a stabilizing force in the linebacker room. It will be nice to have a consistent and stable face there even if he is recovering from an injury for the rest of this year.
Steelers grade for Patrick Peterson
Grade: D-
I was a skeptic of this deal when it was initially announced. Patrick Peterson has been a great player during his career, but he is at the tail end of his career. There was also the expectation of him filling the versatile role that Cameron Sutton had. Peterson was never a fixture in the slot, so it was a questionable fill, to say the least.
The results have been poor as well. Despite consistently talking a big game, Peterson has looked like a shell of his former self at the position. His speed is declining, which has made him a problem on the boundary. He hasn’t been great inside as well, and his overall play has just been middling.
Given the expected impact and size of his contract, the Peterson deal has been a bad one. To add insult to injury, Sutton has continued to shine since joining the Lions. Peterson hasn’t lived up to expectations, and he has looked like a below-average starter for the majority of his first year with the Steelers.
Despite a decent-looking group on paper, the Steelers free agent class hasn’t lived up to expectations. Slightly overpaid and struggling in some aspects, this group has failed to live up to expectations to this point.