News has been breaking as Omar Khan keeps his busy offseason chugging along. This is his first offseason as the general manager of the Steelers, and he has made it an exciting time to be a fan of the team. They have been busy yet again with recent free agent visits and other rumors surrounding the organization.
It was announced in recent days that Ahkello Witherspoon was released from the team, and Mitch Trubisky would be signing an extension with the black and gold. That should open a good chunk of cap space for Pittsburgh to work with before training camp opens. One would have to imagine that this team is not done adding to its roster. and free agency will be the place to monitor from here on out.
Adding bodies to the secondary with a known veteran would boost the roster
Even though it is getting late into the talent acquisition portion of the offseason, there are still quality free agents out there. One name that could help boost the secondary is Troy Hill. He is coming off a long stint of employment with the LA Rams, which saw him have good years and bad years too. He would be a perfect player to push into the slot cornerback role on defense.
Right now, the only true option to play slot corner is Chandon Sullivan. He has a lot of NFL experience there, but his quality of snaps there is not great. Upgrading the position, especially with Arthur Maulet being released in recent weeks would be the best course of action. Hill has a lot of experience in the slot and has produced at a high level before in that role.
Pittsburgh should add another inside linebacker to start on defense
Reports have flooded the timelines of Steelers fans as Kwon Alexander was coming to the steel city for a visit. Things have cooled off on the rumor mill for this club signing him since days have gone by with no word. Normally that spells disaster for any kind of marriage between the team and the free agent that they bring in for a visit.
If a player comes to see the city and leaves without signing a contract, then that normally means nothing will materialize. That could change this time around as Khan has shown the ability to adapt to his circumstances and go against tradition if needed. He has shown his own way of doing things during his short tenure as general manager to this point.
Plenty of free agents were signed to the roster a couple of months ago to try and retool the position on the fly. Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts were the two additions to join the club to earn their starting spots. It seems like the club is not comfortable with their current iteration of depth at the position with known interest in free agents.
Alexander likely won't be a pro bowl level linebacker for the black and gold if he signs there. He would bring a new set of attributes that neither Holcomb nor Roberts currently have on their resume. Alexander is better in coverage and would create a better sense of comfort if he does join the team. Linebacker is still a weak spot on this team and Khan recognizes that.
Signing an experienced EDGE rusher would strengthen the Steelers depth
Things could go ok with the current state of the outside linebacker position on the roster. There are plenty of options that should be able to push for the third and fourth spots that will be projected to make the final roster when it is all said and done. Nick Herbig was a great value in the fourth round, but he should not be heavily relied on.
Other than inside linebacker, the edge rusher position has been rumored to the Steelers in recent weeks. They were not able to add a high pick to either spot on defense, and that has left some areas of improvement for this team. Social media causes a stir just by one post and that has happened recently with a known veteran free agent.
Kyle Van Noy tweeted the "eyeballs" emoji that had his former teammate tagged in the post. Breiden Fehoko was with the LA Chargers last year, which so happens to be the exact same place Van Noy called home. One would have to wonder if the Steelers are showing interest in the outside linebacker position to stabilize the depth behind the starters.
Another veteran edge rusher that could make a lot of sense for Pittsburgh is Marcus Golden. He is getting older, but he would be a great mentor for Herbig and someone that could start if needed. Golden had 11 sacks a couple of seasons ago and should be able to apply pressure to the quarterback when the starters need a breather.
The black and gold should sign a safety that knows the AFC North
Everything is pretty much set for the starting spots at safety for the black and gold right now. Minkah Fitzpatrick is a star for this defense and should continue that trend into this year. Strong safety is where things could become a hindrance in some respects. Terrell Edmunds was overlooked a lot of the time, but he was a steady contributor to this team in recent years.
Edmunds signed with the Philadelphia Eagles during free agency earlier in the offseason. That left a void to fill, and Pittsburgh solved that immediate need by signing Keanu Neal to a short-term contract. He will be the starting safety alongside Fitzpatrick heading into the 2023 season. He provides an option at starter, but there are others still out there.
No, Budda Baker will not be traded to the Steelers, that would be a shocker. He costs too much money and reportedly wants a contract extension sometime soon. That is a luxury that the Steelers cannot afford. However, there are other affordable options out in the open market that could make sense to challenge Neal.
John Johnson III is a respected safety in the AFC North that has played with the Cleveland Browns for the past two seasons. He would be able to join the club and battle for the starting safety spot opposite Fitzpatrick. Iron sharpens iron and having one of these two as a primary backup would be a huge upgrade over the current situation.
Here is a name that keeps populating around the Steelers in free agency
Troy Hill was mentioned in this article as a good fit to sign with the Steelers before training camp starts. Slot corner is probably one of the biggest question marks for this entire roster, at least when it comes to starting positions. Chandon Sullivan cannot be the only answer there and one should assume that Khan has something cooking.
There are a few options out there in free agency that could slide into the slot role on defense and provide an immediate upgrade. Hill is coming off a better season, but it seems like he is starting to decline over the past couple of years. He would still be a better option over Sullivan, but there could be another name that could be better than either.
Keep a close eye on Bryce Callahan during the next couple of weeks leading up to the pre-season process. He is a smart veteran corner that has spent a lot of his career defending passes in the slot. Both he and Hill are around the exact same age with one being a few months older than the other.
Hill would be the guy that has been proven to be a top cover guy in the league before, but Callahan is coming off one of his better seasons in recent years. Neither he nor Hill should cost an arm and a leg to sign. It would be ideal for Pittsburgh to ink either of those two names to bring on board and provide an upgrade for this roster. Otherwise, the slot position will likely be picked on early and often this season.