Steelers potential free agent targets after massive Patrick Peterson signing

Leighton Vander Esch could be a top name to watch for at linebacker

Middle linebacker might be one of the biggest question marks in the past couple of years for Pittsburgh. For one reason or another, this club has not been able to find solutions to its problems when it comes to the position. The good news is that free agency has been a buyers’ market when it comes to the current deals being signed by free agents to this point in the process. The bad news is that the Steelers have not shown a ton of interest as of now.

That interest could be shrouded in secrecy currently as they try and work their magic and pull off some interesting deals. They pulled that off with Patrick Peterson, and nobody had him on the black and gold's radar before it was announced. Adding a player that could either start or provide a depth role with prior starting experience needs to be the top priority during free agency.

Pittsburgh should consider signing Leighton Vander Esch sometime soon. We know that the team showed a lot of interest in him during his draft year, but he was selected well before the Steelers could take him. Vander Esch has had an up and down career as he dealt with injuries early on. His past two seasons have shown why he was a first round pick and how effective he can be as a starting linebacker in the NFL.