Day one of the negotiating period of pending free agents has begun around the NFL on Monday. After 12 P.M. Eastern time, pending free agents were allowed to start negotiating deals outside their current employer for new deals. It has been a lackluster start to the free agent frenzy for the black and gold upon writing this article.
They have missed out on some key positions to either add or re-sign to this point in the offseason. Free agency normally goes to the highest bidder, but we have seen discounts taken for a multitude of reasons. The Steelers have a ton of work in front of them, especially with the kind of news that has been coming out with free agents flying off the board.
Omar Khan is not doing enough for the Steelers as an alleged "cap guru" thus far
One of the most talked about things when Omar Khan was going for the General manager position with Pittsburgh were his cap skills. He was a reliable asset to Kevin Colbert as the club found different ways to keep competitive clubs together. There seems to be issues out the gate as Khan seemingly has not been able to open up cap space, despite obvious avenues to accomplish that task.
Free agents normally cost a pretty penny, and the Steelers do not have much cap room to work with right now. Even though there is a small chunk of spending money, this team could open up a lot more with varying restructures and terminations of contracts currently on the roster. Hopefully there is still a plan in place, but the start to day one has fizzled out.
Sticking with Mitch Trubisky despite some potentially cheaper options is a bold choice
Blind loyalty is something that the black and gold love to include in their business model. That could be said with Mitch Trubisky to an extent as he currently enters his final season under contract with the black and gold. He was signed in free agency last year, but his cap hit could have made him a casualty so the club could target other players during the signing period.
Another issue was the displeasure that Trubisky voiced to the club after the season concluded. Only words of support were handed out by the organization to the pricey backup quarterback. He is not the worst backup option that the club could have, but they could have always looked at cheaper options out there. Some names that could have been interesting are Garner Minshew, Taylor Heinicke, and Jacoby Brissett.
Backups are not going to be as good as your starters in ideal circumstances when you dissect an NFL roster. There could be some options out on the current market that would come at half the price of what Trubisky is currently costing the team. Saving money and applying it elsewhere seems like a better choice rather than sticking with this player as the primary backup behind Kenny Pickett.
Staying quiet on the linebacker front could be a problem for the Steelers
There are plenty of starting caliber inside linebackers on the free agency market, but it is not looking great. The Steelers seem to be sticking with Myles Jack as one of their starters, despite him costing a boatload against the cap. A multitude of upgrades litter the free agency pool currently and the black and gold seem to be content with standing idly by.
Mark Robinson showed some positive moments toward the end of last season after getting an elevated role on defense. That small sample size should not make the club comfortable enough with walking into next season with only Jack and Robinson as the starters. Adding another top dog in free agency and drafting a player at the position seems like the best chance for success.
T.J. Edwards seemed like a logical free agent to target for the Steelers to upgrade at the middle of their defense. He signed a fair deal with the Chicago Bears when you compare him to what other top linebackers are getting at his position. Pittsburgh should have shown interest in that player, but the good news is there are plenty of linebackers still out there. The slow start to free agency has given the Steelers a chance to compete in this market, but they cannot stand by and wait for others to act.
Letting Cam Sutton walk away and sign elsewhere could prove costly in the secondary
It did not take long for Cam Sutton to find a new home on the open market as it was announced that he will sign with the Detroit Lions. His new deal will pay him handsomely over a three-year period. Many thought the Steelers should have poured all their efforts into re-signing Sutton, but for one reason or another, that thought never became reality.
He will be moving out and leaving an even bigger hole to fill than what the black and gold were experiencing before. Sutton leaving pushes cornerback to the top of the list when it comes to the needs that this club has to address this offseason. There are plenty of free-agent cornerbacks out there unsigned currently, so keep your eye on what the Steelers due to address Sutton's departure.
Plenty of people that cover the Steelers have speculated that the club will likely try to sign a free agent and draft at the position as well. It makes sense as the only "top" cornerbacks on the roster right now are Levi Wallace, Ahkello Witherspoon, and Arthur Maulet. Rock Ya-Sin is a name that keeps populating with the Steelers early into the free agency process, but he will not be an upgrade over what Sutton brought this team.