Every Black Friday, we scour the internet and sales brochures searching for the perfect deal - even if we had no intention of purchasing whatever item we found for 40%-off.
NFL Free Agents don't go on sale, but the Pittsburgh Steelers have long worked to find players at a bargain price. Steelers fans may not always like or agree with the approach, but they certainly like to see players such as James Daniels, Larry Ogunjobi, and even Russell Wilson mesh with the franchise on cheaper deals.
The 2025 offseason will offer the Steelers some interesting opportunities to make positive additions to the roster, but who are the players that the Steelers can potentially target at a premium price? I've looked through the potential free agents for the upcoming offseason to see which players Pittsburgh may be interested in, at the right price.
Chase Young, EDGE
Chase Young's name doesn't carry the same kind of weight as it did when he was the 2nd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Still, it's no secret that Mike Tomlin is a fan.
Young has played the 2024 season on a one-year, $13 million contract, but he's had a relatively quiet campaign. He's tallied just 3.5 sacks and six tackles for loss, so it's not likely he'll command a huge market.
Of course, the Steelers have four quality edge rushers, but between Alex Highsmith's injuries this season, Nick Herbig's emergence, and Preston Smith's contract the Steelers could make a move necessitating the need for another rotational edge rusher.
Young's value is in situational pass-rushing, and being a part of the Steelers' edge rotation provides for blitz package creativity and opens lanes for other talents across the front.
Chris Godwin, WR
The Steelers will enter the 2025 offseason with a huge need at wide receiver. Though they've traded for Mike Williams, drafted Roman Wilson in the second round, and have seen more production out of Calvin Austin III, the offense still lacks a comparable threat to George Pickens on the outside.
As has been the case for far too long, they also lack a veteran presence. For too long players like Diontae Johnson, Pickens, and Austin have lacked position leadership to help them grow as professionals.
Chris Godwin could be available in the free agent market and give the team a boost in both regards. Godwin might not be the cheapest available receiver, but he won't be at the top of the market alongside Tee Higgins. He'll be 29 and coming off a nasty ankle dislocation, so he just might be a bargain based on circumstance.
Jacoby Brissett, QB
It's unclear how the Steelers will approach the quarterback room during the offseason. They could re-sign Russell Wilson and Justin Fields and keep the status quo or hold onto just one and roll on.
In the event the Steelers decide to keep just one of the two starting-caliber quarterbacks, they'll need to upgrade the backup position in place of Kyle Allen.
Jacoby Brissett's starting days are behind him, but he's exactly the type of backup quarterback any fan would be happy to have on the sidelines. He doesn't make many game-breaking mistakes and has shown throughout his career that he comes to the stadium well-prepared.
Certainly, Brissett will be one of the top options for teams looking for a backup if New England lets him walk, but he won't demand a price the Steelers can't afford.
Javon Kinlaw, DL
If the Steelers can close out the season with a Super Bowl win, there's a chance Cam Heyward would call it a career. While Heyward continues to play at an elite level, he is 35 and the Steelers do need to start looking into the future of the defensive trenches.
In any event, adding more youth and quality rotational depth on the defensive line is a must for 2025. Javon Kinlaw is a former first-round pick who has missed a lot of time due to injuries, but he still possesses a skill set that would be enticing for Pittsburgh at the right price.
In 2024 with the New York Jets, Kinlaw has 2.5 sacks and three tackles for loss, both just one behind his career-high marks set in 2023 with San Francisco.