The team here at Steel City Underground has mentioned this many times, but when it comes to free agency, the potential availability of players hitting the market, as well as those already released early by their teams, doesn’t mean that every single player who is becomes “free” of their previous contracts, will be a good fit for the Steelers.

Some of those intangibles that make a player a poor fit include their age, health, recent performance, and/or the salary and duration they wish to sign for.

In other words, many, many players without a home won’t be able to call Pittsburgh theirs.

However… there are some players who used to call Pittsburgh home, who could be welcomed back this offseason. There’s actually a precedent in the Steel City for former Steelers to leave, and then return to the team after spending a season, or more, on other teams. This isn’t a usual occurence with other franchises, for a variety of different reasons. Other teams may change coaches or front office staff, while the Steelers maintain stability in those positions, and intimately know the players whom they parted ways with. The Steelers system rarely changes, and therefore, a player who was once a fit, could still be a fit within a few seasons.

That’s why we’ve seen some Steelers come back following a year or two hiatus from playing in Pittsburgh. Among the names who left the Steelers and came back include:

• CB William Gay (Cardinals)
• CB Darren McFadden (Cardinals)
• LB Larry Foote (Lions)
• LB James Harrison (Bengals)
• TE Matt Spaeth (Bears)
• TE David Johnson (Chargers)
• WR Antwaan Randle El (Redskins)
• WR Plaxico Burress (Giants)

That leaves me to believe that the Steelers may look at some former employees for positions of need. Let’s examine some names who could hit free agency, and possibly wind up on the Steelers radar.

Sean Spence

I always felt Sean Spence’s story was a good one, finally making an NFL career following a knee injury which cost him two seasons worth of playing time.

Spence left Pittsburgh for the Tennessee Titans last season, signing for marginally more than he was making on his initial rookie deal. He started 6 games, tallying 3 sacks and 35 tackles, while appearing in all but one game.

In Pittsburgh, Spence started 13 games, appearing in 31 total with 62 tackles and 2 total sacks.

It’s possible his one year away showed both sides that they may have missed each other, and that the market price for Spence’s services were more in line with what the Steelers were willing to part with at the time.

So why now?

A new deal must be worked out with Lawrence Timmons, who is now over 30 years old, and Ryan Shazier will be working on a new contract shortly, as his rookie deal expires after 2017, with a possible fifth-year option for 2018. Vince Williams signed a three year extension last season, but aside from Williams, the Steelers are thin at the inside linebacker position.

Steven Johnson, who seemingly swapped spots with Spence last year, has been brought back on another one-year deal. He primarily played special teams, before landing on IR to end the season.

Tyler Matakevich will be a second year seventh round project, while L.J. Fort has been on and off of the active roster and practice squad. Williams was capable of stepping in when Timmons or Shazier were not available, but he can’t play when both are.

Thus I feel that the Spence could be the primary former player Pittsburgh brings back.

Justin Gilbert

Target number two hasn’t gone anywhere else, yet. Gilbert was released a few weeks ago, as the Steelers were unwilling to pay him the amount due on his first round rookie deal.

That doesn’t mean the “former” Steeler won’t be in the hunt for a roster spot with the team in 2017. Steelers.com’s Bob Labriola said as much in a recent column:

“For a player who hadn’t done anything with this team yet, the Steelers saw that as too high a price to pay, when there are going to have to be salary cap dollars allocated to (running back) Le’Veon Bell and (wide receiver) Antonio Brown this offseason for sure, along with getting ready to deal with the expiring contracts of (defensive end) Stephon Tuitt and (linebacker) Ryan Shazier.

The Steelers are not opposed to having Gilbert competing for a roster spot in 2017, but not at that guaranteed price. They have not closed the door on Gilbert’s return, but it would have to be at a lesser price than $2.2 million for 2017.”

If both parties are able and willing, Gilbert could be back on a smaller deal for this season. This would move the Steelers away from a “must do” deal for another defensive back in free agency or the NFL Draft.

Kelvin Beachum

The former Steelers left tackle is rumored to not be back with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

However, that doesn’t mean there will be room for him in Pittsburgh, where Alejandro Villanueva has taken the starting role, and has Ryan Harris and Jerald Hawkins backing him up.

Harris has a lot of starting experience, plus a year left on the deal he signed last season. Hawkins was drafted as a project and potential future contributor.

Beachum was allowed to walk away from Pittsburgh because of his price tag, instead opting to keep Ramon Foster. I would suspect that Beachum finds another decent payday, as a starter: neither of which will be available in the Steel City.

Brandon Boykin & Valentino Blake

I don’t see how either of these players would come back.

Boykin’s off-field attitude was reportedly so poor that even the Carolina Panthers released him before the preseason started last year. Boykin landed with the cornerback poor Chicago Bears, before ending on IR to finish the season.

He could be the very definition of damaged goods on-and-off the gridiron.

Valentino, or as he was better known in Pittsburgh, Antwon, was statistically one of the worst corners in all of football over the last two seasons.

The Steelers coaching staff had a love affair with playing Blake over others (such as Ross Cockrell) back in 2015, but I don’t see how this deal could possibly happen should Cockrell and/or Gilbert return, and with William Gay, Artie Burns and former second round pick Senquez Golson.

Terrance Garvin

The former undrafted linebacker was a special teams standout with the Steelers, but left last season to join the Washington Redskins.

The only way I could see this move happening is if an unprecedented injury occurred early on in training camp, should Garvin still be available. I don’t see a situation where the Steelers “need” another special teams player, given those athletes already on the roster, and other others who may be drafted to compete for those positions.