Current free agents the Pittsburgh Steelers could consider before heading to training camp
The Pittsburgh Steelers have been the most consistent franchise in the NFL for quite some time now. They have failed to post a losing season since 2003 and never finished last in their division since the inception of the AFC North in 2002.
However, those times may be winding down as long-time franchise quarterback, and future Hall of Famer, Ben Roethlisberger retired following last season. While head coach Mike Tomlin still leads the ship, Pittsburgh has had to combat losing aging stars to retirement and being unable to keep younger stars-in-the-making due to salary cap constraints over the last few seasons.
This year’s turnover on the roster proves they need new blood for a successful season.
Even though they’ve an excellent job on hedging their bets on bringing in veteran players as well as drafting rookies for positions of need, there are still a few areas where the Steelers could use reinforcements.
Below is a list of free agents that would be nice additions to their roster and could help take the team to another level.
Note: Please keep in mind by this time of the year I’m not expecting any superstar additions to be available in free agency. Most of the names mentioned are that of a dependable backup and/or spot starter as necessary.
OT Eric Fisher
It’s not secret that the Steelers were unhappy with their offensive line last season.
The sudden retirement of Maurkice Pouncey combined with the release of an unhealthy David DeCastro left them scrambling – especially as a third Pro Bowl level lineman, Alejandro Villanueva, entered his twilight years too and signed with the Ravens.
The replacements were underwhelming, especially Zach Banner, who was slated to play tackle but never recovered from a knee injury. This necessitated Chukwuma Okorafor to move to right tackle while rookie Dan Moore Jr. assumed the duties on the left.
The tackle market was lukewarm this offseason, leading to Okorafor’s re-signing, but the Steelers could still use a veteran presence should Moore stumble this season – Joe Haeg appears to be the only other capable tackle currently on the roster.
31-year-old Eric Fisher played seven seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, before tearing his Achilles tendon and missing Super Bowl LV. (The game where QB Patrick Mahomes had to run for his life!) Fisher signed a one-year deal with the Indianapolis Colts last season, appearing in 15 games.
He wouldn’t be the first, or last, veteran player to be scooped up as a temporary solution for the Steelers. In 2010 the team reached out to former Cowboys great, Flozell Adams, and rode him to the Super Bowl. Similarly, Max Starks found his was back to the Steel City after leaving as a free agent too.
Whether Fisher can play full-time still is debatable. If he would be willing to compete for a starting spot – and accept a potential backup role – he could provide good veteran leadership, having played at a Pro Bowl level as recently as 2020, while also having championship game experience.
OL Ereck Flowers
Typically, free agents who are still remaining around this time of the year have one of several issues going for them: they’ve either underperformed, risen in age, or collected a number of injuries along the way that make them an availability risk.
Flowers, at age 28, may still have some football left in him. The question is, where do you put him and what does he want financially?
To the latter, the Miami Dolphins settled on a three-year, $30 million contract with Flowers in 2020, only to trade him in a salary dump move back to his 2019 team, the Washington Football Team. Miami ate $8 million on last year’s cap while Washington took on the additional $3 million, so Flowers could still be looking to start and get paid.
Otherwise, he’s an intriguing individual who has experience all over the line, primarily on the left side having played both tackle and guard.
The Steelers already have a “two dogs, one bone situation” at left guard, where Kevin Dotson and Kendrick Green, could be competing for the starting role. However, neither player is a proven commodity, while Flowers could lend some depth for the above-mentioned situation at left tackle.
The Steelers’ NFL odds would surely increase if they signed either of the above offensive linemen into their fold.
CB Joe Haden
I’m really not sure how to feel about Haden. For one, he’s always been a steady hand when available.
That’s the “if” for the 33-year-old cornerback who still sits in free agency awaiting a new team. At his age, he’s likely beyond being more than a spot starter, but also looking at the Steelers cornerback depth, they’re one injury away from being forced to play Justin Layne or James Pierre again.
That’s why they should make one more move, if Haden is okay with being a player-coach and seeing a fraction of the playing time he’s used to.
Of course, such a move would also impact his earnings – Haden’s average per-year was set at $11 million on his last contract. However, if a deal can be struck, I could see Haden being a mentor much like William Gay was in his twilight years with the Steelers.
RB David Johnson
This article clearly is the “best of the rest” and upon viewing the running backs still available in free agency, Johnson is the one I’d have most interest in trying out.
The former Cardinals star turned 30 in December, a death knell for running backs, and has had issues staying healthy. He’s not much unlike DeAngelo Williams around the same age, and that’s the way I’d view adding Johnson as a backup option to second-year pro Najee Harris.
Right now, the options aside from Harris include Benny Snell and Anthony McFarland. That doesn’t reek of confidence knowing how the Steelers ended up in the past without a veteran number two in their backfield.
Johnson appeared in 13 games last season for the lowly Texans. He failed to score on the ground but was able to add 32 catches for 225 yards and a touchdown. His career was nearly revived in 2020, when he had a better 4.7 yards-per-carry, 6 touchdowns, and 314 yards receiving.
The dual-threat aspect along with his experience makes him one of the best options out there.
RB Justin Jackson
I doubled up on offensive linemen, so why not offer one more running back too?
Unfortunately, aside from Johnson and Jackson, until another player is available via trade or released form their current team, the crop of potential backup running backs is rather thin. While Le’Veon Bell, Devonta Freeman, and Carlos Hyde are flashy names beyond their prime – and David Johnson could very well be in that same category – the former Chargers rusher is only 26 years of age and offers similar upside to Johnson.
Jackson has had an interesting go of it through his first four pro seasons. He’s been behind Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler, seldom seeing a lot of opportunities. Yet, he’s managed a career 5.0 yards-per-carry and recently had a standout game last season, in Week 15 against the Chiefs.
In that game, Jackson managed to gain 86 yards rushing on 13 carries plus add a 13-yard reception. He was mostly balanced as a receiving back, spelling Ekeler in LA, and has 65 career receptions for 508 yards.
Most surprising is that Jackson only has seven career starts in 43 career games. He has been banged up in the middle of his career but appeared to be mostly durable in 2021.
The Steelers should also have film on him, having faced the Chargers several times over the last few seasons and getting some firsthand looks. This usually leads to the team making a decision on a former opponent.
