As the NFL heads towards its conference championship weekend, the Steelers sit at home, two weeks into their offseason needing to begin to plan out their free agent priority list, specifically those that come from the current roster.
Who do they want to keep?
Who should they let walk?
Those are all questions they need to answer and ones I have answers for. The team has 18 unrestricted free agents pending, and here’s what they need to do with each one of them.
DT Larry Ogunjobi—I like Ogunjobi. I thought he played well and was a nice addition to the defense down the stretch. He had 48 total tackles on the year and was decent against the run. The team should try to re-up him to a two-year deal and either be a stop gap guy or a depth addition.
ILB Devin Bush—In a word: bye. He has to go. Bush may be the worst draft pick in Steelers history based on where they picked him and what he’s done for the team. He does have talent but he is awful in pass coverage and just can’t make a play in the run game consistently enough. He doesn’t want to be here and the Steelers don’t want him, either. He played a total of 10 snaps in his last two games, his last as a Steeler. He’ll sign elsewhere but will be out of the league in two years time.
CB Cameron Sutton—Sutton has been a very solid cornerback and while I don’t think he’s necessarily a number one corner, he is at a minimum a number two. He’s consistent, had 43 tackles, 15 passes broken up and three interceptions. He came back to town on a team-friendly deal two years ago and I don’t think the Steelers will be as lucky to get him at that rate again. That said, they need to sign him to a longer term extension as he’s still only 27. The team always has trouble developing corners; they did it with Sutton, they need to keep him. Give him a four-year deal.
FB Derek Watt—I like Watt and think he’s a good fullback. However, the Steelers just never used him right and he didn’t contribute enough on special teams to warrant his contract. I don’t see the team bringing him back and they shouldn’t.
QB Mason Rudolph—Rudolph is out of here. He doesn’t want to be here and the Steelers made it abundantly clear they don’t want him, either. I don’t think he ever got a fair shake and I think the team probably shouldn’t have signed Mitch Trubisky and let Rudolph play that role, but they didn’t. He only dressed for one game this season and he’ll be suiting up for someone else next year.
NT Tyson Alualu—Alualu was a good nose tackle for this team but he lost his way this past year. He’s in his mid 30s and his time in the league, let alone on the Steelers, may be done. Let him walk.
DT Chris Wormley—Wormley is a good, solid defensive tackle. His season-ending injury certainly complicates things but if the team can bring him back on a one- or two-year deal, cheap, it would be worth it. He’s a veteran who provides leadership and he’s a good run-stuffer.
WR Miles Boykin—Boykin had two receptions for 11 yards all season long. With Calvin Austin expected to return and the team re-signing Anthony Miller already, Boykin will be gone, and should be.
ILB Marcus Allen—I think the team likes Allen. I don’t think he’s worth it. He makes stupid penalties at inopportune times and should have been cut in the middle of the season for it. I won’t even spend more time on it other than to say he should be let go.
ILB Robert Spillane—Spillane was elevated to starting inside linebacker by season’s end, largely because Bush is terrible, but Spillane played well enough to be brought back. I don’t like him as a starter but I do think he provides good depth at a position that truly needs it. Spillane should be offered a two-year deal to return and I think he will take that.
OLB Malik Reed—Reed had 25 tackles and one sack. He didn’t do much when T.J. Watt was out when he had his chance to sign. If the team decided they’d like to bring him back cheap on a one- or two-year deal, I think that would be fine, but if they let him walk, that’s fine, too. They can replace him with a vet or a rookie.
OL Jesse Davis—Who? Bye.
SS Terrell Edmunds—Edmunds may not be a splash player but he’s consistent. He’s been a starter for five years. He has the fundamentals and he’s a good, not great, piece in the secondary. I think he compliments Minkah Fitzpatrick well and while he only has five career interceptions, I think he can be brought back rather cheaply. Give him a three-year deal for a few million per year and he’ll be back.
RB Benny Snell—I like Snell. He runs hard and has talent. He’s clearly number three on the depth chart at best, and while I think he could be brought back, the team can get a third guy for cheaper, so I believe they’ll let him walk and probably should.
TE Zach Gentry—Gentry is both a good blocking and receiving tight end. The Steelers ran a lot of two tight end sets this season and Gentry has value. I like him opposite Pat Friermuth and I think the team should bring him back on a short-term deal rather cheaply.
OT Trent Scott—Eh. The team needs offensive linemen; Scott isn’t one I’d bring back.
S Damontae Kazee—Kazee needs to come back. He provides depth and can make some splash plays. I don’t think he’s a starter but he’s a good guy to have and one I think the team will do what they can to re-sign.
SS Karl Joseph—Joseph found himself on IR this year and I think that will be it for him. He’ll be allowed to find a new team.
These decisions will be made in the coming months and based on what happens, the Steelers will begin to pinpoint their April draft plans. I think the good news is, the Steelers could largely get away with losing every one of these guys and not be hurt too badly, but if they bring back the guys I suggest, Sutton being the main priority for me, with Edmunds being right behind him, I think they’ll be ready to add pieces through the draft that will make them a playoff contender in 2023.
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