The Pittsburgh Steelers have been busy for the second consecutive season in the free agent market. Although we have yet to see the same amount of fireworks as last off-season, the front office, notably General Manager Omar Khan, has steadily filled some of the holes that haunted the team in 2022. The Steelers are faced with a tough task this offseason when compared to last, they are having to work with significantly less cap space than the year before but also have roughly the same amount of positions to fill.
Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire/USA Today Sports
Steelers' former Vice President of Football Operations and current general manager smiles while on the field in Pittsburgh, PA. | Charles LeClaire / USA Today Sports
The departure of former Steelers cornerback Cam Sutton came as a surprise to some. Sutton praised Head Coach Mike Tomlin and the entire organization but ultimately he ended up signing a three-year deal with the Detroit Lions.
After losing Sutton, the Steelers made a move of their own signing future Hall of Fame cornerback Patrick Peterson to a two-year contract. Peterson has lost a step since joining the league with the Arizona Cardinals but he continued to play at a high level the past two seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. The signing of Peterson is similar to the one the Steelers made when they signed cornerback Joe Haden prior to the 2017 season.
Former Minnesota Vikings cornerback, Patrick Peterson (#7) will reportedly be signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2023. | Minnesota Vikings
Another intriguing free agent the Steelers have acquired in the early stages of the 2023 offseason is offensive lineman Nate Herbig. Herbig spent his first four seasons in the NFL with the Philadelphia Eagles and the New York Jets. Herbig is the equivalent offensive lineman that the Steelers have continued to add via free agency the past two offseasons. Khan, as a result of his signings, has made it known that he likes young offensive linemen that have a solid track record but also have many years left ahead of them.
After the departure of inside linebacker Robert Spillane and the likely departure of Devin Bush, the Steelers went out and found his replacement rather quickly and signed Cole Holcomb to a three-year deal. Holecomb can be simply described as a tackle machine. Before a foot injury sidelined him in 2022, he was on his way to having a career season in which he had recorded 69 tackles in just seven games.
The Steelers were however able to maintain some of their talent on defense and signed both Larry Ogunjobi and Damonte Kazee to multi-year deals. Both guys, when healthy were tremendous assets to the defensive side of the ball.
Pittsburgh Steelers safety, Damontae Kazee (#23) celebrates. Photo Credit: Matt Durisko / AP
Have The Steelers Improved Their Roster During The Free Agency Period So Far?
The acquisitions the Steelers have made so far can be summed up in one word; solid. Nothing is going to blow you away when looking at any of these players and it is extremely similar to the path the front office took in 2022 during free agency. The loss of Sutton hurts, especially with an extremely depleted Steelers secondary, but after seeing the dollar amount that Sutton signed for with the Lions it is safe to say steering clear of him was the best thing for the Steelers moving forward.
The addition of Peterson helps, but he is obviously not the long-term answer for the Steelers after 2024. I expect Peterson to play a significant role on the defense in 2023, but with the likelihood of the Steelers selecting a cornerback in the upcoming draft, I can see Peterson having a mentor-like role as well in the future.
The one area I see the most improvement in so far is the offensive line. The signing of Hebrig all but solidifies a left guard competition that is likely to take place during training camp between him and Kevin Dotson in 2023. The Steelers' offensive line as an entire unit made significant strides throughout the season in 2022 and the addition of Herbig gives them solid another solid veteran option they can use.
One key piece Steelers fans should take into consideration when looking at the additions to the defense is both Holcomb and Peterson were team captains on their respective teams prior to coming to Pittsburgh. With both of them being able to provide that captain-like mentality alongside Cam Heyward, I think that is one aspect that can't go unmeasured and will bring a significant impact to the defense.
With safety Minkah Fitzpatrick recently restructuring his deal with the Steelers, I expect the front office to continue to search for starting-caliber talent at the middle linebacker position. Second-year linebacker Mark Robinson should see an expanded role in 2023 due to the recent release of Myles Jack, but the Steelers could still use a proven veteran to play next to Holcomb come Week 1.
As of now, the Steelers are truly a better team than they were prior to free agency. The loss of Sutton will hurt this team in the short term but it is expected that the front office will add a talented cornerback early in an extremely deep draft class.
What do you think? Are the Steelers a better team now than they were prior to free agency? Which position are the Steelers still lacking veteran help and can find answers yet in free agency? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below!
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