The Pittsburgh Steelers opened the first day of the 2024 free agency season with one big move in the wee hours of Monday morning with the news that Super Bowl-winning quarterback Russell Wilson was joining the organization. The team made another move to shore up the punting game by bringing in former Philadelphia Eagles and Houston Texans punter Cameron Johnston. Pittsburgh isn't at too much risk of falling behind their AFC North rivals as it was also a quiet day for the rest of the teams around the division.
Gabriel Christus / Denver Broncos
Former Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson's signing with the Steelers was the first big splash of the 2024 offseason for the organization.
The Steelers had very few free agents of significance of their own. Mitch Trubisky was released early in the process, letting him find a new home quickly. The Ohio native returned to the Buffalo Bills to backup Josh Allen, a position he held before coming to Pittsburgh.
Levi Wallace was originally a nice pickup on a relatively cheap deal for the Steelers. In two seasons, he collected six interceptions and had 24 passes defended. His play seemingly fell off in 2023 however, and he was replaced as a starter. Wallace hasn't found a new home yet, but indicated that his time in Pittsburgh is over.
Steelers’ AFC North Rivals Day 1 Signings And Losses
Joey Pulone / Baltimore Ravens Photos
Safety Geno Stone stands on the sidelines before the start of a Baltimore Ravens game.
The Cincinnati Bengals' passing defense left much to be desired in the 2023 season, as they finished with the fourth most yards given up through the air, per Pro Football Reference. To shore up their issues in the secondary, the Bengals snatched Baltimore Ravens safety Geno Stone away to fill the safety position opposite Jordan Battle. Stone was a seventh-round pick by the Ravens in the 2020 NFL Draft and blossomed into a playmaker in the 2023 season with seven interceptions while starting in a career-high 11 games. The signing came to the utter dismay of Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson, who posted a jab at his former teammate on X.
@GenoStone22 You’re Dead to us, You’re Dead to me‼️ https://t.co/rbvt1qLmmo
— Lamar Jackson (@Lj_era8) March 11, 2024
The Ravens have yet to make a signing of their own, but have watched a few players in addition to Stone walk out the door. Running back Gus Edwards took a two-year deal to join the Jim Harbaugh-led Los Angeles Chargers to reunite with his former offensive coordinator in Baltimore, Greg Roman. Wide receiver and return specialist Devin Duvernay is also departing from the Ravens to join the Jacksonville Jaguars on a two-year deal.
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Devin Duvernay (#13) of the Baltimore Ravens runs with the ball after catching a pass against the Los Angeles Rams at M&T Bank Stadium on January 02, 2022, in Baltimore, Maryland.
The Ravens made their biggest free agent-related move before the official start of free agency when they agreed to a four-year extension with defensive tackle Justin Madubuike. The team had placed the franchise tag on the emerging force of a defensive lineman and will avoid paying him the money on the tag with the extension.
The Cleveland Browns were mostly quiet on day one of the opening of player movement for 2024. Their biggest move to open the new league year was acquiring Jerry Jeudy from the Denver Broncos for a fifth and sixth-round pick. Jeudy is only under contract for one more season before he would need a new contract.
Bleacher Report NFL Insider Jordan Schultz reported on X that the Browns agreed to terms with pass rusher Za’Darius Smith to stick around on a two-year deal. The three-time Pro Bowler arrived in Cleveland via trade from the Minnesota Vikings before the 2023 season. He had 5.5 sacks in his first season in Cleveland, which tied a career-low set in his rookie season in 2015 as a member of the Ravens. To be fair to the 31-year-old veteran, the Browns used him for only 59% of defensive snaps, which was the lowest since 2017.
Steelers fans anxious to watch the team try and keep pace or pass their division rivals will have to wait. There's still plenty of time for deals to be made into the offseason. General Manager Omar Khan didn't complete the 2023 overhaul of the inside linebacking group until late July.
What do you think the most significant add or loss in the division is so far? Comment below!
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