Insider Predicts Steelers' Big Signee To Be A Cornerback

With the offseason grind already in the works for the Pittsburgh Steelers, filling their roster with quality talent is a must so another disappointing ending is out of the equation. With most focusing on the big question of who is going to be the starting quarterback next season, some are forgetting that another high priority for the front office is finding a quality cornerback to pair with Joey Porter Jr. -- that is a position they must have high on their list. With Donte Jackson currently set to be a free agent, the Steelers likely do not want to go into the 2025 season with Cory Trice as their only option for the cornerback two position. 

In Mark Kaboly's recent Steelers Mailbag, he answered a lot of questions regarding the direction of the Steelers' offseason. An interesting point he made is that one of the Steelers' targets is set to sign a big deal this spring. The Steelers had their low risk, high reward move last offseason that sent Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers for Jackson, but they could look to free agency for an upgrade to the position, rather than re-signing Jackson.

"Cornerback DJ Reed - 3 years, $43.5 million," said Kaboly.

DJ Reed, who spent the last three seasons with the New York Jets, could be Pittsburgh's answer to their secondary problem. Reed made a true name for himself during his time with the Seattle Seahawks, earning him a three-year contract worth $33 million with the Jets. Reed finished last season with 64 total tackles and 11 pass deflections. After a disappointing finish to the Jets' season, Reed made it clear to the media that he is ready to move on from New York and see what is in store for himself in free agency.

The Steelers could lock down their secondary for the foreseeable future with Reed. With Porter Jr., Trice, and Beanie Bishop already in the cornerback room, they could benefit from this new addition. The current room has a high ceiling of potential with all of its young talent, but bringing in an established cornerback like Reed would sure it up.

With so many different positions to fill this offseason, the Steelers could cross off a position from their draft board and focus on young offensive weapons in the 2025 NFL Draft. The Steelers are currently in need of wide receivers, defensive line depth, and most importantly, a quarterback. If Pittsburgh is able to check off positional needs in free agency, they have more flexibility when it comes to their top picks in the draft.

The Steelers know this offseason has to go right with every move. With another season in the books that ended with an early exit from the playoffs, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan cannot make any errors when it comes to their 2025 roster. Nothing would start a successful offseason off better than locking up Porter Jr.'s new partner in crime for the next three seasons.

Steelers' Secondary Could Become A Big Issue For Other Teams

The Steelers are fed up with the lack of success they have produced late into the season and they need to make sure that the roster is up to the task to compete with teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Buffalo Bills to become a threat in the AFC. Adding Reed could be the start of the domino effect where the pieces finally come together and the fallout that was seen at the end of this season doesn't happen again. 

Reed is currently viewed as one of the top cornerbacks in this crop of free agents and could be the splash signing fans are hoping for. While some fans might frown upon another costly defensive signing when they view the offense as the cause of last season's collapse, Reed could allow the Steelers to continue to build up the offense through the draft and use their first round pick to add talented weapons that they desperately need.

Should the Steelers sign Reed to that type of contract? Is Reed the game-changing cornerback that the Steelers have been looking for? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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