When it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ upcoming crop of unrestricted free agents, the heavy lean is to those on defense. Nine players who started at least one game on defense are scheduled to be UFAs, including four who were full-time starters.
On offense, the pending free agent who played the most was their No. 2 tight end.
It therefore might not be a transformative offseason for the Steelers’ offense. But that doesn’t mean the organization doesn’t have some decisions to make on whom keep and let walk (listed in order of snaps played in 2022):
TE Zach Gentry
Bring him back: A big (6-foot-8) part of a quality and tight-knit Steelers tight end corps, Gentry’s usage increased in 2022 to where he played half the team’s offensive snaps.
Let him go: Considering Pat Freiermuth has the look of a future Pro Bowler and rookie Connor Heyward emerged late in the season as a sneaky complementary weapon for the offense, would ponying up to pay Gentry to be a No. 3 tight end make sense?
Prediction: This is a tough one, and in an ideal world the Steelers would like to keep Gentry around. But the bet is he will find a better offer elsewhere that the Steelers won’t be compelled to match.
FB Derek Watt
Bring him back: In terms of conversion percentage, Watt probably was the best in the NFL at short-yardage runs this past season. He’s also a leader of the special-teams unit, and don’t forget he’s close with the Steelers’ best player, younger brother T.J.
Let him go: As a general rule, fullbacks and special teamers can be had for much, much cheaper than the $4.7 million cap hit Watt took up this past season (10th highest on the team).
Prediction: The dynamic of the relationship with his brother combined with filling a pair of niche roles with aplomb make it worth bringing Watt back. But at nowhere near his previous salary level.
Related:
• The case for — and against — Steelers keeping each of their free agents on defenseWR Miles Boykin
Bring him back: Boykin probably won’t ever develop into a high-level NFL wide receiver, but he can have a long career as a dynamic special-teams player, locker-room presence and depth WR. In his first season with the Steelers, Boykin fit in seamlessly.
Let him go: The $2.75 million salary-cap hit Boykin took up last season was probably too much for the Steelers to stomach again, and Boykin might want to test league waters to see if another team still sees him as having the offensive potential he was thought to have when he was a third-round pick in 2019.
Prediction: Boykin sticks around as the modern-day Darrius Heyward-Bey, filling the role as veteran “gunner” on coverage teams and WR5 for several seasons. If he’s willing to accept that division of labor, Boykin is well-liked enough in the organization that he could re-up over and over again.
RB Benny Snell
Bring him back: Snell has evolved into one of the Steelers’ most-trusted core special teams players in recent years, and every time he has been asked to be a featured back, he has produced.
Let him go: Snell lacks the skills teams look for in a complementary (third-down, gadget, etc.) running back, so his value on offense comes only in case of injuries to others.
Prediction: Snell probably wants to see if there’s a team out there that believes he can play a bigger role on offense. The Steelers wouldn’t necessarily mind having him back, but bet on Snell believing he will have more opportunity as a runner somewhere else.
Marcus Allen
Bring him back: As the “up back” on punts and a member of all of the four core units, Allen has become one of the Steelers’ most relied-upon special teamers. (Though Allen is listed as an inside linebacker, he has no role on defense and has been classified as a “special teamer” and grouped with the offense).
Let him go: Though he drew fans’ ire with his personal foul penalty during the Dec. 18 game in Carolina, the more relevant reasons the Steelers wouldn’t bring him back are that he’s coming off season-ending surgery and had a $2.54 million salary-cap hit.
Prediction: Don’t rule out a return on a minimum-salary deal, but the higher likelihood is Allen is let go.
QB Mason Rudolph
Bring him back: Rudolph was arguably the best No. 3 quarterback in the NFL this past year. He knows the system and, by all accounts, is a good teammate.
Let him go: After five seasons and having been given scant opportunity in 2022, Rudolph will want to see what else is out there.
Prediction: Rudolph’s tenure in Pittsburgh has run its course. It will be fascinating to see if/when/where he starts another NFL game, and how he does.
OL Jesse Davis and Trent Scott
Bring either back: Davis and Scott are lumped together as mid-career veteran journeymen who were brought into the organization over the summer and served as backup linemen throughout the 2022 season. Each has been a starter in the NFL, and both were seen as upgrades and/or better alternatives to what the Steelers previously had as reserve offensive linemen.
Let either go: Neither was given an opportunity to distinguish himself this season. It’s unlikely any team views either as a starter at this stage of his career.
Prediction: Maybe one is brought back to compete for a spot during training camp, and the Steelers could do worse in finding players to fill roles as backup offensive linemen. But it’s safe to say, obviously, that neither is a priority.
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