As market cools, Steelers need reinforcements at safety, receiver, running back

Almost two weeks after the legal tampering period opened and a dozen days after free agents could sign contracts, the NFL market predictably has slowed to a crawl.

Most of the big name players already have signed and those who remain on the market are waiting for a satisfactory contract proposal to emerge.

Similarly, the Pittsburgh Steelers are in a wait-and-see mode as they contemplate their next move after signing six outside free agents to contracts totaling $84.375 million, not counting incentives.

The Steelers have addressed issues on the offensive line by bringing back right tackle Chuks Okorafor and signing interior linemen James Daniels and Mason Cole. They got starters at inside linebacker (Miles Jack) and cornerback (Levi Wallace) and a likely starter at quarterback (Mitch Trubisky). They added a return specialist in Gunner Olszewski and retained core special teams player Miles Killebrew.

According to overthecap.com and the NFL players’ association, the Steelers are about $15 million under the cap, but that doesn’t account for the contract that cornerback Ahkello Witherspoon signed Friday.

Given that the Steelers like to have about $5-7 million in reserve for in-season additions and that they must sign their draft class, they aren’t in the market to take on another big contract unless they push money into future years and restructure the contracts of T.J. Watt and/or Cam Heyward.

That would seem to rule out the Steelers making a big push for former Chiefs safety Tyrann Mathieu, who is coming off a three-year, $42 million deal.

Safety, though, is one of several positions the Steelers could address in this next wave of free agency. Wide receiver, a position that lost JuJu Smith-Schuster, James Washington and Ray-Ray McCloud, and running back, where the Steelers could use a complementary back to Najee Harris, also could be in play before the draft.

Safety

By declining to exercise the $6.75 million fifth-year option on Terrell Edmunds last year, the Steelers allowed him to test free agency. He missed one game and started 60 of 64 the past four seasons, but his availability shows that teams weren’t wowed by his play.

The Steelers wouldn’t mind keeping the Edmunds-Minkah Fitzpatrick pairing intact but only at a price the organization deems reasonable. Edmunds has a more inflated sense of his worth.

Another former first-rounder remains a free agent. Jabrill Peppers, taken by the Cleveland Browns five picks before the Steelers selected T.J. Watt, is a free agent after wrapping up a third season with the New York Giants. Peppers, though, is coming off an ACL tear that he sustained in October.

A low-cost option could be former Chicago Bears safety Tashaun Gipson, who has started 132 games in 10 seasons. Gipson, though, will turn 32 in August and was limited to 12 games last year because of hip and hamstring injuries.

Wide receiver

Diontae Johnson and Chase Claypool are the only experienced NFL starters on the roster, which means the Steelers likely use a high draft pick on the position. Having a veteran in the room would help, too, and several options remain available to round out the depth chart.

Jarvis Landry is the biggest name available after the Browns cut him March 14. A five-time Pro Bowl pick in eight seasons, Landry is comfortable lining up in the slot. Trouble is, several teams are trying to land him, and the Steelers might choose to use their dollars elsewhere. Landry also has switched agents in an attempt to get a better offer.

Will Fuller played in three games last year with the Miami Dolphins before breaking a finger and missing the rest of the season. He has familiarity with Brian Flores, but injuries have limited Fuller to 52 starts in six seasons.

Other unsigned veterans are either old — A.J. Green, T.Y. Hilton, Julio Jones, Emmanuel Sanders — or come with baggage (Cole Beasley). A low-risk signing could be former Penn State and Broncos receiver DaeSean Hamilton, who never flourished in Denver, or Keelan Cole, who had only 28 catches in his lone year with the Jets.

Running back

If the Steelers want to limit Harris’ usage after he had 307 carries as a rookie, they have options in free agency. Last year, Benny Snell’s 36 carries were second-most on the team. Kalen Ballage, who is an unrestricted free agent, had 12.

Phillip Lindsay had 1,000-yard seasons in his first two years with Denver. The past two years, he has totaled 751. At 31, Carlos Hyde’s best days are behind him and could be an affordable backup option.

Marlon Mack rushed for 1,091 yards with the Colts in 2019, but injuries limited him to seven games combined over the past two seasons. Jordan Howard began his career with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons in Chicago, but injuries limited him to 24 games the past three years with the Dolphins and Eagles.

The Steelers have familiarity with Alex Collins from his days in Baltimore. He’s back on the market after two seasons in Seattle. Darrel Williams, a part-time starter in Kansas City last year, had 144 carries, 558 yards and six touchdowns for the Chiefs.