Steelers have yet to see big dividends after unprecedented spending in free agency

The spending spree was unprecedented but not entirely unexpected for the Pittsburgh Steelers.

After decades of watching other teams lavishly spend on free agents, a confluence of events allowed the franchise to be active participants in 2022.

For the first time in recent memory, the Steelers entered the offseason with significant room under the cap. And, with a new television contract kicking in and revenues increasing post-pandemic, the Steelers had an avenue to address their positional shortcomings that historically was an afterthought.

The Steelers opened their checkbook in March and added pieces throughout the summer. In all, the Steelers doled out contracts to 12 free agents, including some of their own, with the deals totaling $142.635 million.

The jury remains out on some of those deals, but it’s safe to say that with a 2-6 record at the bye, the Steelers didn’t get as much bang for their buck as they hoped at the outset of free agency.

What follows is a positional outlook at free agency and the returns the Steelers have gotten at the midpoint of the season:

Offensive line

A year after the departures of Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro and Alejandro Villanueva, the Steelers continued the transformation of the offensive line by retaining one of their own free agents and bringing in two to provide help on the interior.

Right tackle Chuks Okorafor, the team’s longest-tenured lineman, was kept from hitting free agency when the Steelers signed him to a three-year, $29.25 million contract during the legal tampering period. They followed up by giving right guard James Daniels and center Mason Cole three-year deals worth $26.5 million and $15.575 million, respectively.

Daniels and Cole haven’t brought instant improvement to the running game. After ranking No. 29 last year and averaging 93.1 yards on the ground, the Steelers rank No. 26 and are averaging 94.9 yards this season. But that is with second-year back Najee Harris averaging 3.3 yards per carry and totaling 361 yards near the midpoint of the season.

Quarterbacks Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett have been sacked a combined 21 times, which is tied for ninth most in the league. Although Okorafor has been charged with just one sack, he’s allowed a team-high 21 pressures — tied for 11th most among all linemen. Cole has allowed 14 pressures and two sacks, and Daniels has allowed nine pressures but no sacks. Daniels also has graded as the Steelers’ best pass blocker, according to Pro Football Focus.

Quarterback

Perhaps the best thing about Trubisky’s two-year, $14.285 million contract is its structure. The Steelers won’t be on the hook for his $8 million salary next year if they part ways with the veteran who lasted just four games as the starter before being replaced by Pickett.

With Trubisky moving to a backup role, he won’t accrue the incentives based on playing time that would reward him with a bonus of up to $4 million in the offseason.

Trubisky did play a role in the Steelers’ two wins before the bye, leading the winning drive in overtime against Cincinnati and replacing an injured Pickett and throwing a touchdown pass that helped the Steelers beat Tampa Bay.

Trubisky remains No. 28 among NFL quarterbacks in passer rating. Pickett is No. 35.

Defensive line

Encouraged enough by what Montravius Adams did down the stretch after being signed from the New Orleans Saints practice squad, the Steelers brought him back on a two-year, $5 million deal.

Although Adams surpassed Tyson Alualu as the starting nose tackle early in the season, he has been on the field for 22% of the snaps and has seen less playing time than his predecessor. He doesn’t have a sack or quarterback hit and has recorded seven tackles.

When Stephon Tuitt retired, the Steelers acted quickly to bring in Larry Ogunjobi on a one-year, $8 million deal. Despite Ogunjobi having a reputation as a strong run stopper, Pro Football Focus’ subjective rankings list him as the Steelers’ 13th-best run defender among players who have logged more than two games this season.

Ogunjobi also has been bothered by a back injury that forced him out of the loss to the Bills and an ankle issue that kept him from playing against the Eagles.

Although Ogunjobi has recorded just a half-sack when healthy, his 11 quarterback pressures rank third on the team.

Secondary

The trade for William Jackson III at the deadline became necessary because of injuries and ineffective play from two outside corners who were signed in free agency.

Ahkello Witherspoon and Levi Wallace were given matching two-year, $8 million deals to solidify a cornerback group that returned the versatile Cameron Sutton. Witherspoon, though, missed four games with a hamstring injury and, upon his return, was beaten for two long touchdown receptions by the Eagles’ A.J. Brown. Quarterbacks have a 127.7 passer rating when throwing to receivers in Witherspoon’s coverage area, and he’s tied for the team lead with four touchdowns allowed.

Wallace missed games because of a concussion and shoulder injury, and his most notable play this season was chasing Buffalo’s Gabe Davis on a 98-yard touchdown catch-and-run. He has allowed a team-high 312 yards on receptions while he is the primary corner.

After getting his first chance to play in the slot, Arthur Maulet returned to the Steelers on a two-year, $3.825 million deal. He has shared playing time at the position with Sutton and is playing a career-high 54% of the defensive snaps.

Pro Football Focus’ grades also have not been favorable to Maulet, who has allowed 290 receiving yards and a 118.8 passer rating on balls thrown in the slot. His four missed tackles are most on the team.

Linebacker

In the seemingly never-ending quest to find a dependable inside linebacker, the Steelers signed Myles Jack to a two-year, $16 million deal shortly after he was released by Jacksonville.

Jack has emerged as the best of the free agent signings and is a marked upgrade over Joe Schobert from a year ago. Jack leads the Steelers with 72 tackles, and his presence in the middle has allowed the Steelers to experiment with three inside linebackers in some formations.

Special teams

After blocking a pair of punts last year, Miles Killebrew was re-signed to a two-year, $4 million contract and made a captain heading into the season.

Killebrew remains a core special teams player, and his 147 snaps on the various units are the most on the Steelers.

Gunner Olszewski received a two-year, $4.2 million contract to provide a jolt to a return unit that lost Ray-Ray McCloud to free agency. The former New England Patriots returner didn’t last long as a punt return after two fumbles led to Steven Sims taking over the job.

Olszewski’s average of 6.9 yards per punt return and 15.3 on kickoffs are career lows. But with Sims expected to see more snaps as a slot receiver in the wake of the Chase Claypool trade, Olszewski could get more chances to boost his averages in the second half.