5 Free Agents Who Won't Be Signing with the Pittsburgh Steelers

Over the next month, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be busy as Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin put together a plan for the offseason.

Rather than throw money around at the top players available, Colbert and Tomlin will take a methodical approach to free agency. After they evaluate the current roster, they will discuss which players will be re-signed for next season and whom they will need to replace.

Even though the Steelers rarely take an active approach to free agency, it is not something they will shy away from. Team president Art Rooney was pleased with their efforts last season and believes that the team can take a similar approach this year, per Bob Labriola of Steelers.com:

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I think it turned pretty well. We had a couple of free agents come in and play a lot. Hopefully, after a year in the system here, they will be even more improved. I was satisfied with the way things turned out. We will take the same approach (this offseason). If there is an opportunity to sign somebody like that, we will certainly look at it. I wouldn’t rule that out at this point. but it depends on who is available to us and what we are able to do at that point in time.

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A talented free-agent class will provide the Steelers with plenty of options. However, with a limited amount of cap space to work with, the front office will have to be smart with its decisions, which means there will be several free agents who will not be signing with Pittsburgh.

Here is a look at five free agents who, although would be excellent additions, will not be with the Steelers in 2015.

Larry Fitzgerald, Wide Receiver

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Larry Fitzgerald has a special place in the hearts of Pittsburgh fans. While starring at the University of Pittsburgh, he caught 161 passes for 2,677 yards and 34 touchdowns in just two seasons.

Fitzgerald’s talent translated to the NFL, where he has 909 receptions for 12,151 yards and 89 touchdowns over his 11-year career. However, with a $23.6 million cap number and the Arizona Cardinals in need of salary-cap relief (h/t Joel Corry of CBSSports.com), he is a candidate to be a cap casualty.

The Steelers already have one of the more prolific offenses in the league, but adding the 6'3", 218-pound Fitzgerald to the trio of Antonio Brown, Markus Wheaton and Martavis Bryant is an exciting thought. He would provide a dependable veteran option who would provide Ben Roethlisberger with another tall target for the red zone.

Not only could Fitzgerald return to his college town, but he would also play for a legitimate Super Bowl contender. However, this is a dream scenario, as he will command—even at 31 years old—top dollar once on the open market.

With so many needs on defense, the Steelers cannot afford to sink that much money into a position that is well-stocked with young talent. Although it is fun to think about, there will be no homecoming for Larry Fitzgerald.

Darrelle Revis, Cornerback

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After eight years, could Mike Tomlin finally get his man? Unlikely.

In his very first draft, there was rampant speculation that Tomlin wanted Darrelle Revis in the first round. Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote that Tomlin “praised Revis to no end” in an interview ahead of the draft.

Revis ended up being drafted ahead of the Steelers but is now a free agent at the time that cornerback is one of the top needs in Pittsburgh. Few players in the league could instantly step on the field and shore up a secondary like the one in Pittsburgh, but Revis is one of those players.

Over the course of his career, Revis has been recognized as one of the best—if not the best—cornerback in the league. He has 23 receptions in eight years and added two last year, his first as a member of the New England Patriots.

Although Revis is technically not a free agent after this season, he is likely to be released unless a new deal is reached prior to the start of the 2015 league year, per Rich Cimini of ESPN New York:

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Revis is under contract for 2015, but it's really just a fake year because of a prohibitive $25 million cap charge. If the two sides don't renegotiate a new deal by March 9, the final day of the 2014 league year, the Patriots will have to release him because a $12 million bonus is triggered. That, combined with his $7.5 million base salary and $500,000 roster bonus, would bring his total compensation to $20 million. Obviously, the Patriots want a more cap-friendly deal. 

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If he hit the market, Revis would be a dream signing for the Steelers, but a high cap hit and competition from the Patriots would make it nearly an impossible deal to get done. New England will likely get its man, and the Steelers will continue to search for talent at cornerback.

Jordan Cameron, Tight End

David Richard/Associated Press

Heath Miller is the only experienced tight end under contract for the 2015 season, meaning that the Steelers must find a quality backup. One interesting name to keep an eye on is Jordan Cameron.

The 6’5”, 249-pound tight end wants out of Cleveland, per Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. Although a talented player with 31 starts under his belt, he has never played 16 games in a season. His extensive injury history may keep him in Pittsburgh’s price range.

Cameron would lock down the No. 2 tight end spot for 2015 and may eventually be able to take over as the starter the year after. He is a legitimate receiving weapon with 130 career receptions for 1,600 yards and would make Pittsburgh’s offense that much more dangerous.

As good as this move sounds on paper, it is not the type of bold move the Steelers typically make in free agency. They like tight ends who are can block, something Cameron is not known for, and they do not extensively use two tight ends in the passing game.

Rather than allocate cap dollars on a player who doesn’t fit what they want to do on offense, the Steelers will spend it elsewhere.

Byron Maxwell, Cornerback

Michael Conroy/Associated Press

Byron Maxwell will be one of the hottest “under-the-radar” names in free agency. That is not to say no one knows about him—teams do—but he does not have the same star power as a Revis, Dez Bryant or Ndamukong Suh.

However, playing for the Seattle Seahawks defense will earn him a lot of money in free agency. At 6’1” and 207 pounds, Maxwell has terrific size and potential to step in as the top cornerback on many teams in the league.

Maxwell has six interceptions over the past two regular seasons and has the ability to play both inside and outside. The combination of size, production and versatility will make him a highly sought-after free agent. That likely means a bidding war for his services—something the Steelers are not equipped to deal with.

Beyond the competition from teams around the league, Maxwell has the mindset that he will cash in this offseason, via Chris Wesseling of NFL.com:

"I'm the prettiest girl at the dance right now," Maxwell quipped. "But yeah, it's one of those things I'm excited about it. I would love to be here but...I'm ready to see what's out there."

The Steelers aren’t a “prettiest girl” kind of team and would rather go for the girl next door. Although they may miss out on Maxwell, there are a number of other talented options who will come at a more affordable price tag.

Justin Houston, Outside Linebacker

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

The pass rush is the key to success for any NFL team, and the Steelers do not have much to work with. Jarvis Jones is the only outside linebacker under contract for the 2015 season, and this has Kevin Colbert concerned, via Bob Labriola of Steelers.com:

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[Jason] Worilds is a free agent. James Harrison is a free agent, as is Arthur Moats. We are worried about it today, but I feel comfortable that we will be fine once we get to August. There will be good candidates. Even looking ahead to the draft, that’s probably one of the positions that’s potentially strong, and I say potentially because outside linebackers for the most part are projections. Until we get to the Combine and see real numbers and see athleticism going from a defensive lineman to a linebacker, and seeing the pro days, and putting all that information together, [it’s a projection]. But right now there are a nice group of candidates for that position.

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The draft is one area the Steelers could use to address the position, but the odds of landing an instant-impact player are slim. Jones is entering his third year, and he is still a relative unknown in terms of what he can offer the defense.

Instead, the Steelers will need to look into free agency, and the gem of the free-agent class is Justin Houston.

Houston is the second-ranked free agent by Around The NFL and figures to have a big payday when March rolls around. He is only 26 years old and has three straight double-digit-sack seasons.

In four years, Houston has 48.5 career sacks, including 22 last season. Considering that pass-rushers are one of the premium positions in the NFL, his production will certainly make him one of the highest-paid players this offseason.

Although the dynamic sack artist would instantly upgrade Pittsburgh’s defense and help Keith Butler usher in a new era of “Blitzburgh,” his cost will be beyond what the Steelers can afford. That should come to no surprise for anyone.

The Steelers are not big players in free agency, and the fact that Justin Houston will not be signing in Pittsburgh should be expected. However, if Colbert had his chance to sign a dream free agent, Houston would easily be at the top of his list of offseason priorities.

Note: Unless otherwise noted, all stats are courtesy of ESPN.com, all salary information is courtesy of Spotrac.com and all roster information is courtesy of Steelers.com.  

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