Top 10 NFL Free Agents Pittsburgh Steelers Must Sign
The start of NFL free agency is still over three weeks away, but the Pittsburgh Steelers have already begun to map out a plan. Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin have spent much of the past week discussing potential moves as they prepare for the start of the new league year on March 10.
Before they sign anyone, the Steelers must free up salary-cap space. This could include the release of several veteran contributors, including Troy Polamalu. Besides getting in compliance with the 2015 cap, Colbert will place a priority on signing Ben Roethlisberger to a long-term contract extension.
Once March 10 hits, however, the focus will turn to the open market. Whether it is re-signing their own or exploring free agents from outside of the organization, the Steelers will look to improve their roster. It is important that Pittsburgh does not stand pat as it faces the NFL’s toughest schedule in 2015.
While most of the offseason work will revolve around retaining their own free agents, the Steelers will also explore the open market for upgrades. Although the lack of room under the salary cap will limit Colbert in free agency, he will make the moves necessary to help the Steelers contend once again in 2015.
From adding depth to finding capable starters, here are 10 free agents—from the least to most impactful—who will help Pittsburgh compete for a seventh Super Bowl championship.
10. Antwon Blake, Cornerback
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Each year, there are several under-the-radar players who stand out in training camp. One of those players I observed this year was Antwon Blake.
The 5’9” cornerback was rarely out of position and would often make a play on the ball. Those were two skills severely lacking from the defensive backfield. Although these would not translate against the better receivers in camp, Blake showed enough to earn a spot on the roster.
Blake will have moments of brilliance on the field, as he did last year with a forced fumble and a recovery in the de facto AFC North title game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He will also get beat on deep passes when it looks like he has perfect coverage.
The Steelers will live with that from their No. 4 or 5 cornerback and star special teams player. Blake is a quality depth player who can contribute in a variety of ways and has earned a spot on the team next season.
9. Will Allen, Safety
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With Troy Polamalu’s future up in the air and a lack of experienced depth at safety, Will Allen is a sure bet to return for one more season. He has been a valuable backup for five seasons and can help transition Shamarko Thomas—or another young safety—into a starting job.
Last season, Allen—not Thomas—stepped into the starting lineup when Polamalu went out with an injury and played well. He finished the year with 36 tackles and one forced fumble, but more importantly, he was not a liability in pass coverage.
Allen may never be the playmaker Polamalu was, but he is a dependable presence in the defensive backfield who will rarely make a mistake. At worst, he will provide the Steelers with an inexpensive, experienced backup for the 2015 season.
8. Matt Spaeth, Tight End
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The Steelers demand at least one of their tight ends to be a strong blocker, and Matt Spaeth fits the bill. He may not offer much in the passing game but can at least act like a sixth lineman on the field.
As it stands, Heath Miller is the only experienced tight end under contract for 2015, with Rob Blanchflower providing the depth. By no means will the Steelers be satisfied with this situation, and they will certainly address it this offseason.
Spaeth only had three receptions and one touchdown last year, but that is not what the Steelers need from him. Instead, they depend on his blocking in both the running and passing game. His presence in the lineup helped pave the way for Le’Veon Bell and allows Miller to run free in the passing game.
There will not be much of a market for Spaeth in free agency, and at this point in his career, he will likely want to re-sign with the Steelers and finish his career in Pittsburgh.
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7. James Harrison, Outside Linebacker
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Pittsburgh’s top free agent, according to Pro Football Focus, is also its oldest. The 36-year old James Harrison came out of retirement last season to become the team’s top pass-rusher.
Although he may decide that 2014 was his last season, Harrison has not stopped working out just in case he decides to return for one more year. He recently posted an Instagram video of himself doing one-handed 135-pound shoulder presses.
If you had any questions about his strength, this video confirms he is still one of the strongest players in the NFL. He showed this last year, as he was arguably the Steelers’ most effective pass-rusher and was third on the team with 5.5 sacks and 14 pressures.
Harrison is another year older and will be without Dick LeBeau at defensive coordinator. It may be the perfect time for the Steelers to make a break with him, but with their lack of depth at outside linebacker, maybe not.
Jarvis Jones is the only outside linebacker under contract for next year, and re-signing Harrison would not only provide depth, but a veteran presence to help lead a young defense. The Steelers could get by without him, but they must strongly consider bringing him back for one more year if he is willing to return.
6. Brice McCain, Cornerback
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Brice McCain was an unheralded signing by the Steelers in 2014 but also one of their best. He was “coming off the worst season of his career,” per Chris Wesseling of NFL.com. His lack of production combined with his lack of size (5'9", 187 lbs) did not appear to be what Pittsburgh needed at cornerback.
At most, McCain would play on special teams and fill a spot on the depth chart. He proved to be much more by the end of the season.
McCain started nine games in place of Cortez Allen—whom Pittsburgh benched—and finished the year tied for the team lead in interceptions with three. None was as important as his pick-six against the Jacksonville Jaguars, which helped seal the victory.
The Steelers need to upgrade their talent at cornerback, but McCain needs to be a part of the equation. He can step in as a starter if needed, and if not, he makes for an excellent third or fourth option given his ability to play the outside or in the slot.
McCain does not qualify as a splash signing, but he offers the Steelers an affordable cornerback who can fill a variety of roles for the defense.
5. Niles Paul, Tight End
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On the surface, the Steelers have a terrific group of players returning on offense. The starting five linemen are back next year, as is every starter at the skill positions. However, one area they are lacking in is at tight end.
Heath Miller is still capable as an all-around tight end, where he can stay in and pave the way for the ground game on one play then catch a ball down the seam on the next. However, Miller will turn 33 years old during the season, and at some point, he will begin to show signs of his age.
According to Pro Football Focus, no tight end played more than Miller’s 1,103 offensive snaps last season (h/t Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette). That is a lot to ask from any player on the back end of his career, and it is time for the Steelers to find a younger option.
The Steelers can bring back Matt Spaeth to block, but they need fully embrace their offensive mindset and add a second tight end who is a legitimate threat at receiver—even if that means giving up some on the blocking end.
Niles Paul is not your traditional tight end but rather a converted receiver who had a breakout season last year. At 6’1” and 241 pounds, he does not have the big body the Steelers prefer, but he has very good speed for the passing game.
In 16 games played—including seven starts—last season, Paul had 39 receptions for 507 yards and one touchdown. He ranked in the top 25 in receptions and receiving yards by a tight end and was seventh in yards per reception among tight ends with at least 20 receptions.
Paul presents mismatch problems for defense with his speed. He began to display his potential as a big-play threat with seven receptions of 20-plus yards and two of 40 yards or more last year. Put him on an offense with Miller, Bell, Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant, and Pittsburgh’s offense will be that much harder to stop.
Signing a player such as Paul would break the traditional mold for the Steelers, but it would be one to show that they are not willing to settle on offense.
4. Arthur Moats, Outside Linebacker
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Arthur Moats signed with Pittsburgh to provide depth at linebacker. He had experience on the inside and outside but was never much of a pass-rusher with only five career sacks—and none since 2011.
A variety of injuries placed Moats in the starting lineup, though he was unable to hold down the position with the return of James Harrison. Nevertheless, he finished the year with nine starts and had a career-high four sacks.
Even as a part-time player, Moats ranks as a top-10 edge defender by Pro Football Focus. If given the opportunity to play as a full-time starter, he could approach eight sacks and hold the edge as a run defender.
The Steelers signed Moats to veteran minimum last year and will have to provide him with a modest bump in pay to return. He was effective in his limited snaps as he finished fourth on the team in sacks and added seven quarterback pressures, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
If no other outside linebacker is signed, Moats will find himself in the starting lineup as the Steelers develop a young pass-rusher. However, he could be returned in a backup role and play another 300 to 400 snaps next year. Either way, he proved his worth to the franchise, and he's someone Pittsburgh must re-sign.
3. Roy Helu, Running Back
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As though the depth chart at running back wasn’t thin enough, the Steelers are likely to be without their star running back, Le’Veon Bell, for the first two games of the season. Colbert told reporters at his offseason press conference that the Steelers must “be prepared” for this scenario, via Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
That means they will not enter the season with Josh Harris and Dri Archer as the backups. Instead, they are likely to sign a veteran free agent and even invest a Day 3 draft pick on a running back. With the draft still months away, the Steelers will first focus on the veteran running backs.
There are a number of quality options available who can serve the role as a backup and spot starter. Some of these players include Ben Tate, C.J. Spiller, Darren McFadden, Shane Vereen, Frank Gore and Knowshon Moreno.
It is hard to go wrong with any of these options, but age and injury factors will make them shaky options behind Bell. Instead, the Steelers should focus their attention on Roy Helu, one of the best free-agent values at running back.
Helu has excelled in a backup role while with the Washington Redskins, where he has 255 carries for 1,132 yards and seven touchdowns in his four-year career. Last season was his best, with an average of 5.4 yards per carry on 40 attempts.
Besides his production on the ground, Helu is an asset in the passing game with 129 career receptions, including 42 last season for 477 yards and a healthy 11.4 yards per reception. His ability to stay on the field on third downs makes him a tremendous asset to any team.
Outside of Moreno, who is coming off a torn ACL, Helu will be one of the most affordable running backs in free agency. His versatility will fit in well with Pittsburgh’s offensive scheme, and he could expect at least 100 touches next season as well as two guaranteed starts to begin the year.
2. Chris Culliver, Cornerback
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Cornerback is one of the top needs for the Steelers this offseason, and it would be wise for them to invest in one in both free agency and the draft.
William Gay will man down one side of the defense, and Cortez Allen will be given another opportunity to start on the opposite side. However, with the Steelers playing three cornerbacks more often than not, they can find another starting-caliber cornerback in free agency.
Chris Culliver can help fill the void and provide an immediate upgrade in Pittsburgh’s secondary. The 6’0”, 199-pound cornerback is about to enter his fifth year in the league and has 20 starts under his belt. If not for a year on the injured reserve with a torn ACL, he would certainly have even more.
Last year, Culliver started 14 games and had 45 tackles, 15 passes defended and four interceptions. Pro Football Focus has him ranked third on its list of free-agent cornerbacks. With other names such as Kareem Jackson, Brandon Flowers, Tramon Williams, Antonio Cromartie and Byron Maxwell on this list, it is possible that Culliver could fly under the radar.
The demand for quality cornerbacks will be high, but the addition of a player like Culliver would instantly upgrade Pittsburgh’s secondary.
1. Pernell McPhee, Outside Linebacker
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The Steelers know what they have with Jason Worilds, but is it enough to sign him to a long-term deal? Maybe not.
Colbert wasn’t able to sign Worilds to an extension and appears to be willing to let the young linebacker hit the open market, via Bob Labriola of Steelers.com:
“Jason had a good year for us last year,” said Colbert. “He’s still a young player. He’s probably still an ascending player. I don’t think you’ve seen the best of him, either with the Steelers or as a potential player for someone else’s team. He’s definitely someone we will consider keeping. We will see where the market goes.”
Even if both sides want to reach an agreement, Worilds will be tough to sign if other teams begin to bid for his services.
Jimmy Kempski of PhillyVoice.com believes that Worilds “would be a good fit in Philadelphia,” and Paul Kuharsky of ESPN.com considers Worilds to be a logical fit for the Tennessee Titans with Dick LeBeau now in charge of the defense.
Rather than outbid for his services—or even re-sign him for status quo—the Steelers need to make a bold move. The defense has lacked any sort of consistent pass rush for several years now, and this an area they must fix for 2015.
Brandon Graham will be a popular name linked to the Steelers, but the player they should focus on is Pernell McPhee.
McPhee ranks second on Pro Football Focus’ list of free-agent edge defenders and is the No. 14 overall free agent, according to USA Today. He is poised to earn a huge contract in free agency but could come in at a lower cost than Worilds.
Despite his 7.5 sacks last year, McPhee did not start a game—albeit he played behind Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil. Even without starting experience, he would fit in right with what the Steelers want to do on defense—rush the quarterback.
New defensive coordinator Keith Butler doesn’t expect to change much on defense, but he did tell Steelers.com's Bob Labriola (h/t Scott Brown of ESPN.com) that it is important to put pressure on the quarterback. McPhee can accomplish this from all areas of the field, which makes him an even more valuable asset.
The 6’3”, 280-pound linebacker may not drop into coverage, but he is a force against the run and getting after the quarterback. Butler can scheme around McPhee’s deficiencies in coverage because his ability to pressure an offense is exactly what Pittsburgh’s defense needs to regain its form in 2015.
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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