Steelers' Top Players to Prioritize in 2023 NFL Free Agency

The Pittsburgh Steelers have one clear need as the start of NFL free agency approaches.

The AFC North side could lose Devin Bush and Robert Spillane, who combined for 160 tackles in 2022, over the next few weeks.

Bush and Spillane were the No. 3 and No. 4 tacklers, respectively, on the Steelers roster behind Myles Jack and Minkah Fitzpatrick.

If both players leave, the Steelers would be left with a big hole at linebacker and not a ton of salary-cap space to work with. Pittsburgh is $4 million over the salary cap, per Spotrac.

Pittsburgh could chase some inexpensive free agents at the position to help fill the void before approaching the position in the NFL draft as well.

The Steelers should also look at adding depth wide receivers. They could lose Steven Sims and Myles Boykin to free agency and may be better off landing a depth piece in free agency than in the back end of the NFL draft.

Germaine Pratt

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CINCINNATI, OH - DECEMBER 11: Germaine Pratt #57 of the Cincinnati Bengals walks to the sidelines during an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns at Paycor Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

The Steelers could weaken one of their AFC North rivals by signing Germaine Pratt.

The 27-year-old linebacker recorded 91 and 99 tackles in the 2021 and 2022 seasons, respectively, for the Cincinnati Bengals. He produced 355 tackles in his first four NFL campaigns.

Pratt is not on the top tier of linebacker free agents. Bobby Wagner, David Long, Lavonte David and others will command more money from the position. NFL.com ranked Pratt as the ninth-best free agent linebacker.

Pratt should still demand a decent price on the market, but the linebacker depth in free agency could hurt him early in free agency.

That may benefit the Steelers, who can't afford to pay top dollar on replacements for Bush and Spillane.

Pittsburgh needs a high-volume tackler to replace those two players, and Pratt fits that mold.

If Pratt isn't the guy, the Steelers should look to a few other high-volume tacklers to have at least one veteran on the roster to complement Jack and T.J. Watt.

Azeez Al-Shaair

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SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 22: Azeez Al-Shaair #51 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts during an NFL divisional round playoff football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Dallas Cowboys at Levi's Stadium on January 22, 2023 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Azeez Al-Shaair only had 44 tackles for the San Francisco 49ers in 2022, but that should not deter the Steelers from going after him.

Al-Shaair's numbers were low because he played next to Fred Warner and Dre Greenlaw in the San Francisco defense.

In 2021, Al-Shaair recorded a career best 102 tackles, and that could be the set of performances that intrigue the Steelers.

Al-Shaair's market value will not be as high as other linebackers because he has a single season with more than 50 tackles.

However, he could turn into one of the most underrated signings of the offseason because he has the potential to turn into a star without Warner and Greenlaw next to him.

Al-Shaair would still have to compete with Jack and Watt for tackles inside the Pittsburgh defense, but as Bush and Spillane showed in 2022, a high takedown total is possible alongside those two stars.

Mack Hollins

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PITTSBURGH, PA - DECEMBER 24: Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Mack Hollins (10) looks on during the national football league game between the Las Vegas Raiders and the Pittsburgh Steelers on December 24, 2022 at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA. (Photo by Mark Alberti/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Steelers do not have to worry about acquiring a top-tier wide receiver in the 2023 offseason because they crushed their 2022 draft pick of George Pickens.

Pickens and Diontae Johnson form a solid one-two pairing, but they do not have much depth beneath them at the moment.

Boykin is an unrestricted free agent, and even if Sims stays as a restricted free agent, the Steelers need some depth.

Mack Hollins is coming off his best NFL season, as he had 57 receptions and 690 receiving yards for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Hollins was a complementary piece to Davante Adams last season, and he filled in admirably in the No. 2 role when Hunter Renfrow was out injured.

The 29-year-old would be a nice addition for the Steelers because he is more of a physical presence in the air compared to Johnson and Pickens.

Hollins should be rather inexpensive because he has one season with more than 500 receiving yards, so he would fit into the Steelers' free-agent budget.