Free-Agent Contracts Steelers Must Pursue After Preseason
The Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to return to relevance in 2023. After missing the 2022 postseason with a 9-8 record, Pittsburgh strengthened several spots on its roster by adding the likes of Isaac Seumalo, Patrick Peterson, Allen Robinson II and Joey Porter Jr.
Ahead of their Week 1 matchup with the San Francisco 49ers, the Steelers should consider adding a few more pieces. Valuable players are available following roster cuts, and Pittsburgh has $12.5 million in cap space available.
Below, you'll find a look at three free agents Pittsburgh must target before the regular season. We'll dive into how these players could help the Steelers in 2022 and what reasonable contract offers would look like.
Factors like player health, past production, roster makeup and depth were considered.
Edge Tarell Basham
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The Steelers won't want for pass-rush help in 2023. At least, that's the belief with T.J. Watt again healthy.
Watt missed seven games in 2022 with a partially torn pectoral. Pittsburgh still recorded 40 sacks, thanks in large part to the emergence of Alex Highsmith. With Highsmith, Watt and rookie Nick Herbig in the mix, the Steelers should have a strong pass-rushing rotation.
However, Pittsburgh could still afford to add another sack artist to the mix, especially if he can be had on the cheap.
Tarell Basham played sparingly with the Tennessee Titans and Dallas Cowboys last season. in 2021, though, he recorded 3.5 sacks and 21 quarterback pressures. He'd be a quality fourth or fifth option in Pittsburgh, and he should be willing to sign at a team-friendly price.
Basham joined the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason on a modest one-year, $1.1 million deal but was released during August cuts.
The Steelers should be able to land Basham at a similar price point. His knowledge of Cincinnati's 2023 game plan would give Pittsburgh an added bonus in the intel department.
Contract Offer: One Year, $1.1 Million
RB Dontrell Hilliard
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There seems to be a growing concern that Najee Harris isn't the franchise running back that Pittsburgh was hoping for. At least, there's been enough concern that Dale Lolley of the team's official website recently felt the need to address the situation.
"This narrative that Jaylen Warren is going to 'surpass' Najee Harris as the Steelers' lead back is simply not true.," Lolley posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
If the Steelers aren't concerned about Harris, they should be. Though he's capable of handling a large workload and is a solid pass-catcher, the third-year back has shown a lack of vision and burst in the ground game—and has averaged just 3.9 yards per carry.
It wouldn't hurt to add another capable runner to the mix, and Dontrell Hilliard would be a fantastic budget option.
While Hilliard did land on injured reserve with a neck injury last season, he was a strong complement to Derrick Henry in Tennessee. He averaged 6.6 yards per carry last season and has averaged 5.9 yards per carry as a pro.
Adding Hilliard would give Pittsburgh another option in the ground game and another special-teams contributor.
Contract Offer: One Year, $1.1 Million
CB Greedy Williams
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The additions of Peterson and Porter should aid a Steelers defense that ranked 25th in yards per pass attempt allowed last season—and Pittsburgh scooped up Desmond King following roster cuts.
However, it never hurts to have strong cornerback depth, and the Steelers should eye former division rival Greedy Williams.
Williams, a 2019 second-round pick of the Cleveland Browns, has appeared in 39 games with 21 starts. He has experience battling AFC North receivers, and his knowledge of the division could be a huge asset if he's called off the bench to fill in.
The Philadelphia Eagles took a chance on Williams this offseason but ultimately decided to go in a different direction. While the 25-year-old has never quite played up to his draft status, he's shown flashes and may still have some untapped potential.
The Steelers could continue developing Williams while also giving themselves an extra insurance policy at a critical position. It's going to be a long season, and a playoff contender like Pittsburgh can never have too many capable cornerbacks.
Contract Offer: One Year, $1.1 Million
*Cap information via Spotrac. Advanced statistics from Pro Football Reference unless otherwise noted.
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