Steelers' Last-Minute Guide to 2024 NFL Free Agency
There are going to be a lot of eyes on the Pittsburgh Steelers when 2024 free agency kicks off with the legal tampering period Monday, March 11 at noon ET.
Coming off a 10-7 season in which an inconsistent offense limited a great defense, the Steelers have some defined needs and the cap space to make some aggressive moves.
With teams able to negotiate with pending free agents and come to terms on agreements, the player movement should come fast and furious on Monday. The Steelers could be right in the thick of it with Omar Khan at the helm of his second free agency.
Last year saw the Steelers add Larry Ogunjobi, Patrick Peterson and Isaac Seumalo. We're about to find out if Khan intends to be aggressive once again.
Here's a look at their current cap situation, pending free agents, biggest needs and top targets a day before things really get going.
Cap Situation
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Cap Space: $26.3 million, per Spotrac.
The Steelers aren't exactly swimming in cash, but they aren't hurting for money either. They'll have a decent budget to utilize on additions after making a few key moves.
Allen Robinson ($10 million), Patrick Peterson ($6.9 million), Keanu Neal ($2.3 million), Mason Cole ($4.8 million) and Chukwuma Okorafor ($8.8 million) were all released and came with significant cap savings.
Their departures will leave a few holes to fill, most notably Mason Cole and Patrick Peterson who were full-time starters at their positions.
There are still moves at Khan's disposal to create even more space. They haven't made any notable contract extensions or restructures. Both have the capability of moving some cap debt from this offseason to future years.
Cameron Heyward would be a candidate for an extension while T.J. Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick both have huge salaries that could be redistributed through a bonus restructure. E
Essentially, the Steelers can get much more aggressive if they feel the need to.
Notable Free Agents
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- CB Levi Wallace
- CB Chandon Sullivan
- DT Montravius Adams
- LB Kwon Alexander
- EDGE Markus Golden
Here's the best indicator that Khan has some potentially big targets he'd like to chase in free agency. The Steelers have gotten fairly aggressive in creating cap space. They released a few starters to create a bit of a budget to make some signings.
When you look at their list of pending free agents, there aren't a lot of priority re-signings, though.
Levi Wallace played more than any of them. However, he gave up six touchdowns in coverage this season and the team has found at least one young starter in Joey Porter Jr.
Chandon Sullivan is a decent slot corner but he only played 37.1 percent of the snaps and the rest of the players on this list played even less.
Even if the Steelers decide to bring back a few of their impending free agents, none of them are going to make a huge dent in their cap space.
Biggest Needs and Top Targets
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Quarterback
It's tough to completely give up on a quarterback after just two seasons, but the Steelers have to ask themselves if Kenny Pickett has given enough indication that he can become the franchise quarterback. They've won games with him, but he was 27th in Total QBR and hasn't shown a lot of progression.
The Steelers obviously have eyes on other quarterbacks. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported they met with Russell Wilson who will officially be released by the Denver Broncos at the beginning of the league year. At the very least, the Steelers need a veteran backup who can push Pickett.
Top Targets: Russell Wilson, Ryan Tannehill, Gardner Minshew
Offensive Tackle
This is a need that is probably best addressed in the draft, but the Steelers should be willing to explore all options. They finally moved on from Chukwuma Okorafor after benching him last season, but that still leaves them with Dan Moore Jr. penciled in as a starter. He has had plenty of time to prove he can take on that role but still hasn't done it. A veteran tackle who can start should be a consideration in free agency.
Top Targets: Jonah Williams, Trent Brown, Tyron Smith
Cornerback
As noted earlier, the Steelers could be losing Levi Wallace and have already cut Patrick Peterson. They need a starter on the outside and it wouldn't hurt to add a slot corner as well. Given the space they've created it doesn't seem likely that Wallace is the plan moving forward. This is a spot where the Steelers should get aggressive on the market because there are quite a few starting-caliber options.
Top Targets: Chidobe Awuzie, Stephon Gilmore, Kendall Fuller
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