Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agents Failing to Make Impact Early

Curt PopejoySep 16, 2014

The Pittsburgh Steelers entered into the last offseason with a plan of attack. Most teams choose one of two paths when it comes to building, or in some cases rebuilding, a franchise.

There are teams who opt for throwing money at big-name free agents in hopes of catching lightning in a bottle with aging veterans. History has shown us that this isn't a prudent strategy, typically yielding less-than-ideal results.

Smart teams lean more heavily on the NFL draft, keeping a steady dose of youth and athleticism on the roster. Not to mention that from a fiscal point of view, having a significant mix of players on their first contract is smart money, assuming they can play.

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Bleacher Report1w

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Nick Wass/Associated Press

Pittsburgh has been a franchise that tends to typically lean on the draft and only use free agency as a fill-in-the-blanks activity. And up until the last two seasons, this has been a productive and successful system.

Every offseason, the NFL headlines are inundated with high-profile free agents and their new zip codes. However, you rarely heard Pittsburgh’s name among the rumors.

This offseason, the Steelers opted to dip their collective toes into the water of free agency a little more than usual. With so many offseason losses, Pittsburgh had to go out and find some guys who could come in and contribute.

This situation is exacerbated by the number of rookies the team is hoping can come in and be difference-makers as well. Here are the key free agents Pittsburgh added this offseason.

So, two games into the season, how are these impact free agents doing? Well, the reports so far are less than stellar.

Cam Thomas, DE/DT

Early returns on the big defensive lineman aren’t good. After the Steelers signed Thomas, I made a point to reach out to some San Diego Chargers writers, as well as review several of his games from the previous season.

The consensus of them and myself was that Thomas flashed talent but was far too inconsistent. He also struggled at the point of attack, which is unsettling for a man so big (6'4", 330 lbs). A quick search of Twitter about Thomas yielded similar troubling reports:

"
What was Steelers expecting when they signed Cam Thomas and THEN moved him to DE? Curious sign then, even more so now.
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly_Trib) September 12, 2014"

"
@nfldraftscout @GottliebShow : Cam Thomas can’t play. Mitchell has been bad, both corners & OLBs are question marks. It’s not scheme.
— David Todd (@DavidMTodd) September 12, 2014"

"
Two quick thoughts before departing Balty -- Cam Thomas gets pushed around a lot for a 340 pound guy; Ravens 2nd TD was a Spider 2 Y Banana
— Mark Kaboly (@MarkKaboly_Trib) September 12, 2014"

"
Cam Thomas WTF???? #steelers
— Steelers Depot (@Steelersdepot) September 12, 2014"

I didn’t include some of the more colorful and troubling of tweets.

This defensive line is starving for help, and Thomas just isn’t providing it. If Steve McLendon can’t go on Sunday at Carolina with his ankle injury, Thomas is going to be pressed into service at nose tackle. It won’t take long to know how desperate this team is for a nose tackle after that.

Lance Moore, WR

Unfortunately, the veteran Moore has been a victim of circumstance up to this point. The Steelers signed the nine-year veteran to replace Emmanuel Sanders and Jerricho Cotchery. With so much youth on the wide receiver depth chart, having an elder statesman like Moore makes perfect sense.

However, Moore has been battling a groin injury and has yet to make his regular-season debut. But, things are looking up:

"
Tomlin: Lance Moore practiced fully Monday, but will be monitored during week. Missed 1st 2 games with groin injury. #Steelers #TribSTEEL
— Alan Robinson (@arobinson_Trib) September 16, 2014"

"
Tomlin only listing Dri and McLendon as those w/ "medical issues" must mean Lance Moore is on target to play this Sunday
— Bob Labriola (@BobLabriola) September 16, 2014"

"
WR Lance Moore (groin) practiced today. "Full go, felt good. I felt better today than I've felt in a number of weeks, that's encouraging."
— Mike Prisuta (@DVEMike) September 15, 2014"

It is encouraging for the Steelers offense to get Moore onto the field. It is no stretch to assume that Moore can become a top target for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, notably in the red zone.

In 2013, with all that young talent, Roethlisberger consistently found the veteran Cotchery when he needed a tough catch. A healthy Moore should be able to play a similar role.

Mike Mitchell, S

If there is a player on this list who has failed to live up to expectations, it is Mitchell. I gave a more comprehensive look at Mitchell’s problems in this piece, but suffice to say, this is not what Pittsburgh wanted out of its new free safety.

I will never fault a player for being aggressive. God knows that this defense has been too passive the past two seasons. However, when you are put in the role of “last line of defense,” you must be smarter than Mitchell has been. What does Twitter think of Mitchell’s play thus far?

"
Can Shamarko play Free Safety? Because I'm not sure Mike Mitchell can.
— The Steelers n'at (@thesteelersnat) September 12, 2014 "

"
Steelers have to be concerned about Mike Mitchell.
— Scott Brown (@ScottBrown_ESPN) September 12, 2014"

"
Steelers have to be happy that very little of Mike Mitchell's contract is guaranteed.
— Cian Fahey (@Cianaf) September 12, 2014"

Bleacher Report’s Cian Fahey makes a good point with his tweet. This season might not be what the Steelers hope with Mitchell, but unlike some of the contracts on this roster, Mitchell’s is one they can get out from under if things continue to go south.

LeGarrette Blount, RB

Last but not least we have Blount. The starting running back spot is in good hands with Le’Veon Bell, but that doesn’t mean depth at the running back position isn’t a top priority. The combination of Jonathan Dwyer and Felix Jones was dreadful in 2013.

The Steelers understood this, so they promptly signed Blount and drafted Dri Archer as replacements. These moves, along with the evolution of Bell’s game, meant big things for the Steelers’ run game.

Two weeks into the season, Bell has run away and hid with the running back job. In two games, Blount only has seven carries, and with the way Bell is playing, that isn’t going to change.

"
Ex-Bucs RB LeGarrette Blount barely used in Steelers' first 2 games: 7 carries, 14 yards; 2 targets, 0 catches, 14 total offensive snaps ...
— Greg Auman (@gregauman) September 12, 2014"

"
13 snaps through 2 games for LeGarrette Blount. So much for a committee.
— Mike Clay (@MikeClayNFL) September 12, 2014"

On the surface, this might seem like a bad thing, but it really isn’t. Blount is a talented back, and it is great to know that if need be, Blount could likely carry the load of the rushing attack. It is even more comforting to know that with Bell ascending to elite status, he won’t need to.

Just wait until winter settles in and field conditions get bad; then you will see more of Blount on the field.