The off-season is in full swing for the Pittsburgh Steelers as they get set to head into another free-agency period in which they will be able to be active in the free-agent market. At first glance, the Steelers will have a significant amount of players hitting the free agent market this off-season, most notably on the defensive side of the ball.
The Steelers are going into the off-season with some salary cap issues, but those will likely be resolved after they make a few personnel cuts and free up some money. Among the players likely to be cut this off-season, backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky is expected to be at the top of the list after just one season in Pittsburgh.
Trubisky is owed $8 million in 2023 and with the Steelers needing to free up some money, he is likely the first person they will look to part ways with. There is a possibility the Steelers try to shop Trubisky around the league and see if there is any interest from other teams that are in need of a backup quarterback next season.
Before we all take a look at the free agents the Steelers can possibly pursue this off-season, I believe we need to take a look at players that are currently on the roster that general manager Omar Khan should try to keep here in Pittsburgh.
Larry Ogunjobi
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Larry Ogunjobi was an acquisition the Steelers made in the later stages of free agency in 2022 after he failed a physical with the Chicago Bears who were in the midst of signing him to a multi-year contract. When the Steelers got their hands on him they were lucky enough to sign him to a 1-year $8 million contract. Ogunjobi overperformed this season and was likely the best signing the Steelers made all of last year.
Although Ogunjobi's stats are nothing that will blow you away, he provided a significant presence and a level of consistency to a Steelers defensive line that struggled to find answers. With the aging of Cam Heyward and the likely departure of Tyson Alualu, the Steelers may look to the first three rounds in the upcoming draft to find answers to the defensive line but signing Ogunjobi to a multi-year contract would give them significant help and a solid veteran presence for years to come.
Terrell Edmunds
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The Steelers took a gamble in the first round of the 2018 NFL Draft when they selected safety Terrell Edmunds out of Virginia Tech. Edmunds struggled to live up to the first-round hype that surrounded him during his first few seasons in Pittsburgh. The Steelers signed him to a one-year deal last off-season and has had a solid past couple of seasons in the Steelers' secondary.
Edmunds had a productive 2022 season in Pittsburgh where he recorded 70 combined tackles, with 2 sacks and started in 15 games. An area of improvement we saw in Edmunds' game was his missed tackles. In 2021 he finished the season with 10, and nearly cut that number in half with only six in 2022. He did however give up more completions and touchdowns in 2022 than he did in 2021, but all around he filled in nicely next to Minkah Fitzpatrick. I wouldn't expect the Steelers to offer Edmunds much more than they did last off-season, but he has expressed to the media that he likes being in Pittsburgh and would like to continue to play for the Steelers in years to come.
Which Player Should The Steelers Make It A Top Priority To Re-Sign This Off-Season?
Cam Sutton
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Last off-season one of the biggest areas of concern was the cornerback position. After losing Mike Hilton to the Cincinnati Bengals at the conclusion of the 2020 season, the Steelers were spread thin across the board at the cornerback position. In 2021 the Steelers moved cornerback Cam Sutton from the slot to the outside. While it has taken Sutton some time to adjust to the new position, he has come along nicely and was arguably the Steelers' best cornerback in 2022.
Sutton finished the season with three interceptions and 35 solo tackles while starting in 15 games. He had a significant impact and stepped up mightily in a position where the Steelers needed the most help. If I were Khan, I would have Sutton at the top of my list when it comes to free agents that the Steelers need to hold onto for 2023 and beyond.
What do you think? Would you like to see the Steelers retain these three players? If not, who would you choose to keep instead? Tell us your thoughts in the comment section below!
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