The NFL offseason is officially in full swing with the Pittsburgh Steelers and 31 other teams attending the 2023 NFL Scouting Combine. The intense evaluation process that has already been happening throughout these guys' collegiate careers will ramp up to a new level prior to the draft in April. There are a lot of things that will take place from now until then and Pittsburgh has a lot of work to do in several different areas. The first order of business is getting all of their ducks in a line before free agency begins in a few short weeks.
Steelers head coach, Mike Tomlin stares up at the video board prior to a 2022 regular season matchup against the Baltimore Ravens at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA. | Photo Credit: Jordan Schofield/SteelerNation (@JSKO_PHOTO Twitter)
Time is already of the essence if the organization wants to address some needs externally when free agency begins, but that's why it makes it even more important to take care of things internally before doing anything else.
1.) Restructure Contracts
The top two candidates for a contract restructure are edge rusher, TJ Watt and safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick. According to Over The Cap, a full mix up to Watt's contract would open up over $12.6 million in cap space for the franchise. Fitzpatrick doing the same thing would save just north of $10 million.
Watt and Fitzpatrick both aren't going anywhere anytime soon, so if the two are willing to move things around in order to help the team, which they are likely to do, it could add over $22.5 million in spendable cash come free agency. The hope is that this can get done within the first two weeks of March. Extending Mitch Trubisky while possibly restructuring Diontae Johnson's current deal will also open up some room.
Pittsburgh Steelers safety, Minkah Fitzpatrick (#39) participates during 2022 training camp at the team's South Side facility. | Photo Credit: Jordan Schofield / SteelerNation (Twitter: @JSKO_PHOTO)
2.) Steelers Need To Take Care Of Their Own
Pittsburgh has always been known to reward the players who were drafted by the organization and deserving of another contract. It seems as if this season, Cameron Sutton is at the top of that list. He is a candidate for his third deal with the team since being drafted back in 2017. He won't be as inexpensive as 2020, however, when he signed a two-year $9 million. Keeping him in town is the first order of business.
Elsewhere, a guy like Terrell Edmunds coming back would keep the secondary consistent. Fitzpatrick and Edmunds work well together. And while Larry Ogunjobi was only in town on a one-year deal, restructures and creativity could bring him back before he gets to test the open market. It would be a huge win for the defense.
3.) Save Enough Cash To Make a Free Agency Splash
It's not necessarily how things are run in Pittsburgh, but general manager, Omar Khan said he loves how the cap situation is lining up for the Steelers. There are some solid free agent options at linebacker, wide receiver and on the edge. Rather than using a draft pick on an area of need, a veteran who could contribute on a daily basis might be worth taking a shot at.
Could Pittsburgh target former Rams linebacker, Bobby Wagner if cap space opens up? | Photo Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Getty Images
The next few weeks are critical for the progression of the offseason and free agency will be here before we know it. The Steelers need to take care of business in areas #1 and #2 so that #3 is a serious possibility come mid-March.
Do you agree with this to-do list for Khan? Let us know in the comments below!
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