Going into the 2023 offseason, all four teams in the AFC North had many questions to answer, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have done the best so far. With lots of drama going on in the division, Omar Khan and Andy Weidl got to work and answered many of these questions, despite not having a lot of cap space. The rest of the division has not done nearly as much as the Steelers have, and with the Steelers having the most draft capital (as of now) in the division, it's safe to say that they could have the best draft too.
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Steelers' new guard Isaac Seumalo is proof of assistant GM Andy Weidl's influence on free agency.
What made the Steelers' Free Agency period so much better?
For starters, the Steelers found an upgrade at offensive line, with Weidl having major influence over the signings of former Philadelphia Eagles, Isaac Seumalo and Nate Herbig. Seumalo is expected to start at either guard position, while Herbig will serve as much-needed depth. These signings will provide a major boost to an interior o-line that already improved greatly after the 2022 offseason, with Kevin Dotson being relegated to backup now.
With many questions at linebacker, the Steelers chose to revamp it entirely. Myles Jack was cut to make space for new free agent signings, Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts. Under their new linebacker coach, Aaron Curry, the linebacker core should finally play with quality and consistency for the first time since Devin Bush and Vince Williams in 2019. As long as Curry can help keep these linebackers playing like they did on previous teams, that major hole is finally filled in.
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Pittsburgh Steelers sign former Miami Dolphins linebacker Elandon Roberts
With the loss of Cameron Sutton, Patrick Peterson was signed to start at cornerback while whoever they draft will rotate with him. Even if Peterson is declining, he can at least be a good mentor for the future rookie that will eventually lead the group. It also helps to have a veteran presence in the backfield behind Peterson, with Damontae Kazee being re-signed and Keanu Neal being signed for depth. With these signings, the Steelers are set in the secondary for a little while.
What about the rest of the AFC North?
The Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns are too busy dealing with quarterback issues to focus on free agency. Eric DeCosta is both trying to get a contract done with Lamar Jackson and find a suitor for a potential trade. His hands are tied in case Jackson does end up staying with the Ravens this year, since Jackson is asking for Deshaun Watson money. Speaking of Watson, the Browns can't sign anyone because of all the money they gave to him. With no picks or cap space, they're stuck in limbo, hoping that he can shake the rust off and be good again.
AP
Cleveland Browns QB Deshaun Watson (left), is tackled by Pittsburgh Steelers DT Cam Heyward during the first half of a game on January 8, 2023.
The Cincinnati Bengals know that they will have to pay Joe Burrow a lot of money soon, so they can't make many moves, although they did try. They tried to boost their offensive line with an overrated tackle in Orlando Brown Jr. and an underrated guard in Cody Ford. Even with these signings, they still have massive holes at safety and tight end, with many players at those positions leaving. They will need to find someone to pair up with Daxton Hill, since Nick Scott is more of depth than a true starting safety.
What do you think of the AFC North's free agent signings? Can the Steelers make more of them with the limited cap space they have? Let us know down in the comments.
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