Steelers Free Agency Wish List

Story by Yinzer Crazy Contributor Jayson Erwin. Follow him on Twitter @JaysonErwin2002

Say what you will about the offseason, it can still be rather exciting. And for the Steelers, it is also one of the most important in a long time. We no longer have the Roethlisberger safety blanket, and now have to build a balanced team around the man the Steelers are going all in for, Kenny Pickett. Now, while the Steelers are one of the more conservative teams when changing the team up with big free agency signings, a new GM in Omar Khan could change that. They don't have a ton of space right now, but a few cuts and restructuring will help that. With that in mind, the Steelers are likely not going to be able to afford all these guys but that's why it's called a wish list. Let's see 5 free agents the Steelers should sign. (Not in any particular order.)

#1: Jawaan Taylor, OT

The Steelers situation on the offensive line has improved a lot since 2021, but that doesn't mean there still aren't some pieces missing. While Kevin Dotson and James Daniels have made ends meet, the same can't be said for Dan Moore or Chukwuma Okorafor. While they are serviceable and can put on a good performance at times, it should be ideal for the Steelers to protect Kenny Pickett as much as possible. That's where the 6'5, 25-year-old, former Florida Gator comes into play. Only 5 sacks were allowed last year by Taylor and he's one of the better pass blockers in the league. While the run blocking is a bit suspect, the inside run is where Najee Harris shines, especially when he's trucking someone to the ground. 

#2: James Bradberry, CB

Now I know what you're going to say, "why would the Steelers sign the guy that probably cost the Eagles a Super Bowl title a week ago?" And to that I say "A flag at a bad time doesn't determine a player's talent" While yes, he got a holding penalty at a bad time, you can't deny he's still a talented corner. More interceptions than touchdowns allowed, only a 46% completion rate, and in a struggling Steelers secondary, an elite corner would help out immensely. Plus, he's been in the league for about 6 years now so he has experience as well and could mentor other young corners the Steelers may bring in. Could Bradberry only have to change cities, not states, this year? 

#3: Juju Smith-Schuster, WR

Well if we bring him back, the Steelers aren't getting Bradberry. And if you don't know why, you don't have a Twitter account. But a former Steeler and still a relatively young player, Juju just won a Super Bowl and has still shown he can ball. Not only that, he has matured...sort of. But you can't deny, the Steeler locker room loved having him around, and was always a guy who kept morale high. With only Pickens and Johnson the top receivers the Steelers have, could a reunion be in order? Hope so, because I still have his jersey!

#4: Tremaine Edmunds, LB

In the words of Vin Diesel, "Family". The brother of Terrell Edmunds, current safety on the Steelers, Tremaine has shown to be a reliable linebacker during his time in Buffalo. He is great in coverage and good in pass rush, and with Devin Bush and Robert Spillane, both inside linebackers, likely on their way out of Pittsburgh, the signing of Edmunds would help the defense Tremaine-dously (see what I did there?). The team of Tremaine and Myles Jack is scary enough, combine that with TJ Watt and Alex Highsmith, and the Steelers will likely have the best linebacker room in the NFL. 

#5: Javon Hargrave, DT

I can't express this enough when I say, if I were to pick any of the 5 players here to come to Pittsburgh, it would be Hargrave. Not only is he a former Steeler, but he was also one of the centerpieces of the amazing 2019 Steelers defense. And he's only gotten better with his time in Philly. His pass rush is amazing, top 4 in sacks for defensive tackles, and with the Steelers already dangerous on the pass rush, this will only make the Steelers defensive line better. Just imagine being a quarterback and the front four coming after you are Javon Hargrave, Cameron Heyward, T.J. Watt, and Alex Highsmith. That's a front four even the Steel Curtain would be proud of!

Now nobody should get too excited. You'll be lucky as fans if the Steelers even think about signing these guys, but man, imagine a defense with Javon Hargrave providing extra pressure but the QB can't throw it anywhere because James Bradberry and Minkah Fitzpatrick are deep and Tremaine Edmunds is covering the short routes. Then on the offensive side, we'll have Pickett throwing to a trio of young receivers like Smith-Schuster and also great protection from Jawaan Taylor and others...dang it, I got excited.