The NFL season will be here before we know it, and free agency is finally here. The Pittsburgh Steelers have a ton of work to do this offseason in free agency and the draft to round out the roster for next season. It doesn’t appear that a rebuild is on the horizon yet, making free agency a huge component of building the team that is tasked with making a playoff run. These players are realistic options for the Steelers.
Wide receiver was a glaring hole for Pittsburgh last season. It needs to acquire more playmakers this offseason, but it could be hard to lure the top options without a premier quarterback. Brandin Cooks could be a reliable option to turn to. He is a 12-year veteran and won’t cost an arm and a leg. Cooks played for Mike McCarthy in Dallas and found success with Dak Prescott in that offense. If his options are thin, returning to McCarthy could be an intriguing option if it is on the table.
The ideology behind signing Jalen Tolbert is similar to Cooks. Tolbert played for and was drafted by McCarthy in Dallas, and he won’t be expensive. He isn’t a superstar, but he has high WR3 upside. Tolbert scored seven touchdowns in 2024, including one against the Steelers in Week 5 at Acrisure Stadium. Through 55 career games, he has found the endzone 10 times. It wouldn’t be a sexy addition, but Tolbert can help improve this offense that is desperate for playmakers.
Pittsburgh has to add more cornerbacks this offseason, and the fanbase might moan and groan over it, but Trevon Diggs is someone worth looking at. He has battled lingering knee issues, but he is still 28 years old with potentially good football in front of him. Diggs had 11 interceptions in 2021 under McCarthy in Dallas. He knows how to take the ball away. His expected market value via Spotrac is $7.5 million per season. That is a bit high, but the Steelers are desperate for someone to pair with Joey Porter Jr.
Jalen Ramsey and DeShon Elliott should have things squared away at safety next season, but depth never hurt anybody. They could also consider moving Ramsey back to nickel. Jaquan Brisker is from Pittsburgh. He attended Gateway High School and played at Penn State with Porter Jr. Spotrac is expecting his value to be $11.1 million per season, which is high, but itd be worth inquiring about a hometown discount for a player that needs a fresh start. He snagged one interception last season along with 52 solo tackles and 93 total tackles.
Steelers fans were upset that Elandon Roberts wasn’t re-signed last offseason, and now Omar Khan has a chance to make it right. Roberts is a free agent this offseason, and grabbing him to bolster the linebacker depth would be great. He played for now-Steelers defensive coordinator Patrick Graham last season in Las Vegas. Although the 10-year veteran only played two seasons in Pittsburgh, something about him in black and yellow just feels right. He’s a real thumper. Roberts plays Steelers football.
It’s fun to imagine Pittsburgh going out and making a bunch of sexy signings in free agency, but it might not happen. Without Mike Tomlin, it is unknown how much of a destination the Steelers are. These signings could become necessary down the line and wouldn’t be the end of the world if Pittsburgh can parlay them with a stout draft class in April. Art Rooney II doesn’t want a rebuild, forcing Khan to be active in the free agent market. These cheap signings would improve the roster.
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