As free agency looms closer, Pittsburgh will start to feel a time crunch to re-sign some of their pending free agents. They have some impactful players from this past season who should be guys they bring back. Fans might despise the idea of many players returning to the club next year after the team lost its final five games to end the season.
Change is inevitable in the NFL, but the Steelers refused to make enough alterations to their coaching staff. They only changed at spots where coaches were on expiring deals. They claimed there would be change, but they will try and run things back and expect different results. Pittsburgh is tired of their shenanigans, and they want to get back to the promised land.
Attacking free agency and the offseason is where the Steelers must make their mark.
Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals
Most teams in the NFL will be placing a call to Tee Higgins if he makes it to the tampering stage of free agency. He headlines a class of free-agent receivers who don’t possess much star power. Higgins might be a great second option on a good offense, but he can be a type-1B receiver like Diontae Johnson was in Pittsburgh with George Pickens.
Higgins is going to command a massive market once free agency starts. The Steelers should jump into that spending pool to see if landing him is a realistic possibility. They were willing to spend around 30 million a year on Brandon Aiyuk last offseason, so why would it be any different for Higgins? Initial talks with Higgins could gauge his interest in joining the Steelers.
Milton Williams, DT, Philadelphia Eagles
I’m beating this drum until Milton Williams signs with the Steelers in free agency.
They are going to invest into the defensive line this offseason. No matter if they add someone as a free agent or draft prospect, expect them to invest in the trenches. They could double-dip at the position to retool on the fly. They aren’t getting any younger with Cam Heyward at the helm, but that could change.
Williams will turn 26 in April and is coming off a fantastic performance in the Eagles Super Bowl victory. He was more of a rotational player behind Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter, but he seems prepared to take the next steps. Steelers assistant general manager Andy Weidl was in charge of the Eagles draft board when they selected Williams. It is easy to connect the dots.
J.K. Dobbins, RB, LA Chargers
A new report claims the Steelers might re-sign Najee Harris, which would be crazy if cheaper options were out there. They might not want to draft his replacement, but they could investigate affordable alternatives in free agency. The running back position is one of the most replacement spots in the NFL. Harris’s return would be a miscalculation when you could target someone like J.K. Dobbins.
He had a resurgence this past season with the LA Chargers. He led one of the more efficient rushing attacks in football. Durability has continued to be a problem with Dobbins throughout his professional career. Pittsburgh likes to use multiple running backs, so that could limit his potential to injury risks. Calling Dobbins could expose a cheap contract with a short-term commitment.
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