As we head into the second week of free agency in the NFL, teams take a step back and reassess things. There's been a lot of money spent thus far, with contracts handed out in excess of $750 million.
But that hardly means the cupboard is bare of good players. In fact, now is the time teams can add a player at a bargain price -- at least that's the idea.
There are still some teams that have big money available. The Colts, for example, have been relatively quiet, despite still having $95 million in cap space according to NFLPA.com.
Per the NFLPA's site, the Steelers still have $11.25 million in cap space, though that does not appear to include the addition of receiver Donte Moncrief to the roster.
The Steelers did, however, create a bit of cap space, apparently by getting placekicker Chris Boswell to push back the due date on a $2 million roster bonus that was to be paid out March 15.
A contract extension for Ben Roethlisberger could also gain the Steelers a little more wiggle room, but the Steelers are going to need to have at least $6 million available to sign their rookie class.
A large portion of that -- just over $5 million -- could be acquired by releasing safety Morgan Burnett after June 1. By comparison, if Burnett is released before June 1, the savings would be just $3.6 million. And with Antonio Brown on the books for $21.2 million in 2019, every penny is going to count for the Steelers this season.
So, does that mean the Steelers are done in free agency, after adding Moncrief and cornerback Steven Nelson as unrestricted free agents and re-signing Ramon Foster, Jordan Berry, Anthony Chickillo and Daniel McCullers?
Perhaps. The Steelers are tight against the cap because of the trade of Brown -- though they'll reap the benefits of having him off the books in 2020.
But if there's a move they feel they can't pass up, they still have some maneuverability.
Here are some players they might look at if the price is right:
Zach Brown, ILB: Brown is 29 and was released by the Redskins to save nearly $6 million in cap space. So signing him doesn't count against a team's compensatory picks. That makes him attractive. But the Steelers also can't get into a bidding war for his services. He's still pretty good. Unfortunately for the Steelers, Washington's release of Brown also could mean the Redskins are a potential landing spot for one of the top two inside linebackers in the draft, Devin White or Devin Bush. And Washington selects 15th, while the Steelers are 20th.
Brandon Marshall, ILB: Marshall was once a very solid cover linebacker. But he's been banged up in two of the past three seasons. He also turns 30 in September. But like Brown, he was released by Denver, meaning his signing wouldn't count against the Steelers' compensatory picks. Marshall also is reportedly a very good locker room presence. He played at 250 pounds in Denver but had been lighter earlier in his career. Maybe dropping some weight would allow Marshall to regain some pursuit speed, much as it did for James Farrior late in his career. Farrior played as light as 215 pounds in his last couple of seasons.
Tre Boston, FS: Coming off a five-interception 2017 season with the Chargers, Boston went unsigned in free agency, then signed with the Cardinals right before the start of training camp for a one-year deal worth just under $2.5 million, adding another three interceptions and 79 tackles in 14 games. He'll surely want a long-term deal again, but if he doesn't want to sit out and wait for one, perhaps a shorter deal will make some sense to him. Boston is a true centerfielder at the safety position. And he's still just 27. The Steelers need turnovers and he's forced eight in the past two seasons.
Anderson Sendejo, S: Sendejo has been an underrated player for quite some time. He's also 31, which precipitated his release by the Vikings, who walked away from the $5.45 million Sendejo was set to earn in 2019, especially after injuries limited him to five games in 2018. If he could be had on a relatively cheap deal, he would be an upgrade over Burnett in the dime package. In 2017, Sendejo had 70 tackles, seven passes defended and two interceptions in 13 games.
Eric Berry, S: This might be a pipe dream. After all, Berry is a five-time Pro Bowl player. He's overcome cancer. But he's also missed most of the past two seasons with injuries, including an Achilles' tendon injury that limited him to two games in 2018. He did return and play in the postseason, but looked a step slow. Can the 30-year-old regain his former play? At one point, he was a premiere defender. Berry would have to swallow some of his pride, while a team that signs him would have to decide on a price that makes sense for an addition that could be a flop or a home run.
Justin Houston, LB: I've seen the rumors. You've seen the rumors. But thus far, there's been nothing of substance about Houston joining the Steelers. The team did call Houston's agent when he was released to see what the asking price might be. But considering he hasn't played a full 16-game schedule since 2014, Houston's asking price seems to still be pretty high. Houston just turned 30, so a long-term deal probably isn't in the plans for anyone. This one seems like a real long shot for the Steelers, having so little cap space.
