BRADENTON, Fla. -- With the Scouting Combine behind us, attention quickly turns to NFL free agency, which officially begins -- not by any coincidence -- at the start of the league's new year on March 15.
The Steelers have a great opportunity to improve their roster in free agency, and there are a few different avenues they can go about doing that. What's more, the first stages of the Steelers' attack plan for free agency has already swung into action.
Before the Steelers do anything on the open market, Omar Khan and Co. had to decide if they wanted to use the franchise or transition tag to maintain leverage on any of their impending free agents. Tuesday's 4:00 p.m. deadline came and went, and the Steelers opted to pass on any designation.
This isn't the most surprising decision as none of their players -- including Cam Sutton, Larry Ogunjobi and Terrell Edmunds -- were worth the high price of a tag. Sutton would have cost $18,140,000 against the cap under the non-exclusive franchise tag. Ogunjobi's cost would have been $18,937,000 and Edmunds' would have been $14,460,000. With all the holes the Steelers need to address in the coming weeks, any decision to tag any of these players would have been a poor allocation of resources.
The Steelers would certainly love to reunite with any and, ideally, all three of these players. As I was told in Indianapolis during the Combine, bringing back Sutton is the team's highest priority among their impending free agents. But, there's a prudent way of going about this, and the Steelers have to be responsible with the salary cap.
In fact, Pittsburgh must clear salary to get under the cap when the NFL calendar officially rolls over into 2023. One of the first expected moves is cutting ties with cornerback William Jackson III, which clears nearly $12.2 million in cap space with no dead money attached. This isn't an earth-shattering development as it's been expected since the start of the offseason. Simply put, it's the easiest decision to make among any other cuts, contract restructures or extensions.
There are other moves that need to take place in order to accomplish everything the Steelers want to do in free agency, and there are several viable options that can give Pittsburgh all the cap room needed to be as aggressive as possible.
Traditionally, Pittsburgh doesn't use free agency as a way to make additions that provide an immediate impact on the roster. Typically, it's a means to an end to address some needs while the draft is the place to build the roster with impactful players that are born and bred in black and gold.
However, ahead of his first free agency as the team's general manager, Khan was clear about his team's salary cap situation and how it paves the way for anything to be on the table, including a big-ticket free agent.
"You guys have seen through different seasons what kind of shape we've been in," Khan told reporters last week at the Combine. "We're obviously in a lot better shape than we've been in the past. There were years where we had to be -- I don't really like to use the word, 'creative' -- but had to do some things. We're comfortable if there's the opportunity to improve our team with someone, we can make things happen and sign (them). There's nothing that will be holding us back."
As we've discussed throughout the offseason, inside linebacker is a prime position for the Steelers to make a splash that can also address a critical area of need. Lavonte David, Tremaine Edmunds, David Long, Bobby Wagner, T.J. Edwards, Bobby Okereke, Leighton Vander Esch, Germaine Pratt and Drue Tranquill all rank in the top 70 of Pro Football Focus' free agent rankings. And now, the Vikings have released Eric Kendricks, adding yet another name to that long list. There are all kinds of options available in this crop of names, all varying in age, production and, most importantly, cost.
For now, the Steelers will have most of their focus set on internal issues, such as re-signing any of their own free agents. Their level of success in that arena will certainly provide clarity for their gameplan once the league's legal tampering period begins Monday at noon. Then, the focus will quickly shift to external additions to fill out the roster.
SETTING UP FREE AGENCY
• Word on the street is the Titans are planning to cut former Steelers edge rusher Bud Dupree to clear cap space. As our Dejan Kovacevic first reported a couple weeks ago, the Steelers will have interest in a reunion once Dupree is on the market. Dupree is still owed $10.85 million in guaranteed money. So, in theory, Dupree can sign for a significantly cheaper deal.
The Steelers sure could use a productive third edge rusher, and Dupree seems like a perfect fit behind T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith. He knows the franchise and knows the system. As long as he's willing to step into a rotational role and can maintain his health, this could be a slam dunk at almost no cost to the Steelers.
Wins all around.
• Ironically enough, Dupree was the last Steeler to play under the franchise tag. He did so for the 2020 season at a cost of $15,828,000.
• Just as I described in my Mock Draft 2.0, the feeling I gathered from last week is the Steelers are actually prioritizing the interior of the offensive line over tackle. This isn't an indictment on Mason Cole or James Daniels. Rather, it's in preparation for life after Kevin Dotson, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract.
This doesn't mean the Steelers won't address tackle at all in free agency or the draft, but it's not the priority that it was perceived to be at the start of the offseason.
• Quarterback is being decided rather quickly in some instances around the league. Derek Carr will be heading to New Orleans after the Raiders cut him earlier in the offseason, and the Giants found a way to re-sign Daniel Jones to a four-year, $160-million contract prior to Tuesday's 4:00 p.m. deadline for the franchise tag.
Quarterbacks whose fate remains undecided: Aaron Rodgers, who is apparently set to meet with the Jets, and Lamar Jackson. The Ravens slapped Jackson with the non-exclusive franchise tag, which allows the market to dictate Jackson's worth. The Ravens have the opportunity to match any offer for Jackson, and will receive two first-round picks if they decide not to match.
If Jackson plays under the tag, it'll cost the Ravens $32.41 million.
• In addition to Jackson, five other players were tagged: Giants' Saquon Barkley, Jaguars' Evan Engram, Raiders' Josh Jacobs, Commanders' Daron Payne and Cowboys' Tony Pollard. All six players received the non-exclusive franchise tag.
• Khan described himself as an aggressive deal maker when he addressed the media the Combine last week. Looking at some of the numbers quarterbacks are earning right now, Kenny Pickett is set to carry a cap hit of $3.197 million in 2023, the second year of his rookie contract.
If there's a time to be aggressive and build a solid roster that can contend with the heavyweights in the AFC, it's now.
• The Top 51 rule goes into effect when free agency officially begins March 15 at 4:00 p.m. That means the sum of all teams' top 51 contracts must be under the salary cap. Because of the rollover from 2022, the Steelers' 2023 cap figure will be $229,227,145.
• In addition to Tuesday being the deadline for franchise and transition tag designations, it's also the first day for pro days and teams can host draft-eligible prospects for visits and physical exams at their respective facilities. Each team is permitted to host up to 30 visits. The last day teams can host any draft-eligible players is April 19.
No, this isn't related to free agency, but it's a significant portion of everything that will take place over the next several weeks.
• It's not uncommon for teammates to work out together in the offseason. However, there have been several Steelers teammates working together in Florida. Of all the Steelers players that have been seen working out together: Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, Diontae Johnson, George Pickens, Calvin Austin III, Steven Sims, Anthony Miller, Gunner Olszewski, Cody White and Connor Heyward.