Today marks the beginning of the second week of free agency for 2014 league year and as of right now, the Pittsburgh Steelers currently have 13 of their own free agents that remain unsigned. Below is a quick recap of the current status of those players.
Jerricho Cotchery – Cotchery has a visit scheduled on Monday with the Carolina Panthers and there are rumblings that he might have another visit or two lined up after that. The Steelers obviously want him back and are surely keeping tabs on his situation.
Ryan Clark – Clark’s not returning to the Steelers in 2014 and by the looks of things, it’s going to be very tough for him to find a new home as it appears as though the Panthers and Washington Redskins don’t have any real interest in him for now.
Brett Keisel – Keisel remains in limbo and his status with the Steelers revolves around whether or not they can sign Alex Carrington or another suitable starter. Keisel’s agent has said that his client would rather retire than play for the minimum, so there’s that.
LaRod Stephens-Howling – At best, Stephens-Howling is now six months into the rehab of his torn ACL that suffered last year in the season opener, so it’s safe to say that he will remain unsigned for at least another 90 days and maybe longer. When healthy, the Steelers will look at their roster and go from there, but the best he can hope for is a one-year qualifying contract for the minimum from any team.
Fernando Velasco – No team is going to touch Velasco until that Achilles’ of his healed. With the Steelers already re-signing Cody Wallace, it really doesn’t look like Velasco is in their plans even when he is fully recovered.
Felix Jones – Jones might as well get comfortable because teams aren’t going to be in a hurry to sign him.
Michael Palmer – Palmer is in the same boat as Jones is and right now, a return to Pittsburgh really doesn’t seem plausible.
Guy Whimper – Whimper hopefully still has the new Miami phone number of former Steelers offensive line coach Jack Bicknell Jr., because that’s his best chance at landing a job.
Plaxico Burress – Burress is still rehabbing his surgically repaired rotator cuff and it looks as though he might be done for good.
Stevenson Sylvester – The best thing that Sylvester can hope for at this point is that a team needs a camp body. I will be shocked if he’s back in Pittsburgh.
Jamaal Westerman – Westerman is n the same boat as Sylvester.
Mat McBriar – The Steelers signed Brad Wing to a futures deal and eventually they will need training camp competition for him. Right now, that’s all any team will consider McBriar as being.
Eric Olsen – Olsen was the Steelers lone exclusive rights free agent and didn’t receive a tender for the minimum. That’s all you need to know about him.
