The Pittsburgh Steelers have a slew of players scheduled to become free agents in March and quite a few of those are exclusive rights free agents. Those scheduled exclusive rights free agents are the easiest to re-sign as those designated players must accept a one-year tender for the minimum amount related to their accrued seasons. Once tendered, exclusive rights free agents are not allowed to negotiate with other teams. To date, the Steelers have now reportedly re-signed three players who were scheduled to become exclusive rights free agents to one-year contracts.
According to Teresa Varley of steelers.com, the three previously scheduled exclusive rights free agents who have already re-signed with the team are tackle Zach Banner, safety Jordan Dangerfield, and long snapper Kameron Canaday.
Banner, who was originally signed by the Steelers last August, had already announced his re-signing with the team on Twitter a little more than two weeks ago. His one-year contract that he signed should be in the amount of $645,000. In 2018 Banner dressed for one game early in the season but failed to log any snaps.
Dangerfield has been part of the Steelers for several seasons now as either a practice squad player or on the 53-man roster. In 2018 he was on the 53-man roster for all 16 games and logged 75 defensive snaps in addition to another 315 on special teams. Dangerfield’s one-year contract that he signed this offseason is reportedly for $645,000.
As for Canaday, who has been the Steelers long snapper for the last two seasons, he appeared in all 16 games in 2018. The one-year contract that he has reportedly signed should have been in the amount of $720,000.
As mentioned, the Steelers have several other players who are exclusive rights free agents this offseason and several of them are likely to be tendered as well. That list of players includes, tackle Matt Feiler, cornerback Mike Hilton, safety Malik Golden, tight end Jake McGee, linebacker Keith Kelsey and tackle Joseph Cheek. It’s worth noting, however, that Golden, McGee, Kelsey and Cheek all spent the 2018 season on the Steelers Reserve/Injured list.
