Today’s free agent analysis for 2024 focuses on Pittsburgh Steelers RB Godwin Igwebuike. The veteran was signed to the 53-man roster after Anthony McFarland Jr.’s Week One injury. He ultimately took over the starting kick return job with 11 kick returns for a 25.6-yard average.
Player: Godwin Igwebuike
Position: Running Back
Experience: 3 Years
Free Agent Status: Restricted
2023 Salary Cap Hit: $897,778 (Prorated portion of a $1,010,000 base salary)
2023 Season Breakdown:
Godwin Igwebuike has been around since 2018, turning 30 years old in 2024. He began his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers but never played a significant role anywhere he went. Despite his career length, he did not make a roster in 2019 and spent the 2020 season in the XFL.
Ultimately, he found his most extensive work in 2021 after he hooked up with the Detroit Lions. He played nearly 100 offensive snaps there with 25 touches and a touchdown, but more importantly, that’s where he picked up kick returns for the first time, returning 28 for 697 yards that season.
He has been a kick returner for teams since then, including in Pittsburgh in 2023. The Steelers signed him only after RB Anthony McFarland Jr. suffered an injury in the opener. McFarland did a commendable job on returns in that first game but fell off the moving train.
The Steelers tried several other options along the way, including Gunner Olszewski and Desmond King II. They soon released both of them and turned to Igwebuike, who did a solid job. On 11 kick returns in 10 games, he recorded 282 return yards, a 25.6-yard average. He did not log a snap on offense.
His highlight of the season came in the season finale against the Baltimore Ravens. On a Justin Tucker kickoff that approached the sideline, he smartly laid his feet out of bounds and touched the ball. Legally, that rendered the kick out of bounds, which is a penalty, putting the ball on the 40-yard line. He touched it down at the 5, consequently resulting in a 35-yard net play.
Free Agency Outlook:
As will be the case with all of the Steelers’ restricted free agents, not a single one of them merit a tag. They didn’t even tag any of their restricted free agents in 2023 when they had more worthy candidates. That group included WR Steven Sims, OL J.C. Hassenauer, and CB James Pierre. They only re-signed one of those three players at all, Pierre.
The Steelers should sign Igwebuike, however, to as cheap a deal possible. Given his career trajectory, he should price at a Veteran Salary Benefit deal, and quite possibly without a signing bonus at that. If they can avoid giving him a signing bonus, he prevents no risk in the event they release him.
Igwebuike did a solid job while performing on kick returns, and they don’t currently have another option. If they re-sign him, at least they know that they have one player they can trust for the role. They have openings at the running back position anyway. The only two they care about are Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren. The third spot might as well be a folding chair.
