Exploring Steelers’ Punter Options To Replace Pressley Harvin III

The Pittsburgh Steelers announced the release of their drafted punter Pressley Harvin III at the top of last week and will be in the market to secure a new one this offseason. Harvin couldn’t get it together and put forth too many JV results. Head coach Mike Tomlin rarely calls out individual players in postgame press conferences but mentioned punting issues on at least two or three occasions last season. Just look at this stat compiled by our Alex Kozora.

The Steelers’ defense was one of the top units at limiting points last season despite the punting being subpar and having to defend too many short fields. The right punter could take the defense to the next level and go a long way toward the Steelers winning the field position battle, which would also lead to more scoring opportunities on offense.

Let’s explore some options or different avenues the Steelers could explore to address the position.

Braden Mann — Free Agent

Possibly the leading candidate for the Steelers is one they had on their roster during training camp last season. Mann even made it onto the initial 53-man roster as the Steelers carried two punters in an attempt to draw possible trade interest. The Steelers ultimately stuck with Harvin and waived Mann in what proved to be the wrong decision. While Harvin was one of the worst punters in 2023, Mann was one of the best.

He signed with Philadelphia Eagles and had the fourth-best net punting average of 43.8 yards compared to Harvin’s 39.1. He only signed a one-year deal with the Eagles, so he will once again be free to negotiate with any team. He very well could choose to return to the Eagles given his success there, but the Steelers would be wise to inquire. He is only 26 years old, so he could even become a long-term option.

2024 NFL Draft

The Steelers could dip back into the draft to find their next punter. They did it with Harvin in the seventh round in 2021 and Daniel Sepulveda in the fourth round in 2007. Our Josh Carney suggested this as the best route if the Steelers are serious about fixing their issue long-term. Here are some of the top names and their 2023 averages:

Matt Araiza — Free Agent

Araiza carries some baggage off the football field after some serious allegations were brought against him. A lawsuit stemming from the allegations was dropped, but he has not received any looks from NFL teams since. He was a sixth-round draft pick in the 2022 NFL Draft. His final year in college, he had an impressive 51.2 yards per punt at San Diego State. Pat McAfee recently suggested him to be a good option for Pittsburgh.

UPDATE (3:03 PM): Araiza has been signed by the Kansas City Chiefs, per a report from ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on X.

Rigoberto Sanchez — Free Agent

Sanchez’s contract is expiring after he logged a top-10 finish in net punting (42.8 yards) and just outside the top 10 in gross yards per punt (48.3). He will be 30 years old by the time the 2024 season starts but could be a solid option to lure away from the Indianapolis Colts in free agency.

Tommy Townsend — Free Agent

Townsend went undrafted in 2020 and signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. The 2023 season was one of his worst seasons as a pro, but he was an All-Pro and Pro Bowler in 2022 and has two Super Bowl rings to his name. His 2023 net average per punt was 41.9, significantly down from his 45.6 net average in 2022. Townsend is just 27 years old, so there is room to turn him into a long-term option if things work out.

UPDATE: (3:03 PM): With Araiza signing with the Chiefs, Townsend is very much in play for the Steelers.

Corey Bojorquez — Free Agent

Bojorquez has spent time with the Buffalo Bills and the Green Bay Packers since entering the league in 2018 but was most recently with the Cleveland Browns for two seasons. His yards per punt last season was 49.4 and his net average was 42.2. Like Townsend, he is 27 years old and should have at least a handful more years of NFL punting in him.