With the offseason underway, the defensive line remains a major area of need for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Cameron Heyward turns 35 years old in May and is near the end of his career after coming off an injury-riddled 2023 season. Larry Ogunjobi is 30 and had a rough second season with the Steelers after signing a big contract with the team. Though rookie Keeanu Benton emerged as a potentially dominant piece in the trenches, DeMarvin Leal took a major step backwards in his second season, compromising depth.
Other names like Montravius Adams and Armon Watts are set to hit free agency while Isaiahh Loudermilk hasn’t taken that step forward the Steelers were hoping for.
Now, the defensive line needs addressed, whether that’s in free agency, through the draft, or both. Chances are, both occur.
If both occur, Pro Football Focus has one name in mind for the Steelers to add.
That would be Fletcher Cox.
In a PFF piece predicting the landing spots for the top interior defenders in free agency, Cox was tabbed as a fit for the Steelers along with the New York Jets.
“Cox had a bounce-back 2023 season after one of the least productive seasons of his career in 2022, and he played a massive role despite the addition of two first-round interior defenders in recent years, among other, younger additions. The veteran still has good football left in him, and while you may not want him playing 700-plus snaps, he is plenty capable,” PFF’s Brad Spielberger writes regarding a fit of Cox in Pittsburgh. “The Jets add a veteran who can serve as a mentor to Quinnen Williams and also play a key role on a rotation that needs beefing up.
“Steelers assistant general manager Andy Weidl came aboard from the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason, and here he recruits Cox to join a rotation featuring Steelers legend Cameron Heyward and explosive rookie Keeanu Benton. Pittsburgh has already begun shedding some bigger salaries this offseason, and while Larry Ogunjobi has been solid, perhaps there would have to be a one-for-one swap of sorts there.”
Cox made some noise during the week of the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. He told Steelers defensive lineman Cameron Heyward on his podcast that if there was one defensive lineman he’d like to play with in his career, it would be Heyward, putting the rumors of Cox to the Steelers in overdrive.
Though Cox is technically under contract for the 2024 season with the Eagles, his deal is set up to make him an easy post-June 1 release, allowing him to become an unrestricted free agent, which is the expectation for both parties involved. The Cox contract is set up so he can be a post-June 1 release as it is unlikely he will play for just $1.5 million in 2024. That $1.5 million was put in there as a salary so that there would be a placeholder and non void to secure a post-June 1 release option.
If he is released, as expected, as a post-June 1 roster cut, Cox would hit the open market if he doesn’t choose to retire and could join forces with Heyward. Of course, that nearly happened during the 2021 season.
According to a report from CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora in November 2021 after the trade deadline had passed, the Steelers and Eagles were in discussions regarding a deal with Cox heading to Pittsburgh. Nothing came about due to the asking price from the Eagles, which was reportedly a third-round pick. La Canfora wrote:
“The Eagles were focused primarily on moving players with expiring contracts, sources said, but Cox was brought up in some conversations, with the Steelers showing interest. Pittsburgh has a limited cap situation, but Cox’s recently restructured deal afforded the team the flexibility required to add such a player. However, sources said it would have required at least a third-round pick to pry Cox away, and the Steelers were not willing to do so.”
Though it ultimately didn’t come to pass, Cox has great admiration for Heyward and vice versa. That could lead to an opportunity this offseason if Cox becomes a free agent and decides to play in 2024.
Cox is ranked as PFF’s No. 72 overall free agent and the ninth-best interior defensive lineman if he hits the open market. Last season, Cox recorded 33 tackles, three tackles for loss, 5.0 sacks, 17 quarterback hits, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
Per PFF, Cox is projected to land a one-year, $9 million deal, which would be fully guaranteed. Seems like a high price tag for a 33-year-old defensive lineman, but he still has some good football left. Maybe that occurs in Pittsburgh, like PFF believes.
