The first day of free agency for the Pittsburgh Steelers was slow. Other than the midnight news the night before about the pending addition of QB Russell Wilson, the only true move after the opening of the legal tampering period was the Steelers and P Cameron Johnston agreeing on a three-year contract.
That doesn’t mean the moves aren’t coming. Our Dave Bryan keeps very close tabs on the salary cap and the Steelers’ patterns of spending, and he projects that the Steelers will spend anywhere from $40 to $50 million this free agency period. Wilson is reportedly signing for the veteran minimum and Johnston isn’t a big-money deal, either.
You can view the current salary cap picture for the Steelers from Bryan here.
The Athletic’s Mark Kaboly appeared on The Pat McAfee Show on Tuesday and discussed the Steelers slow start to free agency.
“Omar Khan’s in that office working the magic. He got a decent amount of money to play with here, and he’s just waiting to pounce,” Kaboly said. “So I wouldn’t be surprised [if] the Khan artist makes a big move here. He’s just waiting to strike.”
In Khan’s first free agency period while fully in charge of the roster last offseason, he was more aggressive than the Steelers typically are. They signed OG Isaac Seumalo, ILB Cole Holcomb, CB Patrick Peterson, and ILB Elandon Roberts to headline the list. They also retained Larry Ogunjobi with a sizable extension and re-signed S Damontae Kazee.
There is no reason to think they won’t do the same this year. Kaboly was asked for specific names he thinks the Steelers could target.
“They need a center for sure, but that wouldn’t be a splash move,” Kaboly said. “Patrick Queen is just sitting there. I mean, if you know anything about the Steelers, you’re just salivating about potentially getting an inside linebacker of that quality…if you’re going huge, you’re swinging for the fence here, I’m looking Patrick Queen, I’m looking a guy like Calvin Ridley.”
Those would certainly be large splash moves. The ILB market has been rather hot to start this free agency period, so Queen would not come cheap, though Khan did say at one of his 2024 NFL Scouting Combine media sessions that it is a position they must address.
Hold tight, Steelers fans. The big moves are coming.
UPDATE: 1:58 p.m.: There it is. Kaboly spoke it into existence. The Steelers have agreed to terms with Baltimore Ravens ILB Patrick Queen, per Adam Schefter via Marcus Spears on X.
