Just as we did for the offensive side of the ball yesterday, I’ve put together a list of defensive free-agent options the Pittsburgh Steelers could or should consider when free agency opens up next week. Some are based on players I want to see the team sign, while others are here because of their scheme fit or past connections to the team.
If you missed the offensive Steelers’ free agent wish list, click the link here.
Defensive Line
Javon Kinlaw/San Francisco 49ers
Kinlaw was suggested by one of our readers/listeners, and it’s a really solid suggestion. The best I could find on the free agent market. He has the size at 6051 and nearly 35-inch arms and the pedigree Pittsburgh covets, a former first-round pick. Kinlaw didn’t pan out like the 49ers had hoped, and injuries have hampered his career. He had medical concerns coming out of South Carolina.
Still, he stayed healthy and played in all 17 games this past season, posting a career-high 3.5 sacks. His size and length is an asset with three pass deflections and he recorded four tackles for a loss. Still just 26, he’d be solid rotational depth behind Cam Heyward and Larry Ogunjobi, especially giving Heyward some relief without less of a dropoff. He shouldn’t be expensive to sign either, maybe a two-year, $8-10 million type of deal.
Da’Shawn Hand/Miami Dolphins
A former fourth-round pick of the Detroit Lions, he’s bounced around his career and spent part of 2023 on the Miami Dolphins’ practice squad. But he appeared in 16 games, logged nearly 200 defensive snaps, and picked up one sack and two pass deflections. For what it’s worth, PFF graded him out well against the run.
He’s far from a flashy signing but has size and length that’s hard to find with athleticism. One important tie-in. Hand played his college ball at Alabama, where he was coached by Steelers’ DL Coach Karl Dunbar.
Justin Jones/Chicago Bears
After signing Armon Watts over from Chicago last year, they could snag another Bears defensive lineman with Jones. A bit more of an interior guy than true end, he played over 250 snaps at end in 2023. His production has quietly been solid, posting at least three sacks in his last three seasons, including a career-high 4.5 in 2023. Only 27 years old, he’ll bring some relative youth to an aging defensive line.
Quinton Jefferson/New York Jets
Most of this list, d-line or otherwise, won’t feature older players pushing or past 30. The Steelers’ defense is old and needs to get younger. But Jefferson will serve as an exception. He turned in a career-high six sacks last year for the Jets in his age-30 season despite missing three games.
A Pittsburgh native from Woodland Hills, if the Steelers had plans to draft a defensive lineman high, they could justify signing a guy like Jefferson. He can still play.
Off-ball LB
Kenneth Murray/Los Angeles Chargers
An athlete coming out of Oklahoma, Murray posted 107 tackles, seven tackles for a loss, four pass deflections, and three sacks in 2023. The Steelers are likely looking for guys with splash play resumes, and Murray offers some of that. A young player coming out of the draft, the guy’s still just 25 years old with tons of experience.
Jordyn Brooks/Seattle Seahawks
A former first-round pick of the Seahawks, Brooks has slowly established his role over time. A tackling machine with 456 tackles over his last three years, he created splash plays in 2023. In addition to another triple-digit tackling season, Brooks picked up 4.5 sacks, one forced fumble, and one interception, and his absence was felt in the Seahawks’ loss to the Steelers.
Jerome Baker/Miami Dolphins
Or really, formerly of the Dolphins. Adam Schefter reported Tuesday that Miami is releasing Baker after being unable to work out a restructured deal. Pittsburgh had interest in him coming out of Ohio State in 2018, with Mike Tomlin attending his Buckeyes’ Pro Day and reportedly having a meeting with him. Still just 27, Baker has 82 starts. Last year, he picked up 78 tackles, 1.5 sacks, two picks (one returned for a touchdown) and three pass breakups.
Zack Baun/New Orleans Saints
There are lots of inside linebacker options the Steelers could explore in free agency. Baun was a rotational player and special teamer throughout most of his Saints’ career, but he played a career-high 301 defensive snaps for the Saints last season. Over that span, he recorded a pair of sacks and an interception. Pittsburgh loves their Wisconsin defenders, and Baun should be cheaper than other options on this list.
Blake Cashman/Houston Texans
A one-year starter who ascended into the starting lineup in 2023, he finished with 106 tackles (nine for a loss) with five pass breakups, two sacks, and an interception. He’s a little bit older, about to turn 28, but that’s the range Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts were in last season. With just one year of starting experience, he shouldn’t cost too much.
Frankie Luvu/Carolina Panthers
A two-year starter for the Panthers, Luvu’s made a serious pass rush impact with 12.5 sacks over the past two seasons. He’s also forced three fumbles over that timeframe with nine pass breakups. At 27 years old, he’s in that sweet spot between youth and experience and has been a popular name linked to the Steelers.
Devin White/Tampa Bay Buccaneers
In the 2019 draft, the Steelers were looking at the two Devins – Devin Bush and Devin White. White was out of their range, and they had to trade up to take Bush. Neither had the career their teams hoped they would, but White has definitely been better than Bush.
Having just turned 26, Pro Football Focus projects a $7 million average yearly value for White, a lower number than I expected. That puts him in the Steelers’ price range if they want to take that kind of swing. With Cole Holcomb’s future up in the air, there seems to be urgency to find a starting-caliber player by the time the draft is done.
Oren Burks/San Francisco 49ers
Burks is a really interesting name and someone I thought Pittsburgh would have interest in coming out of the draft in 2018. Instead, he went to Green Bay before spending the last two seasons with the 49ers. He’s athletic and played well in a rotational role last year for San Fran.
The only complicating factor is Dre Greenlaw’s freak Super Bowl torn Achilles, which may compel the 49ers to try and keep Burks around. But he’s a talented player who is sound in coverage and doesn’t miss tackles. He did have off-season wrist surgery, something to monitor that could delay his signing but also help drive down cost.
Cornerback
Sean Murphy-Bunting/Tennessee Titans
If the Steelers sign a starting-level outside corner in free agency, it feels like there’s a good chance it’ll be Murphy-Bunting. Pittsburgh brought him in for a pre-draft visit in 2019, but the Titans took him in the second round. Athletic with decent length, nearly 32-inch arms.
With 50 career starts and four interceptions the last two years, he can serve as a No. 2 corner opposite Joey Porter Jr. who will shadow top-tier receivers, putting less pressure on Bunting. He’s played both cornerback spots, giving him needed versatility to move around.
C.J. Henderson/Jeff Okudah – Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons
Lumping these two together because they’re here for similar reasons. Former first-round picks who didn’t pan out, and both have been traded on their rookie contracts. Henderson was a top athlete out of Florida with inconsistent NFL play. Okudah is big and found a bit more success and stability in Atlanta than he did with Detroit.
Signing either shouldn’t put their name in pen to start. But they’re projects for a solid secondary coaching group (Mike Tomlin, Teryl Austin, and Grady Brown) while leaving the door open to draft the position high. Neither should cost a ton, especially with a good cornerback draft class.
Kenny Moore/Indianapolis Colts
Moore has been one of my favorites for years, right up there with Mike Hilton as among the best slot corners in football. Though it feels like he’s been in the league forever, he doesn’t turn 29 until August. Aggressive, physical against the run, he’s also a playmaker with three picks in 2023, returning two for touchdowns. He supports the run with eight tackles for a loss this past year.
Moore’s signing would complicate Patrick Peterson’s role, and I admit his inclusion comes from my heart more than my brain. But Pittsburgh has taken a committee approach since losing Hilton, and Moore would give them their best every down option since. Green Bay’s Keisean Nixon is another name in that boat.
Isaac Yiadom/New Orleans Saints
Yiadom checks the size and length the Steelers like, and he found stability and playing time in New Orleans this past season, starting eight games. He doesn’t often take the ball away but breaks it up, with 14 deflections in 2023. Even if Pittsburgh went out and drafted a top corner, Yiadom comes with plenty of special teams value, including playing 267 snaps for New Orleans. His contract won’t be anything over the top.
Safety
Taylor Rapp/Buffalo Bills
Pittsburgh needs youth and a strong safety opposite Minkah Fitzpatrick. Sign Rapp, cut Keanu Neal, and keep Damontae Kazee as a backup FS and potential sixth defensive back. Rapp was one of the top hitters coming out of the 2019 draft, becoming a Top-75 draft pick.
He saw more of a reserve role in Buffalo this past year behind Micah Hyde and Jordan Poyer but racked up 50 tackles with a pick. His upside isn’t incredible, but he’d be a defined box player that would give Fitzpatrick more freedom to play free safety. Rapp is a very solid tackler, with a missed tackle rate under ten percent in four of his five NFL seasons, per PFR.
Kyle Dugger/New England Patriots
If there’s a name you want to throw some money at this offseason, I wouldn’t be mad if it was Dugger. This was written before the news of Dugger receiving the little-used transition tag of just under $14 million. While it’ll be tough to wrangle him away from the Patriots, who can match any offer (but won’t receive compensation if he’s signed away), I still would understand the Steelers making an attempt.
With classic strong safety size and only 27, Dugger can run, hit, and play the ball. With 45 starts over the last three years, he has well over 200 tackles, 2.5 sacks, two forced fumbles, and a whopping nine interceptions.
In a bad safety draft class, Pittsburgh could have a dynamic duo between him and Fitzpatrick, setting that group and forgetting it in the draft. Releasing Neal would help offset a tiny bit of the cost to sign Dugger, too, though I recognize it only puts a small dent into things.
Kamren Curl/Washington Commanders
Curl is expected to be one of the top defensive free agents available. He’s not going to be cheap to sign. A gem of a 7th-round pick by the Commanders in 2020, he’s started 53 games over the last four seasons and played the run well. Not many takeaways, zero interceptions since his rookie year, but he’s a box type (428 snaps last season) that can hit despite a a slightly lighter frame.
Julian Blackmon/Indianapolis Colts
A good safety group overall, Blackmon included. Guys who will be paid but safety is one of the more “value” positions to pay for on the open market. Blackmon is only 25 but has 46 starts, breaking out with four interceptions in 2023, along with five tackles for a loss. He should come in cheaper than Curl or Dugger, at least by a little. He logged more box snaps than free safety snaps last year, per PFF.
Mike Edwards/Kansas City Chiefs
Edwards might end up being the guy. Little bit cheaper but someone the Steelers showed interest in coming out of Kentucky, though we never listed him as a pre-draft visitor and the Steelers don’t hold pre-draft workouts with players.
Drafted by Tampa Bay, he signed a one-year deal with the Chiefs in 2023. He only started five games but appeared in all 17, picking up 51 tackles, one pick, and one defensive touchdown off a fumble recovery. Turning 28 this spring, he’s more of a mid-tier signing who will probably slide into that $5-6 million range. Maybe even less; he signed a $3 million deal with Kansas City, but a two-year deal might bump up his average a little more.
Punter
Tommy Townsend/Kansas City Chiefs
With no one on the roster, gotta put some punters here. And I feel strongly the Steelers will sign a proven and talented veteran punter. With an offense that still can’t be trusted, they need to win field position. Townsend appears on his way out of Kansas City. A former Pro Bowler and All-Pro, he averaged 50.4 yards per punt in 2022 and 47.1 in 2023. Those are numbers never achieved in the Steelers’ franchise history. Per PFF, he ranked sixth in 2023 hangtime at 4.45 seconds per boot. In 2022, he was second in the league at a whopping 4.70 seconds.
Odds are he’ll become the highest-paid punter in football, but that still probably comes in at an average yearly value of $4-5 million per year. It’s worth it. Just watch how valuable he was in the Super Bowl. Legitimately one of the top players I want the Steelers to sign.
Braden Mann/New York Jets
If Pittsburgh wants a more economical option, they could reunite with Mann. Narrowly losing out to Pressley Harvin III last year, the Steelers seemed like they wanted to try to trade Mann before cutting bait with him. He ended up having a strong year in Philadelphia, finishing seventh league-wide at 49.8 yards per punt. His touchback rate was second-lowest in football, and he won’t cost as much as Townsend. It’s actually a pretty impressive free agent punter class and the Steelers should come away with someone notable.
Corey Bojorquez/Cleveland Browns
A middle ground between Townsend and Mann. Bojorquez has consistently posted a great average, a career 46.8-yard mark. Since 2018, of punters with 150 attempts, he’s 12th league-wide with a good inside-20 rate. The Steelers will especially like his history of kicking in bad weather. He’s punted in Buffalo, Green Bay, and Cleveland. Pittsburgh won’t bother him.
His December and January splits are good, holding a career 46.5-yard average, miles above Pressley Harvin’s 42.2 mark in his three years with the Steelers.
