With no franchise quarterback on the books and a salary cap that’s skyrocketed in recent years, the Pittsburgh Steelers enter free agency with plenty of cap space. If recent years are any indication, the team won’t sit on the sidelines during the offseason. They won’t experience a spending bonanza, either.
Sitting down with Steelers’ play-by-play announcer Rob King, GM Omar Khan outlined how the organization plans to attack free agency with roughly $60 million in total cap space.
“I’d say we’d be consistent with how things have gone the last couple of years,” Khan told King via the team’s YouTube channel.
Last year, Pittsburgh’s biggest splash came by signing LB Patrick Queen. A record deal for a Steelers’ outside free agent, three years and $41 million, in an effort to make the Steelers better and the Baltimore Ravens worse.
The rest of the signings reflected the Kevin Colbert era, targeting mid-to-low tier additions. SS DeShon Elliott came in on a cheap two-year contract. Pittsburgh quickly scooped up an established punter in Cameron Johnston. And they took advantage of unique situations to land QBs Russell Wilson and Justin Fields.
In 2023, Khan’s first full offseason as general manager, there were a handful of good-not-great money signings. CB Patrick Peterson, LB Cole Holcomb, and OG Isaac Seumalo all came in between the $6-8 million range.
Khan said the Steelers examine the strength of players in free agency versus the draft to help determine how they get better at each position.
“You look at it all,” he said. “One obviously effects the other. You have to balance how it works.”
Wide receiver and cornerback are two areas that will present Pittsburgh with options to spend. Will anyone land more than Queen’s record deal? Or will the Steelers focus on Tier 2 options similar to the 2023 season.
Not even Pittsburgh can say exactly how it goes. In free agency, both sides have to feel comfortable to reach an agreement. But failing to add at least two clear starters with an average yearly value in the double-digits would feel like a disappointment for an organization with money to spend and plenty of needs.
