With the legal tampering period starting at noon tomorrow, all 32 teams have been busy making their last second moves including parting ways with veteran players to clear cap space. Because of the influx of new free agents, ESPN’s Matt Bowen released one final top 100 players ranking. That includes six members of the 2024 Pittsburgh Steelers and another three former Steelers.
28. QB Justin Fields
Fields was traded for pennies on the dollar by the Chicago Bears last offseason, in part because of a lack of interest around the league. His six starts with the Steelers have propelled him near the top of a weak free agent quarterback class. That’s a fortunate spot to be for him as he seeks to earn his first NFL extension.
The Steelers are still probably the favorites to re-sign him, but those chances decrease with every hour that passes as he reportedly wants to test free agency.
37. OG James Daniels
Daniels would have been much higher up on this list if it weren’t for a season-ending achilles injury last year. He was performing like one of the top two or three guards in the league until his injury. There is still a decent chance he could receive solid money in the free agent market, boosting the Steelers’ chances at a compensatory draft selection in the 2026 NFL Draft.
42. QB Russell Wilson
Wilson is likely to command more money than Fields, yet he’s ranked below him. That is mostly because he is a decade older. Still, there were flashes of greatness in the 2024 season that briefly had people back aboard the Russ hype train. If the Steelers are unable to sign Fields, Wilson will become the favorite. I don’t think running it back is the worst idea, though it won’t be a popular one.
A couple of his former receivers should be available to sign or trade for, which could come into play if he returns.
50. RB Najee Harris
Could Harris become the latest running back in a bad situation to switch teams and flourish? With the right team, that could become a reality. He is consistent and stays healthy, but he’s never worked behind an offensive line that is even league average. There is still a chance he returns to Pittsburgh, but the strong draft class at running back makes it hard to justify.
Saquon Barkley’s recent extension helps further boost the RB market as the league swings back to physical run games. Harris could return compensatory value to the Steelers.
51. OT Dan Moore Jr.
Moore was everybody’s favorite scapegoat for the woes of the offensive line over the last four years, but he consistently got better and he had a tough task against the EDGE players in the AFC North. At his age and with his level of experience, Moore should get a pretty penny. He has the best chance of returning excellent compensatory value to the Steelers, or at least canceling out a major signing of their own. That is especially the case after Ronnie Stanley’s extension with the Ravens.
90. CB Donte Jackson
Jackson started off the 2024 season hot, but various injuries — including a back issue — slowed him down over the back half of the season. The Steelers could potentially re-sign Jackson, but I think they are more likely to take advantage of the strong CB draft class. With Cory Trice Jr. in the mix, they could probably do worse than having Jackson as a rotational player, but I don’t think they can rely on him to be a full-time starter again.
