My annual Pittsburgh Steelers free agency wish list is here. Like past seasons, we’ll break this up into two parts: offense and defense, with the latter dropping later this week (and my mock offseason *hopefully* published Sunday). Below is a list of pending unrestricted free agents I’d prefer the Steelers to examine in free agency. A mix of higher and lower-end players depending on class strength and team needs.
To be clear, this list only considers pending free agents. Not players who could be traded or cut. Quick disclaimer: The players aren’t really ranked in a true order in each position group. Notable ones generally will be towards the top, but I didn’t intend to make this an ironclad ordering.
As always, let me know if there’s anyone else worth adding to the list.
Quarterback
Before I get into the list, this assumes the Steelers re-sign Justin Fields, Russell Wilson, or some sort of clear veteran starter. These options are backup/No. 2 possibilities. You can read my starter preferences here.
Taylor Heinicke/Los Angeles Chargers
Heinicke barely saw the field in 2024, and when he did, things didn’t go smoothly. Much of his work came in a dull second-half showing in a Week 3 loss to the Steelers, replacing an injured Justin Herbert. A gritty vet who has done well to stick in the league, he has the Sunday experience Pittsburgh likes in a backup with 29 career starts and nearly 1,000 total pass attempts. He had mild success with Washington in 2022 before seeing spot duty in 2023 with the Atlanta Falcons, where Steelers’ offensive coordinator Arthur Smith served as head coach.
It would hardly be an exciting move and wouldn’t prevent Pittsburgh from dipping its toe into draft waters, but it would be a seamless transition as the Steelers’ No. 2.
Josh Dobbs/San Francisco 49ers
Dobbs has reunited with Pittsburgh once. Why not make it twice? A true journeyman who has filtered between a feel-good story and just another backup, his mobility has always been a plus and made him a preseason Hall of Famer. Dobbs barely played this year, starting just one game, and he also just turned 30.
But he’s cheap and would be an acceptable No. 2 ready to come off the bench thanks to his high football IQ and experience getting thrown into the deep end of the football pool.
Tyler Huntley/Miami Dolphins
Maybe I’m over my skis, but Huntley is a guy the Steelers should seriously consider. Especially if Pittsburgh re-signs Justin Fields and wants a similar-style quarterback behind, as owner Art Rooney II suggested shortly after the season.
Pittsburgh is as familiar with Huntley as anyone, facing him against Baltimore about as often as they did Lamar Jackson. He’s bounced around since exiting, spending time with the Cleveland Browns and starting five games for the Miami Dolphins in 2024. The numbers weren’t pretty, three touchdowns and 15 sacks, but he went 2-3 despite being a mid-season addition learning on the fly.
His mobility is an asset, and he could keep the same structure should Fields miss time due to an injury. He won’t cost much, either.
Running Back
Assuming Najee Harris leaves, Jaylen Warren is tendered and retained, and the Steelers draft a running back on Day Two/early Day Three.
Javonte Williams/Denver Broncos
Hear me out on this one. If the above scenario plays out, Warren shifts from being the 1B back in the Steelers’ committee to 1A. He’ll see a heavier workload and more early-down work. That could cause Pittsburgh to want to find a receiving/pass-protecting back to potentially assume that role Warren has held since early in his rookie year. Or, at the least, injury protection, so a rookie isn’t entrusted to do so if Warren missed time.
As a runner, Williams’ numbers are bland with a 3.7 YPC in 2024 and playing time reduction late in the year. A nasty 2022 knee injury has sapped his speed. But he’s still regarded as a strong pass protector who caught 52 passes for the Broncos last season.
Per PFF, Williams was the sixth-best pass-blocking back in 2024 while tying for sixth at the position in receptions. His contract should be cheap, too, thanks to his diminished rushing ability and deep rookie class. It’s niche but there’s value.
Travis Homer/Chicago Bears
A cheap special teams addition, Homer has spent the better part of his past two seasons covering kicks and punts. Across 2023 and 2024, he’s recorded 13 special teams tackles and been one of the NFL’s most active coverage players at the position.
Ideally, a No. 3 is able to help on special teams to give game-day value and snaps, knowing a week-to-week offensive role is minimal. Pittsburgh didn’t have that in 2024 with Cordarrelle Patterson, only a kick returner and an ineffective one at that.
Samaje Perine/Kansas City Chiefs
Similar to Williams, Perine would be a third-down receiver and pass protector. He had more receptions (28) than carries (20) for Kansas City in 2024 and averaged a receiver-like 11.5 yards per reception. Perine also has a special teams background, and Pittsburgh knows him fairly well from his four years in Cincinnati.
JaMycal Hasty/New England Patriots
A dart-throw here, Hasty would have no assurances of making the 53. But I liked him coming out of Baylor, a rocked-up runner with burst who had moderate success in San Francisco as the decade turned over. He logged just 20 carries last season for the Patriots, though he handled a handful of kick returns and saw action on the punt return unit, too. This is a veteran minimum caliber deal.
Kene Nwangwu/New York Jets
Strictly for kick-return purposes. But it’s a real need for a Steelers’ squad who swung and missed on Patterson, ending the year with the NFL’s worst kick return unit and one of only four to regress from 2023.
Nwangwu has quietly the league’s most potent return man since being drafted in 2021. Over that span, he has four kick return scores. Only one other player, Nyheim Hines, has more than one. Even though Nwangwu appeared in just two games for the Jets last season and logged only three kick returns, he ripped off a 99-yard score.
He’ll be cheap and could provide a spark as a return man, which was the team’s intent for signing Patterson. However, it’s worth pointing out that Nwangwu doesn’t have any tangible offensive value.
Patrick Ricard/FB Baltimore Ravens
How about a fullback? Arthur Smith’s offenses often possess one, but the Steelers went without in his first season. Tight ends Connor Heyward and MyCole Pruitt were occasionally used in the role, but neither was successful.
Ricard has been a secret weapon for the Ravens. He is a former defensive lineman who can also play a bit on special teams. If Pittsburgh wants to make inroads to upgrade their rushing attack, and they should, adding Ricard to get him on the field for 10-15 snaps per game will give this offense more flexibility and physicality.
Wide Receiver
Darius Slayton/New York Giants
Slayton isn’t the most household name in free agency, but he could be the best fit. A speedy outside receiver capable of beating man coverage, he’s been consistently productive throughout his career despite playing for a Giants’ offense that has more frequently finished bottom-three in scoring (four times) than they’ve been average or above (just once).
In 2024, he managed to average a healthy 14.7 yards per reception despite his long being just 43 yards, showcasing his ability to consistently move the chains and pick up yards. Over 76 percent of his 39 receptions went for first downs, one of the highest percentages in football. In four of his six NFL seasons, he’s averaged at least 15 yards per grab.
His drop rate isn’t a killer; he just turned 28, and he’s not going to cost an obscene sum of money. PFF projects him to land at $12.5 million per season, a solid number for a No. 2 receiver in a run-heavy offense. He’s also a positive force in the locker room and community, the Giants’ nominee for this year’s Walter Payton Man of the Year. I have no illusions that he will come in and make George Pickens into a choir boy, but there won’t be any concern over Slayton throwing tantrums or demanding the football.
Slayton should be considered no matter who is at quarterback, but his deep speed fits best should Russell Wilson return.
All Slayton has to do is catch 50 passes for 700 yards and 3-4 touchdowns, and this will be a strong signing. He’s proven he can do that in worse offenses and from lesser quarterbacks. Pittsburgh isn’t a Super Bowl contender, but I bet Slayton would like to be in the postseason hunt. He’s made the playoffs just once in his career, a selling point in the Steelers’ favor.
Davante Adams/New York Jets
I had written this list before Adams official release yesterday, but have expressed interest in signing him before. Those odds might not be high if he wants to head out west, where he was born and played college football, but he’s still an effective player into his 30s. A strong route runner capable of winning off the line and still showing good hands, he put up over 1,000-yards despite playing in two bad offenses last season. He won’t be cheap but if there’s a way to get him to Pittsburgh, sign me up.
Amari Cooper/Buffalo Bills
It’s fair to wonder how much Cooper has left after a quiet time in Buffalo following a mid-season trade from Cleveland. But he’s still an impressive route-runner who did have to overcome catching on with a new team mid-season, which is never easy.
Cooper is one year removed from a stellar 1,250-yard season to remind us of his ceiling. Even if he’s half as productive with Pittsburgh in 2025, he’ll be an asset. They need a route runner—someone who can get open even if the scheme doesn’t do it for him, an issue Arthur Smith’s offense displayed too often in 2024.
DeAndre Hopkins/Kansas City Chiefs
Two players I suggested the Steelers trade for last season were Hopkins and the Tennessee Titans’ Nick Westbrook-Ikhine. Both went on to have stronger finishes than what Pittsburgh got from Mike Williams. Granted, the Steelers’ offense limped to the finish line, but it’s not like Hopkins and Westbrook-Ikhine were playing on stellar units.
I’ll include Hopkins again here. His 56/610/5 line was more productive than any other No. 2 receiver in Pittsburgh, and he looked healthier by year’s end than I expected after dealing with an early MCL injury. He isn’t going to be the great separator who would be ideal to add, but he still has strong hands and contest-catch ability. Turning 33 this summer, this is a short-term play, but he could give the team No. 2 receiver snaps for at least 2025. Hopkins’ price tag won’t be enormous, either.
I wouldn’t dislike bringing in Westbrook-Ikhine, but he’s probably not a No. 2, and I’m not certain what his role would be in the Steelers’ offense. Still, he’s big, efficient, can block, and has Arthur Smith connections from their time in Tennessee.
Joshua Palmer/Los Angeles Chargers
A late-add to my list after looking over options one final time, Palmer is a downfield machine and doesn’t turn 26 until September. He’s averaged at least 15 yards per reception each of the last two seasons, including 15-even in 2024 with a similar ADOT of 15.2. At over 6012 and well north of 200 pounds, he’s a big-bodied receiver the Steelers like.
There’s not a lot of YAC here as the Chargers’ clearout man but it’s a similar, though worse, skillset to George Pickens. Slotting Palmer into the No. 2 role is a little dicey but it could work in such a run-heavy Steelers’ offense. And his price tag will be cheaper than many others on this list.
Consider him a Plan B/C that would make receiver a higher need going into the draft but a situation where Pittsburgh wouldn’t be desperate to select one early.
Hollywood Brown/Kanas City Chiefs
Cheap speed. That’s Hollywood Brown. His 2024 year was nearly entirely wiped out by a preseason collarbone injury, but that will keep his price tag down this offseason.
A former Baltimore Raven with moderate success against Pittsburgh, three career touchdowns in eight career games, the Steelers could provide a bounce-back opportunity for him. Maybe the Steelers sign him to an inexpensive two-year deal and get great value in 2026. Like Slayton, this would make the highest degree of sense if Russell Wilson re-signs.
Keenan Allen/Chicago Bears
I wrestled with this one. I don’t love the metrics on Allen—his age, decreased separation, and more slot snaps than on the outside. But he still can make tough contested catches, works well in scramble drills, and has a knack for finding soft spots against zone coverage, where Pittsburgh struggled mightily a year ago.
Allen is probably only worth considering if Justin Fields comes back. He wouldn’t fit well in Wilson’s moon-ball offense. The upside is capped, but you know what you’re getting with Allen, and there’s a measure of comfort that comes with that while Calvin Austin III and perhaps Roman Wilson make the bigger downfield plays.
Price tag and structure of a deal would be key to any Allen deal.
DJ Chark/Los Angeles Chargers
Similar situation as Brown but talked about less and should be far cheaper. Chark will take a one-year deal for at or close to minimum. Injuries derailed his 2024 campaign, catching just four passes for Los Angeles. Prior, he averaged 15 yards per catch in 2023 with five touchdowns and nearly reached 17 yards per grab the year before in Detroit.
To be clear, signing Chark is an add-on. It would not be the only move the team should make at receiver, and this hypothetical would pair with one of the more substantial above names.
Chark is only 28 and ran a blistering 4.34 at the Combine several years ago. It’s worth a no-risk flier. This is more on my wishlist than the team’s, which chose James Washington over Chark in the 2018 draft and passed on signing him last offseason.
Tight End
John Bates/Washington Commanders
This one might be a longshot, but the Steelers need a No. 3 tight end, assuming MyCole Pruitt isn’t retained. After playing over 500 snaps last year, convincing Bates to join Pittsburgh is a hard sell, but he’ll play in a tight-end-heavy system that can provide playing time to even a third-stringer.
In 2024, Pruitt logged 271 snaps despite missing time with a knee injury, while Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington were healthy all year. Connor Heyward played 207. There’s a path to get Bates consistent snaps, and he’s a good blocker who did a lot of it with Washington. Per PFF, he blocked on 425 snaps in 2024, tying Washington for fifth-most by a tight end. He ended the year with just eight receptions, so it’s not like he’s expecting a big pass-game role. Bates has size at a listed 6053, 250 pounds with 32.5-inch arms coming out of Boise State.
Steelers’ fans will best remember Bates as the player LB Patrick Queen locked horns with in Pittsburgh’s 2024 win over Washington.
Offensive Tackle
There’s a need for a veteran tackle for depth purposes and to possibly serve as a mentor to Broderick Jones, entering a make-or-break 2025 season.
Kelvin Beachum/Arizona Cardinals
Our Joe Clark highlighted Beachum early in the offseason, and he still makes as much sense as anyone. Drafted by Pittsburgh way back in 2012, Beachum is still going strong going into his 14th NFL season. He started 12 games for the Arizona Cardinals last season and seems intent on playing at least one more season.
He’s never been the biggest guy, but that hasn’t prevented him from making 161 starts. Beachum has experience at both tackle spots and is a great community member. His presence in a young Steelers’ offensive line room, where Isaac Seumalo is the only true veteran, would be key for young tackles in Jones, Troy Fautanu, and even practice squader Dylan Cook.
Storm Norton/Atlanta Falcons
Norton has an Arthur Smith connection. He was signed by the Atlanta Falcons ahead of the 2023 season. He’s made only four starts the past two seasons but logged more than 400 offensive snaps the past two years. In 2024, Norton primarily played right tackle but logged 25 snaps on the left side, with more extensive playing time on the blindside earlier in his career.
A cheap add of known depth to backup Jones and Fautanu.
Charlie Heck/San Francisco 49ers
A similar train of thought with Heck, who I admit has very little experience at left tackle since being drafted in 2020. However, he was a left tackle in college at North Carolina and can lean on that background. Heck is younger than Beachum and Norton and a little bigger, too.
He didn’t start until the final two weeks of the regular season, making him a cheap offseason addition. Heck, the son of long-time Kansas City Chiefs offensive line coach Andy Heck, has made 23 career NFL starts.
You could also list several equivalent veterans with the same tackle-versatile background. There won’t be a huge difference between these names and others worth suggesting. The point being, tackle depth should be on the Steelers’ free agency radar.
