After a disappointing end to the 2024 season, the Pittsburgh Steelers seem poised to improve their team this offseason. While most of the attention has been on quarterback and wide receiver, the Steelers have other needs too. Free agency isn’t just about landing big names. Sometimes, one team’s trash can become another team’s treasure, to borrow a Mike Tomlin phrase. The Athletic’s Robert Mays believes former Cleveland Browns offensive tackle Jedrick Wills Jr. could be a player the Steelers target in free agency.
“I think somebody is going to talk themselves into the Jed Wills reclamation project,” Mays said Thursday on The Athletic Football Show. “He’s been banged up. He played left tackle for the Browns; he played right tackle in college. He has a big-time pedigree. Does somebody take a swing on him?
“The team I was thinking about, and they would play him at left tackle, but I think the Steelers are going to want to add some sort of competition for Broderick Jones at left tackle. Because [Troy] Fautanu is going to come back and play on the right side, is my assumption. So, somebody to push him that would be a low-cost option with some upside, somebody like Wills, I think, would be interesting there.”
Wills entered the NFL in 2020, drafted by the Browns in the first round. Unfortunately for them, Wills hasn’t lived up to that draft spot. Injuries have been a factor, but Wills has struggled to reach his potential. Now, he’s scheduled to be a free agent.
It’s unclear what his market is going to be, though. Wills has been a starting tackle since he entered the league, which is going to matter to teams. While he hasn’t come close to playing a full season since 2022, Mays is likely correct that teams could be intrigued by him. His status as a former first-round pick is enticing. Some franchise could believe it can unlock Wills, who is still only 25 years old.
Could that be the Steelers? It’s entirely possible. With Wills being in the AFC North, they’ve had plenty of good looks at him. Mays is correct that Fautanu will likely play right tackle, while Jones moves to left tackle. Last year, Jones wasn’t exactly reliable, even getting benched early in the season. The Steelers would be wise to add competition.
However, Wills might not be the best option. The Steelers already have to worry about developing Jones and Fautanu. Signing a player who needs “fixing” like Wills might just give them one more thing to worry about. They probably aren’t going to sign a high-caliber tackle, but a more experienced player might be better. That type of veteran could serve better as a mentor to their young players.
The Steelers have shown that they value positional flexibility in their offensive linemen, though. Wills was a solid right tackle in college, and he’s got a lot of NFL experience on the left side. Wills could be a player the Steelers target, and there are reasons to like him. Free agency is complex, though, and starting tackles are valuable. Whatever happens, adding depth at offensive tackle should be a priority for the Steelers.
