The Steelers executed a brilliant 2023 NFL Draft strategy. Unfortunately, these three free agent moves will drag down the team's hopes of improving.
Steelers fans have every right to feel great about their team's 2023 NFL Draft class. If only free agency had gone as well for Pittsburgh.
The moves that GM Omar Khan and his staff executed on the open market don't grade out nearly as well as the team's stellar draft class. The Steelers let several quality players sign reasonable contracts elsewhere. Conversely, they overpaid several veterans to fill the gaps created by those departures.
None of the following three mistakes will torpedo the team's hopes of making a lengthy playoff run in 2023, but each represents a missed opportunity to give head coach Mike Tomlin the time of talent he needs to compete for a Super Bowl title.
Worst offseason moves for the Steelers: 3. Overpaying Larry Ogunjobi
Playing defensive tackle in Pittsburgh's three-man front can be a thankless job. Interior linemen for the Steelers are expected to occupy blocks more often than they're asked to rack up stats in the opposing backfield.
Even if you give Ogunjobi the benefit of the doubt regarding his lack of counting stats, his PFF grade of 61.7 accurately illustrates just what an average player he is. That's why giving him a three-year deal worth up to $28.75 million represents a significant overpay by the Steelers.
Pittsburgh made the move after losing several other veteran contributors up front. The idea was to make sure they had a steady player capable of soaking up snaps while newcomers acclimated themselves to the team's defensive system. Ogunjobi can handle that role adequately, but he has no chance of outperforming this contract. It's not a killer for the team's cap sheet but it will be viewed negatively for the next three years assuming Ogunjobi doesn't get cut.
Worst offseason moves for the Steelers: 2. Signing Keanu Neal
Supporters of the Steelers signing Neal will accurately point out that it's relatively low-risk since it's only a two-year deal for a maximum of $4.25 million. That doesn't change the fact that expecting him to be a starting safety at this stage of his career is a poor decision for any team with playoff aspirations.
The former first-round pick has always struggled in deep coverage and that problem has only intensified as he's suffered injuries during his NFL career. The Steelers secondary struggled to cover anyone last season and playing Neal meaningful naps at strong safety will only exacerbate that issue.
Neal can only be a reasonably effective player when he's deployed near the line of scrimmage. A big issue is that's where Minkah Fitzpatrick can really wreak havoc. Playing the pair together will force Fitzpatrick to roam the deep third of the field far too often. That's a job he can execute but it will blunt his ability to make plays.
The Steelers should have invested a reasonable draft pick on a strong safety capable of coming in and playing right away. Gambling on Neal is a poor use of a roster spot. Don't be surprised if he's nailed to the bench by the end of the regular season.
Worst offseason moves for the Steelers: 1. Effectively swapping Patrick Peterson for Cameron Sutton
Cameron Sutton was the best cornerback the Steelers had last season. Letting him go to the Lions for a very reasonable three-year deal worth $33 million was a serious error by the Steelers' front office.
The team compounded the error by giving Patrick Peterson a two-year, $14 million deal to replace him. He's still a decent cornerback but his skills are clearly on the decline as he enters his age 33 season. It's very possible he falls off enough that he's a below-average starter as soon as next season.
The only good news here is that Pittsburgh did spend a second-round pick on Joey Porter, Jr. to strengthen their cornerback room. Peterson can serve as a quality mentor for the former Penn State star. Sutton could have done the same thing while playing much better football for Pittsburgh.
At best, the Steelers can hope that Peterson holds up as an adequate starter this season before seeing his role diminish in 2024. That's a terrible proposition for a team that let an above-average cornerback depart in free agency. This could be a trade that dooms the Steelers to mediocrity on defense this season.
