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Free Agency

• Bud Dupree: Around this time last offseason, Steelers fans were largely convinced that Bud Dupree was a first-round draft bust who would soon be playing his last season with the team. In his first four years, Dupree showed flashes but never was able to turn the corner as a player and often left fans wanting more. Despite his inconsistencies, Kevin Colbert exercised his fifth-year option back in 2018 and that soon proved to be the correct decision. 2019 was a true breakout campaign for Dupree as he posted a career high 11.5 sacks (nearly doubling his previous high of 6) and another 28 pressures on top of that. Dupree showcased a wide variety of pass-rush moves and approaches that we hadn’t seen before and was a constant force against the run. By season’s end, it became clear that Pittsburgh couldn’t let him leave given the effectiveness of the Watt & Dupree tandem and what little depth they had behind those two. There are still some hesitations about him being a one-year wonder, so Colbert decided to place the Franchise Tag on their emergent pass-rusher (which Dupree has since signed) but no long-term deal was reached. He will play out the 2020 season looking to prove that the corner has truly been turned and that signing him is a worthwhile investment.
  
• TJ Watt: In an absolute no-brainer of a decision, Pittsburgh exercised TJ Watt’s fifth-year option of his rookie deal, keeping him in town through the 2021 season. Watt has emerged into a superstar talent and one of the league’s best pass rushers, and all indications suggest that Pittsburgh wants to keep him around as the face of their defense for many years to come. Picking up Watt’s option was the logical first step as the two sides begin to focus on a long-term deal that will surely be an expensive one. Fellow 2017 draftee and pass-rusher Myles Garrett recently signed a 5 year, $125m extension which will likely serve as a reference point for TJ’s eventual deal.
  
• Matt Feiler: Following a trade that sent long-time RT Marcus Gilbert over to Arizona, Matt Feiler emerged as a rock-solid replacement at the same spot. Feiler was a steady presence all-season long and also showcased his versatility when he kicked inside to Guard (and succeeded) against the Rams. At 28, Feiler is currently the youngest member of the OL, and his capabilities at both Guard and Tackle will likely have Pittsburgh wanting to keep him around a bit longer. For the time being, Pittsburgh has tendered a contract offer for the upcoming season where he will be a locked-on starter for the second year in a row.
  
• Mike Hilton: Mike Hilton has quietly emerged as one of the league’s better Nickel Cornerbacks over the past few seasons. Hilton is well-known for his effectiveness as a blitzer and his willingness to make plays in and around the box, but in 2019 he showed major strides in pass coverage alongside that. Despite his effectiveness in his role, Hilton’s long-term outlook with Pittsburgh is a bit murky due to the emergence of Cam Sutton as yet another effective coverage corner. With both players set to become Free Agents at the end of this season, the Front Office doesn’t seem willing to commit to Hilton on a long-term deal given that Sutton may come far cheaper. Like Feiler, Hilton was RFA tendered in order to keep him around next season.
  
• Zach Banner: #72 will be reporting as eligible once again in 2020 after signing a one-year deal to stay in Pittsburgh. After being discarded by a handful of teams back in 2017, the 6’8 360 lb mammoth of a man has found a home in the Steel City, acting as a 6th OL in short-yardage situations. Banner has endeared himself to Steeler Nation with his lovable personality and hilarious twitter account, so it is no surprise that the fanbase is excited to have him back. Banner will have a shot to take on a larger role this season as the RT spot may be up for grabs depending on where Matt Feiler plays.
  
• Jordan Dangerfield: After hanging around the practice squad for a couple of seasons back around 2014-16, Dangerfield has steadily earned a spot on the 53-man roster year after year, and he has been brought back once again on a one-year deal. Dangerfield is a reliable special teamer who contributes on all four units and also adds depth to a thin Safety room.
  
• Kameron Canaday: Kameron Canaday has been around since 2017 after winning the starting job following the retirement of long-time LS Greg Warren. He has snapped the ball long distances effectively and will continue to snap the ball the long distances following a two-year contract extension.
  

• Javon Hargrave; When you’re up against the cap year after year, you unfortunately can’t keep all of your stars. That was the case this year as the young and talented Javon Hargrave priced his way out of Pittsburgh following an impressive 2019 campaign. Hargrave is a modern-day Nose Tackle who is very effective as a pass-rusher from that spot. Following a Week 6 injury to Stephon Tuitt, Hargrave moved into a full-time starting role and excelled to the tune of 60 tackles, 4 sacks, and 14 pressures. The Steelers had a decision to make between retaining Bud Dupree and Javon Hargrave and they opted in favor of Bud due positional value and much stronger depth at DL. For his efforts, Hargrave was rewarded with a cushiony 3 year $39m deal that will take him cross-state to Philadelphia. With the return of Tuitt, some young talent in the room, and an ever increasing usage of the 2-4-5 package, the loss of Hargrave isn’t the most crippling of blows, but it always hurts to lose young talent. J-Wobble and his bubble butt will surely be missed.
  
• BJ Finney: BJ Finney is an excellent depth lineman who has been the first interior player off the bench over the past four seasons. Finney made four starts this past season at both Center and Guard and his high level of play earned him an offseason payday. Pittsburgh was hoping to retain him as the long-term replacement to Ramon Foster but he was lured away to Seattle with a 2 year, $8m deal which will almost assuredly come with a starting gig from Day 1. It definitely hurts to lose young OL talent, especially when Pittsburgh has one of the oldest lines in the league, but that’s the price of keeping a core group around for so long. On a positive note, Finney will always be remembered in Pittsburgh for this infamous moment. Some say he still hasn’t snapped the ball to this day...
  
• Sean Davis: Sometimes things just don’t work out the way you’d hope with young players and that was the case with Sean Davis. The 2016 second-rounder started his career as a slot DB, moved to the starting SS spot in his second year, and eventually found his way to the FS spot in year three. Unfortunately, he never really found comfort in any of those positions. Davis performed admirably in coverage but his painful lack of ball skills and tendency to surrender lapses in coverage always haunted the secondary. After picking up a shoulder injury in preseason, Davis played one game before being placed on IR. The trade for Minkah Fitzpatrick spelt the end of his career in Pittsburgh as he was never re-activated. There’s not much to remember him fondly for during his time here, but he has an opportunity to re-write the script in Washington where he will fight for a starting FS spot.
  
• Artie Burns: Speaking of failed 2016 draft picks, former first-round selection Artie Burns is also gone following a fairly awful stint in Pittsburgh. After showing a lot of promise as a rookie, Burns failed to take the next step in year two, and then the wheels completely fell off in year three. Teams would pick on him game after game and he was unequivocally the worst player on the field before eventually getting benched for good. In the very few opportunities he did get in year four, nothing seems to have changed. Burns is a massive draft bust, rivaled only by Jarvis Jones in the past decade, and he will certainly not be missed. Chicago picked him up on a one-year deal which is likely the last hurrah of his career.
  
• Tyler Matakevich: Dirty Red carved out a nice little career for himself as a former seventh-round selection and was rewarded with a solid payday over in Buffalo. His high intensity and excellent football IQ had him falling in favor with the coaching staff early on, and he developed into one of Pittsburgh’s key special teamers over the past four seasons. Whenever there was a big punt block or forced fumble on a return, Matakevich always seemed to be the culprit. He isn’t athletic enough to be a starting LB in the NFL, but he can certainly make some spot starts when called upon.
  
• Nick Vannett: Following a rash of injuries to the Tight End room early in the season, Pittsburgh flipped a 5th-rounder to Seattle in exchange for Nick Vannett. He rewarded the team with 4 catches for 38 yards total and subpar blocking before vanishing entirely once Vance McDonald was back to full health. Vannett was not particularly good at anything and was basically a wasted pick. He eventually landed in Denver and proceeded to bash the Steelers organization afterwards. Don’t let the door hit you on the way out.
  
• Ramon Foster: Despite entering the league as a UDFA back in 2009, Ramon Foster carved out an impressive 11-year career where he was nothing but reliable across 145 starts. “The Big Ragu” was a fan favorite for his personality and was also the Steelers’ NFLPA Union rep the past few seasons. At 34 years old, Foster started to show his age this past season and also missed a pair of games due to injury. With his contract having expired at the end of the year, Foster decided to hang up his cleats for good and entered a well-deserved retirement.
  

• Eric Ebron: Ever since Heath Miller retired in 2015, the state of the TE position has been inconsistent at best. Jesse James came and went, Ladarius Green was an injury riddled bust, and Vance McDonald is still kicking around but struggled mightily without Big Ben. GM Kevin Colbert decided to give the position a new spark when he signed Eric Ebron to a two-year deal. Ebron is who he is at this point; a big-bodied target with great athleticism who will make huge splash plays but has an ugly propensity for drops. However, the blueprint for Ebron as a dominant red-zone threat was showcased with Andrew Luck and the 2018 Colts en route to a ridiculous 13 TD campaign. Big Ben loves his TEs, especially in the red-zone, so it seems like the Steelers want to recapture that 2018 magic from Ebron.
  
• Derek Watt: Move over TJ, there’s a new Watt in town! Derek comes cross-country from Los Angeles to reunite with his brother here in Pittsburgh, much to the jealousy of older brother JJ. Incumbent starter Roosevelt Nix missed the majority of last season with various injuries, and rushing performances noticeably suffered in his absence. As the Steelers look to get “back to their ways” in establishing a physical run game, Derek will be a huge addition leading the way for James Conner and the rest of the RB stable. On top of that, Derek is a key contributor on Special Teams and will be relied upon the same way in Pittsburgh as he was in LA. It also doesn’t hurt to keep TJ happy with an important long-term contract on the horizon.
  
• Stefen Wisniewski: Long-time Left Guard Ramon Foster announced his retirement following a long career, and Stefen Wisniewski was brought in as an option to fill that void. Wisniewksi has bounced around the league during his nine-year career, most recently being crowned a Super Bowl champion after starting each game during Kansas City’s postseason run. There’s nothing particularly flashy about him but he’s a solid plug-and-play starter and an added veteran presence who will compete for a starting gig. If the Steelers opt to keep Matt Feiler at RT, I expect Wisniewski to settle into the LG spot without much issue.
  
• Chris Wormley: For the first time since 1997, the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers completed a trade; Chris Wormley and a 2021 7th headed to Pittsburh with a 2021 5th headed back the other way. While certainly a huge surprise given the circumstances of the trade, it made a lot of sense to add depth to a DL room that saw departures this offseason. Wormley is primarily a 3-4 DE who is stout against the run. He will likely fill a similar role as a rotational player who may also kick inside to NT in certain pass-rush packages.
  
• Curtis Riley: In the middle of writing this piece, Pittsburgh went out and picked up Curtis Riley to add to their safety room. Riley started three games for Oakland last season and projects as more of a FS type. Given the lack of depth in the safety room, it makes sense to bring in some more bodies for competition purposes, especially since most of the current crop are SS types.
  
• Tyree Kinnel: The Steelers have shown some interest in former spring-football players recently, with AAF standout Kameron Kelly making the 53 last season and a handful of XFL castoffs being brought in this offseason. Of the group, I believe DB Tyree Kinnel has the best chance at this year’s 53 given the lack of depth at the safety position. I cannot comment much on his performance as a player since I never watched the XFL, but I definitely believe he has a reasonable shot at a depth safety spot.
  

• Mark Barron: Prior to drafting Devin Bush in the 2019 Draft, Mark Barron was signed to add some athleticism to a room that was desperately lacking. The former safety-turned-linebacker has dealt with injuries over the past few seasons but was still a clear upgrade athletically over the likes of Jon Bostic from the season prior. Barron eventually found a role as a Dime-backer on passing downs with Vince Williams playing running downs. While I wouldn’t call him a particularly bad player for Pittsburgh, I wouldn’t exactly call him a good one either. His coverage was solid but uninspiring and he had a bad habit of low effort plays that drove Steelers fans mad. If the team wasn’t so pressed against the cap, my guess is he would’ve been retained for depth purposes, but his contract presented too much in cap savings to justify otherwise.
  
• Anthony Chickillo: Anthony Chickillo was drafted in 2015 and has somehow stuck around due to lack of OLB depth and some reasonable special teams contributions. He found himself on the exempt list this past season due to allegations of domestic assault, but he was found not guilty and returned to the team by season’s end. Chickillo is alright against the run but offers little to nothing in pass rush. No self-respecting team should be relying on him as a third pass-rusher like Pittsburgh has these past few seasons. Surprisingly enough, he did end up finding a new home in New Orleans, probably only for special teams.
  
• Roosevelt Nix: The signing of Derek Watt marked the end of a successful stint in Pittsburgh for Roosevelt Nix. Rosie was a big fan favorite during his time here due to his selflessness as a blocker and some surprisingly big moments. Unfortunately for Nix, he only appeared in three games in 2019 due to various injuries, and it ended up costing him his job as Pittsburgh opted to target a healthier and slightly younger fullback in Watt. Rosie was excellent for the team as both a FB and a Special Teamer and Steeler Nation has nothing but love for him as he heads to Indianapolis to block for Jonathan Taylor and the rest of their rushing attack.
  
• Johnny Holton: The preseason standout Johnny Holton hung around on the Practice Squad before being activated to the 53-man roster early on in the season. He had a few opportunities for gametime due to some injuries to the starters later on in the season, but he really struggled. He has some nice speed to his game but not much else as far as receiving traits go. Cutting him gave the team some slight cap relief.