Pittsburgh Steelers: Grading Day One of Free Agency
By Dan Thomas
Yesterday the Pittsburgh Steelers entered the circus that is Free Agency without making any real commotion. Instead, they quietly went about their business while tying up some loose ends.
Technically the Steelers didn’t wait for the madness to start at 4:00 pm EST on Wednesday afternoon before they started making key moves for the 2016 season.
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On Monday, the Steelers re-signed Safety Robert Golden to a three-year contract. It’s not a signing that will cause you to high five strangers on the subway or crush beer cans over your head (if you’re into that kind of thing) but it’s a good move.
Golden has been with Pittsburgh for the last four seasons and held his own in three starts in 2015. He might not be ready to be a full-time starter but he’s a solid contributor on special teams and can start at the safety position in a pinch.
Later that the day, the Steelers re-signed Wide Receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey to a three-year contract. Again, not a signing that’ll have you dancing in the streets or lighting couches on fire but it’s smart.
Last year, Heyward-Bey stepped up when WR Martavis Bryant missed the first five games (four for suspension, one for injury) and finished with 209 receiving yards and 2 touchdowns in Weeks 1-5. He also had 64 receiving yards against the Broncos in the playoffs when Antonio Brown missed the game due to a concussion.
Heading into 2016, DHB very well could find himself behind Brown, Bryant, Markus Wheaton and Sammie Coates on the depth chart but you won’t find a better fifth WR in the league who will contribute on special teams and play significant offensive snaps if other WR’s are forced to miss time.
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On Tuesday, the Steelers re-signed Cornerback William Gay to a three-year contract. Gay started every single game for the Steelers in 2015 including their two playoff games. He has spent eight of his nine years in the NFL with the Steelers including the last three. He’s comfortable with the players, coaches, organization and he knows the defensive system.
Could the Steelers use an upgrade at the CB position? Yes, but the 31-year old Gay will help stabilize the position until they do.
On Wednesday, the Steelers wisely re-signed Guard Ramon Foster to a three-year contract. This guy is the embodiment of Pittsburgh Steeler Football. He’s smart, tough and a grinder. He does his job and does it well. At the same time, you rarely hear his name mentioned in the media because he doesn’t cause any kind of distraction and nobody has a negative word to say about him.
Those four re-signings won’t be covered all over ESPN but they are all good moves by the Steelers. They bring back four contributors to a team that was as dangerous as anybody in the playoffs last season.
Just as the Steelers do, they make a great and pivotal “outside” signing that essentially goes unnoticed with all the chaos that took place in day one of free agency when they inked up TE Ladarius Green to a four-year, $20 million contract.
Green is a dynamic tight end that can stretch the field, outrun DB’s (4.53 40 time) and can block in the run game. The fact the Steelers signed him to the contract that they did, is highway robbery. Green’s new contract is less than Zach Ertz, Dwayne Allen, and Coby Fleener. Yet, it won’t be shocking when he outproduces all of them statically next season.
Green has been underutilized because he had to play behind/with future Hall of Famer Antonio Gates and not because he isn’t talented.
With Heath Miller retiring, Green will easily become the Steelers #1 TE and will not have to split time like he did in San Diego.
Opposing defensive coordinators already had nightmares attempting to prepare for Ben Roethlisberger, Antonio Brown, Martavis Byrant and Le’Veon Bell. Now the Steelers add Ladarius Green to the mix?
That’s just silly.
Steelers Day One Grade: A
The Steelers don’t have many major holes to fill but they went out and sured up the TE position with the signing of Ladarius Green. Not only will Green thrive in this Steelers offense but his production should outperform the contract he signed.
What to watch for Day Two (and beyond): Offensive Tackle Kelvin Beachum
Beachum was one of the best left tackles in the NFL in 2014 and was on his way to a HUGE pay day this off-season. However, a torn ACL this past season hurt his market value. With only one solid year under his belt, team’s might be hesitant to pay the big man some big money.
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If the Steelers can convince Beachum to re-sign with them, even for a one-year prove it deal, the Steelers starting offense would be virtually set.
If they can’t and Beachum signs elsewhere, it’ll be interesting and important to see who the Steelers bring in to protect Roethlisberger’s blindside.