The Pittsburgh Steelers clearly have some needs heading into the offseason, but the problem is, they don’t have the cap space to fill those gaps.
According to Spotrac, the Steelers are entering the offseason $14.5 million over the salary cap, and while there are teams in worse shape, Pittsburgh still isn’t in a very enviable financial position.
As a result, the Steelers may have to go bargain bin hunting in order to actually improve their roster, and that’s even if they are able to clear some money.
So, sticking with that theme, here are three under-the-radar targets for Pittsburgh to consider in free agency.
Tavierre Thomas, Cornerback
Cornerback is one of the Steelers’ biggest holes going into the offseason, but with cornerback being one of the highest-paid positions in football, the chances of Pittsburgh signing a big name seem slim.
That means no Jaylon Johnson or L’Jarius Sneed.
What about someone like Tavierre Thomas?
Thomas should come very cheap after playing in just 19 games the last two years due to injuries. When he is on the field, he is a decent corner, and in 2023, he totaled 51 tackles and a couple of forced fumbles in nine contests.
The 27-year-old is a very good tackler and is not bad in coverage.
Would Thomas drastically improve the Steelers’ secondary? No, but he is a solid cost-effective option, and that is what this piece is about.
George Fant, Offensive Tackle
George Fant has bounced around the league a bit since entering the NFL back in 2016, as he has played for the Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets and Houston Texans.
No one is going to confuse Fant for Orlando Pace or Jonathan Ogden, but he is a passable offensive tackle who can play on either side of the line.
Outside of 2022 when he played in just eight games, Fant has also been fairly healthy for most of his career, and with the Steelers in significant need of some offensive line help, the 31-year-old could be of some assistance.
Most importantly, Fant would be a good bang-for-your-buck signing and, at the very least, would provide some good depth for Pittsburgh.
The Steelers may be able to nab him on a one-year deal.
Darnell Mooney, Wide Receiver
Pittsburgh’s top two receivers are currently George Pickens and Diontae Johnson, both of whom are immensely talented but have been unable to truly fulfill their potential just yet.
Beyond those two, the Steelers are pretty thin at the position, leaving the door open for Pittsburgh to pursue another wide out in free agency.
Darnell Mooney would be an interesting target, to say the least.
Mooney has spent the first four years of his career with the Chicago Bears and flashed considerable ability in his second season, hauling in 81 receptions for 1,055 yards and four touchdowns.
In the two years since then, however, Mooney has amassed a grand total of 71 catches for 907 yards and three scores.
What exactly happened? Does Mooney just require a change of scenery? Or was his breakout 2021 campaign a fluke?
Maybe the Steelers can offer him a deal and find out.
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