The Pittsburgh Steelers did a great job of addressing their major needs this offseason. Needing some help in the secondary, Omar Khan was aggressive early in free agency, agreeing to a deal with cornerback Patrick Peterson. The No. 32 pick in the 2023 NFL Draft was then used on Jerry Porter Jr. to further bolster the defensive backfield.
The linebacker position needed a facelift and received one as well. Cole Holcomb and Elandon Roberts were signed in free agency to replace Myles Jack, Devin Bush and Ryan Spillane. A little more depth there certainly wouldn’t hurt.
The offensive line was revamped as well. Isaac Seumalo was signed in free agency, a move that his former teammate with the Philadelphia Eagles, Jason Kelce, praised. Pittsburgh also traded up in the first round with the New England Patriots to snag offensive tackle Broderick Jones out of Georgia with the No. 14 pick.
The Steelers are in good shape heading into the next phase of their offseason program, but they are still keeping their eyes open for potential upgrades. If the team is going to bring in any more established talent this offseason it will likely be some pass-rushing depth.
T.J. Watt and Alex Highsmith are a great pass-rushing duo. Cameron Heyward still gets the job done by getting after the quarterback from the interior. But, the depth behind Watt and Highsmith is lacking.
That is why the most recent free agent visit they had made so much sense. According to Jordan Schultz of The Score, the Steelers had veteran pass rusher Markus Golden in for a visit this week.
Golden would be the perfect signing for Pittsburgh late in free agency. He excels in a pass-rushing role, evident by the three seasons with double-digit sacks as mentioned by Schultz. At this stage in his career, being a situational pass rusher suits him best.
That is the exact role that the Steelers would cast him in as he could find success playing opposite Watt and Highsmith, and on rare occasions, alongside them. Signing him at this point in the offseason wouldn’t cost much, making for a low-risk, high-reward move for the franchise.
Golden has spent eight seasons in the NFL; 1.5 with the New York Giants and 6.5 with the Arizona Cardinals. He has 47 sacks in 111 games, 68 starts, with 62 tackles for loss and 130 quarterback hits.
