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2016 NFL Free Agency Thread

slashsteel

slashsteel

Thank you for everything Franco, R I P.
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This is a thread to talk about what could help strengthen our team in the off-season. I believe the Steelers need one to two impact players. Feel free to post who you think could help our team and why.

Here is a list I dug up of what one site perceives as best available.

Highlighted is who I think the Steelers should target if they want to turn their defense around for the better.

Top 25 – 2016 NFL Free Agents

Rank
Player
Pos.
Age
Team

1. Von Miller 3-4 OLB 27 DEN
2. Muhammad Wilkerson 3-4 DE 26 NYJ
3. Josh Norman CB 27 CAR
4. Eric Berry S 26 KC
5. Olivier Vernon 4-3 DE 25 MIA
6. Alshon Jeffery WR 26 CHI
7. Cordy Glenn OT 26 BUF
9. Kelechi Osemele G 27 BAL
10. Malik Jackson 3-4 DE 26 DEN
11. Janoris Jenkins CB 26 STL
12. Russell Okung OT 27 SEA
13. Derrick Johnson ILB 32 KC
14. Jason Pierre Paul 4-3 DE 27 NYG
15. Mitchell Schwartz OT 27 CLE
16. Greg Hardy 4-3 DE 28 DAL
17. Derek Wolfe 3-4 DE 26 DEN
18. Damon Harrison DT 26 NYJ
19. Doug Martin RB 27 TB
20. Lamar Miller RB 25 MIA
21. Danny Trevathan ILB 26 DEN
22. Matt Forte RB 30 CHI
23. Eric Weddle S 31 SD
24. Sam Bradford QB 27 PHI
25. Kirk Cousins QB 28 WAS
 
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Jackson , Norman, Miller, Wilkerson

One of these four gets signed and I could see the D start to improve quickly.
 
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Wish in one hand and **** in the other. See which one fills up first.

This team almost never makes a big splash in the free agency market.
 
The guy they should throw money at is not even on that list. Trumaine Johnson CB from the Rams, he's better than Janoris Jenkins. 6'2 208, prototypical size for what we look at in a DB. He's only 25, someone will throw a tonne of money at him though.

 
sign Weddle and Tremaine, resign Beachum, boyken, bruce, gay, will,villnueva(swing t) 2 yr
rest let walk

opening cb depth
johnson
cortez restructed deal
gay golsen
grant rookie

fs mitchell golden
ss weddle rookie
 
F83 said:
sign Weddle and Tremaine, resign Beachum, boyken, bruce, gay, will,villnueva(swing t) 2 yr
rest let walk

opening cb depth
johnson
cortez restructed deal
gay golsen
grant rookie

fs mitchell golden
ss weddle rookie
Click to expand...

This year Weddle has 77 tackles/.5 sacks/0 ints. Allen has73 tackles/3 sacks/2ints. Big upgrade?
 
F83 said:
sign Weddle and Tremaine, resign Beachum, boyken, bruce, gay, will,villnueva(swing t) 2 yr
rest let walk

opening cb depth
johnson
cortez restructed deal
gay golsen
grant rookie

fs mitchell golden
ss weddle rookie
Click to expand...

I like it. However, we all know it won't happen ref FA's.
I would just take Trumaine Johnson and be elated.
 
JPP would wreak havoc at ROLB, imo. Might come cheaper with the hand.
 
Couple of things I think we do:

* Restructure/extend Timmons. Very little new cash but extends the deal out 2 more years. No way we can pay him $14 mil a season. Should cut that down by about 30-35% next year.
* Sign Gay and Cockrell is back. Leaves us with those two and Golson/Grant as well. Still need a #1 CB.
* Beachum comes back on a year prove it deal for 5-6 mil. JMO on that one.
* Ramon Foster and Steve McClendon are resigned for less than market value.
* Bell and DeCastro are resigned.

If we could just plug one hole with an above average CB or S in FA, we could go into the draft with really only 2 needs.
Depth on both sides of the OL/DL are needed, but outside of that, we only need OLB and DB.
I would like Trumaine Johnson or Casey Heyward in FA. Add a DE for depth purposes.
Then in the draft I would do this.
Like I said, adding a CB in FA leaves us with really 2 needs (OLB and S).
I would like to trade down since there will be no OLB worthy of the pick when we are up.
However, I would look to trade up Heargraves, Jalen Ramsey or Emmanuel Ogbah are within striking distance.
Don't think they will be. So, I add a 3rd rounder to trade down to the late 1st.

1. Su'a Cravens SS: Perfect fit that will remind you of Troy. Dynamic player that can lay the lumber.
2. Yannick Ngakoue OLB: Oozes athleticism off the edge. Will have to learn to stop the run better though.
3a. Jordan Jenkins OLB: 2 dogs, 1 bone...figure it out.
3b. William Jackson CB: Some say he goes in the 2nd...think he will be there when we pick in the 3rd.
4. Jordan Leggett TE: Move TE with fantastic hands.
5. traded
6. Christian LaCouture DE: Depth for the DL.
7. Alex Lewis OT/OG: Depth...
 
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I don't see them signing anyone big money cause they never do. The DEs they won't look at because of Tuitt and Heyward. I would love absolute love Von Miller. I would back the whole bank up to his house. But we all know that's not going to happen. I do like the Trumaine Johnson choice though. He is pretty good. Von Miller though would instantly upgrade this defense. He is the pass rusher we need.
 
We traded for Bettis, Signed Farrior, Williams,Gay,Mitchell, etc.


I am not saying break the bank..

But this D is in a bad way, and drafting hasn't made a impact.

But ONE player can be had. Hell even two...


I constantly hear the Steelers don't do this or that. But they actually do bring in free agents. Its just one here and there.

Well here is now. They need to get off their *** and improve this D.
 
obxsteeler said:
This year Weddle has 77 tackles/.5 sacks/0 ints. Allen has73 tackles/3 sacks/2ints. Big upgrade?
Click to expand...

Allen has never been a pro bowler. Stats we know always don't tell the story. CAn he cover TEs better than Allen?

Because that is why we need a SS upgrade.
 
F83 said:
sign Weddle and Tremaine, resign Beachum, boyken, bruce, gay, will,villnueva(swing t) 2 yr
rest let walk

opening cb depth
johnson
cortez restructed deal
gay golsen
grant rookie

fs mitchell golden
ss weddle rookie
Click to expand...

Man what does Boykin have to do to get some playing time? We resign him but he does not make the depth chart? Sounds like something Tomlin did this year... Trade for him and not play him...
 
Serious question regarding free agency. What do you do with Beachum and Foster?

I think they should try to bring Foster back at a fair deal. Tougher case with Beachum vs. Villanueva. Beachum is the better player, but isn't dominant, but does Villanueva have enough of an upside to commit to him as the LT of the future? If so, they could probably lock him up to a very team-friendly long-term deal this offseason.

As far as the bolded defenders go, they are all a pipe dream outside of possibly Weddle. No way do they break the bank on any of the elite defenders in the NFL.
 
Eric Berry would be interesting. He would be expensive, but not completely out of reach.

It would allow them to move Mitchell to strong safety, where he is probably better suited.

Weddle looks to be on the decline and would be a risk as a result.

Miller, Norman and Jenkins are pure pipe dreams. If they're not franchised by their current teams, they'll flat out bank on the open market.
 
Punxsutawney said:
Eric Berry would be interesting. He would be expensive, but not completely out of reach.

It would allow them to move Mitchell to strong safety, where he is probably better suited.

Weddle looks to be on the decline and would be a risk as a result.

Miller, Norman and Jenkins are pure pipe dreams. If they're not franchised by their current teams, they'll flat out bank on the open market.
Click to expand...

that team is in decline, I think it is a good risk...
 
Way too soon to speculate. Many of those listed will be locked up by their own teams, many more will be added to the list as cuts are made.

As for our own team, its hard to say who will comeback. I doubt Boykin will be back. Considering the way he was treated playing time wise, I'm betting he wouldn't trust that he would get to play more. My top priorities for UFA's would be Gay on defense and Oline on offense. Gay: this secondary will not get better by letting our best DB walk, and i think he wants stay after what happened in Arizona last time. OLINE: Id make Foster a priority if he is willing to take a fair, 3 year type deal. Beachem still might get an offer that more than we want but i think Ranger Capt. V is more than serviceable with a tremendous upside. At any rate, the last thing we need is for our offense to start next year with a whole new left side of the line. With any luck we can get all 3 to come back.
 
Punxsutawney said:
Eric Berry would be interesting. He would be expensive, but not completely out of reach.

It would allow them to move Mitchell to strong safety, where he is probably better suited.

Weddle looks to be on the decline and would be a risk as a result.

Miller, Norman and Jenkins are pure pipe dreams. If they're not franchised by their current teams, they'll flat out bank on the open market.
Click to expand...


I agree with Punx. Could this happen? Need the finance to chime in whether Berry could be had.
 
I'd take Eric Berry. Decent season and a pretty solid safety. Could get him for a decent price.

Plus, he's super fearful of the Chiefs mascot Warpaint. Berry suffers from equinophobia, a fear of horses, frequently brought on by the Kansas City Chiefs' mascot, Warpaint. The fear was brought on after a traumatizing childhood event at a petting zoo where a horse bit him while his back was turned.

No horses riding around Heinz Field.
 
Sign Bruce Irvin from Seattle to replace Jarvis. Draft a corner in rd 1, safety in rd 2.
 
Miller and Norman will both likely get franchised or get around 15 million in the market. Someone like Irvin would be interesting if it was 4/25ish, but teams have so much free cash that I'd imagine he will see more. Any reasonable corner is going to start at 7m+. We should probably just retain Gay and draft 1/2 early. Dunno what weddle will want but 1-2 years at around 6M would be worth it.
 
at 28 Sean Smith at 5 mill would not be bad over 4 years and Weddle is a bit on the decline but has been on a awful SD team and to play for a team where he knows he can immediate help and have a top 5 offence just by him starting he perhaps will take less to play for a pernilier contender
 
F83 said:
sign Weddle and Tremaine, resign Beachum, boyken, bruce, gay, will,villnueva(swing t) 2 yr
rest let walk

opening cb depth
johnson
cortez restructed deal
gay golsen
grant rookie

fs mitchell golden
ss weddle rookie
Click to expand...
Do you seriously think Boykin is coming back to the Steelers. They were begging for talent and still didn't play him when they had him.
 
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