Pittsburgh Steelers free agency 2018: Top 5 targets

The Steelers came up short in the postseason, and now they’ll have to take care of business in free agency in 2018. Here’s who they should be looking at.

The Pittsburgh Steelers looked like they were rolling on their way to a successful postseason in 2017, but the wheels came off of the bus rather quickly when the playoffs actually rolled around. Now, some fans are in panic mode wondering what the roster will look like in 2018.

While it may not have seemed like it at the moment, the divisional round loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars may have been the last time Steelers fans will see the Killer B’s all on the field at the same time. With Le’Veon Bell’s contract situation still up in the air as he enters free agency, things are starting to get hairy for the Steelers.

Outside of Bell, the Steelers obviously need some more help if they want to find their way to Super Bowl 53 next season. Their performance(s) against the Jaguars this past season weren’t good enough, and the New England Patriots don’t appear to be going anywhere for a little while longer.

With all of that in mind, the Steelers need to get going in free agency this offseason. That’s where we come in, and we have five targets for the Steelers to go after as they prepare for 2018.

5. Malcolm Butler

This one may be a stretch, but there are a ton of factors playing into Malcolm Butler being a solid free agent target for the Steelers to go after.

For starters, the Steelers need help with their secondary. When they were successful in the 2000’s, you had names like Troy Polamalu, Ryan Clark and other talented players terrorizing receivers on their way to a title in the 2008 season. Since Polamalu’s departure, they’ve lost their defensive identity, and James Harrison’s release didn’t help the situation.

Butler would be a great addition to the Steelers’ secondary to provide some serious star power, and would bring some useful experience to the position that the team could use on defense. Pair him with Joe Haden, and you could have an incredible one-two punch with their the corners. He’s proven to be a bit streaky in his time as a starter with the Patriots, but he’s proven himself to step up in clutch moments, like in coverage against Antonio Brown in big games before.

Not to mention, Butler could be a key piece in any potential matchups with the Patriots in 2018, possibly giving insight, or at least playing with a chip on his shoulder as he goes up against a team that has been looking to get rid of him for over a year now. He wants a pay day, the Patriots won’t give it to him and it could be some good fuel to send him over to the Steelers.