Steelers are a clear loser of NFL free agency so far

The Steelers stand out among the rest of the NFL as having a brutal start to the free agency process. 

The top priority for the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason was figuring out how to bring back Ben Roethlisberger in a way that worked with the lowered salary cap. The team achieved that goal, but not much else has followed.

The “legal tampering” period is underway to start the week and so far the Steelers are losing key players at an alarming rate. A player like Bud Dupree, who signed in Tennessee, may have been too expensive from the start. Now Mike Hilton is signing with Cincinnati and JuJu Smith-Schuster is likely on his way out too as the Steelers stand out as clear losers so far before free agency even officially begins.

Pittsburgh off to a rough start

The Steelers did re-sign defensive back Cameron Sutton. But fans were more concerned about bringing back Hilton. Now he is with the Bengals.

Then there is the duo of Smith-Schuster and James Conner. The Steelers are now losing what once seemed to be core pieces in what could be Roethlisberger’s last season in town. And it is not like they are sitting on cash to add outside talent. That is the whole root of the problem in the first place.

It is only Tuesday and the Steelers do have time to make a splash or two. Doing so would likely take a surprise cut or contract restructuring, but every minute they wait allows players to end up with other teams.

The Steelers have coasted along for several decades with great team-building by the front office. Having an elite talent at quarterback helped as well. Now that quarterback is nearing the end of his career and the team-building is made difficult with a low salary cap.

Key pieces are leaving fast and the team may be at a disadvantage from the start in 2021.