5 Steelers free agents Pittsburgh needs to bring back

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PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA – DECEMBER 19: Joe Haden #23 of the Pittsburgh Steelers recovers a fumble by Racey McMath #81 of the Tennessee Titans in the third quarter of the game at Heinz Field on December 19, 2021 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) /

2. CB Joe Haden

He made one of the defensive plays of the year for Mike Tomlin’s team. A crucial fourth-down stop on wide receiver Nick Westbrook-Ikhine in the closing minutes vs. Tennessee ensured a 19-13 victory over the Titans in Week 15.

Veteran cornerback Joe Haden was a first-round pick by the Cleveland Browns in 2010. But he has spent the last five seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers. In 2021, he played in only 12 games but still finished with 37 tackles, six passes defensed, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.

The 12-year pro, who has a dozen takeaways in five seasons with the franchise, is apparently not ready to hang up his cleats and shoulder pads yet.

1. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster

It was a rough year for the team’s top pass-catcher from 2020. Wide receiver Juju Smith-Schuster went from totaling 97 receptions for 831 yards and nine touchdowns in 16 regular-season contests to playing in five games and managing only 15 grabs for 129 yards in 2021.

That’s because the five-year pro suffered a shoulder injury in the team’s Week 5 win over Denver. He missed the remainder of the regular season but returned this past Sunday for the team’s wild card clash with the Chiefs. Smith-Schuster totaled five receptions for 26 yards in the team’s 42-21 setback.

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Smith-Schuster has already made it clear that he is more than receptive to a return to the Steel City. That would be a big plus for a team that’s going to look very different in 2022.

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