3 Steelers who are definitely playing their last season in Pittsburgh

2. Kwon Alexander

Kwon Alexander was a solid starter in Tampa Bay for the first part of his career, but his performance has dipped precipitously since leaving the Buccaneers. The Steelers picked him up this offseason for a modest one-year deal worth just over $1 million.

The former LSU standout is hoping he can play well in PIttsburgh then reenter free agency to receive a solid multi-year contract next offseason. In the event he does play that well, he'll price himself out of a return in Pittsburgh. The franchise is not in position to overpay a middle linebacker who lacks star potential.

The other alternative is that Alexander will replicate his poor performance from the 2022 season. He posted a weak PFF grade of 63 with just 47 total tackles. If he doesn't play much better than that in Pittsburgh he may not maintain his roster spot for the full regular season. That might force Alexander into an earlier retirement than he originally planned.

Alexander has a real chance to resuscitate his career as a middle linebacker in PIttsburgh's flexible 3-4 defense. His one-year deal works for both he and the Steelers but there's very little chance this will turn into a long-term relationship. He's a short-term solution for MIke Tomlin's defense.