4 Steelers free agency moves they already want a re-do for

The Pittsburgh Steelers have several new starters for the 2024 season. Just through free agency or trade, they will have a new starting quarterback, wide receiver, linebacker, cornerback, safety, and punter. And that's all before you get into the nitty-gritty special teams positions. However, with a large number of changes comes a higher chance of regret.

Each of these decisions will be informed by what the team could have done just as much as what they did. Pittsburgh, as of today, is dead last in the NFL in cash spending for the 2024 season. They have the 11th-most cap space driven by the third-cheapest quarterback room in the league.

Pittsburgh still has key players up for extension they could be saving that cash for. Cameron Heyward, Najee Harris, and Pat Freiermuth are all in the last years of their deals. But the big fish that got away was Brandon Aiyuk. The Steelers were more than likely waiting to spend any additional cash on the newly-extended 49ers receiver. Now the opportunity cost of not only the cash but also the time spent waiting could prove to be a decision they regret.

So what exactly are these moves Pittsburgh missed out on? And what other decisions would they take back? Here are four Steelers free agency moves they already want a re-do for.

4. Trading Diontae Johnson

Let's start at the beginning, shall we? On March 12 the Steelers traded wide receiver Diontae Johnson to the Carolina Panthers for cornerback Donte Jackson. Even before the trade, it was believed Pittsburgh could look to draft a receiver to compliment Johnson and George Pickens, not replace one of them. Trading Johnson only partly solved one problem (a starting cornerback opposite Joey Porter Jr.) while creating another.

From the time of the trade until the draft, there were multiple receivers in the league who were thought to be available for trade. Aiyuk was one, as well as his teammate Deebo Samuel. Denver Bronco Courtland Sutton and Cincinnati Bengal Tee Higgins were also briefly thought to be available. Pittsburgh did not get a deal done for any of these players.

Fast-forward to free agency and multiple starting-caliber players changed teams. Calvin Ridley, Gabriel Davis, Josh Reynolds, and Tyler Boyd will all play for new teams in 2025. Pittsburgh opted for lower-level moves like Van Jefferson and Scotty Miller.

Even last week at final roster cutdowns, Pittsburgh saw players like Tim Patrick and Noah Brown find new homes. All while the Steelers waited for an Aiyuk deal that never came.

When their final 53-man roster was released the wide receiver room caused ire among fans. And when Aiyuk inked his new deal with the 49ers it finally settled in that this was what the Steelers were starting the year with. It all started with the trade of Diontae Johnson. And if the team thought he would be easy to replace back in March, finding out how they feel five months later would be an excellent use of truth serum.

3. Not Addressing Slot Corner

Undrafted rookie free agent (UDFA) Beanie Bishop is slated to start the year as Pittsburgh's slot corner. Bishop started training camp hot with multiple plays in coverage as well as his already-known physicality. But during camp, he sustained an injury and missed time -- causing his positive momentum to plateau.

When the season gets underway we'll see just how raw the West Virginia product looks. Or even how full-time he is to start. Bishop could see time on early downs for his physicality against the run, and come off the field on obvious passing situations. This wouldn't be new to Pittsburgh who hasn't had an "every down" nickel corner since Mike Hilton left after the 2020 season.

Several free agent options were available that could play the position on both run and pass downs. Darnell Savage and Chauncey Gardner-Johnson were two such players who switched teams, plus others who stayed put, but were free agents.

Perhaps Pittsburgh found their next Mike Hilton in Beanie Bishop. Or they could continue this rotation at the position and not have any consistency. It sure would have been nice to minimize the risk a couple of months ago.

2. Not Signing Tommy Townsend

It's time for specialist talk! Pittsburgh moved on from former seventh-round pick Pressley Harvin III after three seasons punting for the team. With inconsistent play, it was time to move on to a more reliable option. They ended up signing Cameron Johnston from the Houston Texans, who was fifth in the NFL in Net Yards Per Punt at 44 yards per punt.

But there is a downside. Johnston isn't a big hang-time punter. He was in the bottom third last year in hang time at 4.28 seconds. When your punter has a big leg, but the ball isn't in the air for long, you need a very quick and skilled coverage team to limit the return by the other team. We'll get to the Steelers coverage unit in a moment (Yes! More special teams!) but let's just say Johnston isn't the best fit.

Tommy Townsend however, would have been. Townsend played for the Kansas City Chiefs before going to the Texans this offseason. (Could it be telling that Houston let the new Steelers punter leave to sign Townsend?) Townsend had the sixth-best hang time last year at 4.45 seconds. Not only was Townsend the most notable name and widely considered to be the best punter available, but his style was also the better fit for this Steelers punt coverage unit. Which we'll talk about next.

1. Letting Their Gunners Walk

For the past two seasons, the Steelers had one of the better gunner duos in the league. And no, I don't mean Gunner Olszewski. I'm talking about the two most outside players on the punt coverage unit. Miles Boykin and James Pierre were not only depth pieces at the wide receiver and cornerback positions, respectively, but they were both high-level gunners for special teams coordinator Danny Smith.

Both went to the NFC East in free agency and the Steelers did little to replace them. Former Tennessee Titan and member of the Steelers practice squad in 2023 Dez Fitzpatrick was the best gunner on the team this offseason. But Pittsburgh elected to not put him on the 53-man roster. Now the Steelers are looking at potentially Bishop and Darius Rush to occupy those spots this year. And between the two of them, there are just six punt coverage snaps in an NFL regular season game.

Sometimes players want to see what's out there. Boykin and Pierre could have been looking for a potential role on offense and defense, respectively, and knew they'd only be teamers in Pittsburgh. Or the Steelers thought they could replace two veterans for slightly cheaper with young guys. Maybe that was another couple of bucks they were saving for Aiyuk. Or maybe it was something totally different. We'll never know. But unfortunately, Pittsburgh could regret letting those guys walk.