The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a relatively quiet offseason so far. The cash-strapped team has done more releasing than signing. The team said goodbye to key pieces including Mike Wallace, James Harrison and Rashard Mendenhall. Now that they have dumped off some large contracts, they can begin to look at remaining free agents. Needing improvements on both sides of the ball, the Steelers have targeted two of the best free agents left in their respective positions, Dwight Freeney and Ahmad Bradshaw.
Freeney is getting interest from multiple teams, but has yet to get offered a formal deal. With Elvis Dumervil officially a Baltimore Raven, Freeney is one of the best pass rushers on the market. The Steelers are in desperate need of signing a legitimate pass rusher after Harrison became a free agent.
Freeney may or may not fit into the Steelers' defensive scheme. He struggled to adapt to a 3-4 defense that the Indianapolis Colts switched to last season. He does not have the size to be a traditional 3-4 defense end. The Steelers like size up front to help stop the run and Freeney does not fit that mold. However, if the team is looking for someone to just be the main pass rushing player, then Freeney is the top guy. Pittsburgh could use him in nickel pass rush scenarios, which would be a good way to get the most use out of Freeney without wearing him down. At 33, the Steelers could sign him to a short-term, low cost deal to see how he fits.
With the offense now lacking major key players, Bradshaw could be a solid upgrade to the Steelers' run game. He spent the last six seasons with the New York Giants as one of the premier backs but was let go to clear cap space. He is coming off of a lingering foot injury which could be why he still remains a free agent, but he did rush for over 1,000 yards in 2012. If he can prove he is completely healthy, the Steelers could get him for a good deal. Bradshaw has expressed interested in joining the Steelers. He knows the team is in need of a running back and he feels like he could step in and be the No. 1 guy.
Multiple teams have expressed interest in Bradshaw. The Green Bay Packers and New York Jets are two teams in need of a running back. He will not remain on the market long, so if the Steelers are serious about their interest in Bradshaw, a move will have to be made quickly.