The Pittsburgh Steelers have hired a new offensive coordinator in Arthur Smith, and while the team is still in the process of filling out the coaching staff, the front office’s attention will soon turn to free agency. It has been distributed. Coming to market in March.Smith Which player in history would be the best fit for the Steelers in 2023? Let’s take a look;.
QB Ryan Tannehill 2023 Age 35 AAV $29.5 million.
He is a big name on this list because he is the most prominent name with history with Arthur Smith and is a position of need for the Steelers.Tannehill had an unforgettable 2023. He played in just 10 games due to injuries and lost his starting job to Will Lewis. He had Miami’s lowest completion percentage (64.8%) since 2018 and lowest passer percentage (78.5) since his rookie season.
Adjusted net yards per attempt was 4.39.There are plenty of reasons to think Tannehill could go down, but he ended the 2023 season on a high note that defies that notion. In the final three games of the season, Tannehill completed 71 percent of his passes, posted a 92.8 passer rating and averaged 6.71 yards per carry.It plays well. So what Tannehill will the Steelers get? It’s up to Smith to figure it out. The positive aspects are clear. If Smith already has a quarterback familiar with the system, he can spend almost all of his time preparing for Kenny Pickett’s new offense. According to Spotrac, Tannehill is slated to sign a one-year contract worth $4.9 million, which is in the price range of the Steelers’ second-string quarterback.RB Derrick Henry2023 Age 30 AAV $12.5 millionThere’s no reason to believe the Steelers would be willing to spend big to sign Naji Harris and Jaylen Warren in free agency, but it’s interesting to think about.
QB Marcus Mariota2023 Age 30 AAV $5 million
Mariota is another big quarterback on the roster. After being waived by the Falcons in 2022, he spent 2023 as Jalen Hurts’ backup in Philadelphia. Mariota started 13 games for Atlanta that year, posting a passer rating of 88.2 and an adjusted net yards per attempt of 5.85. He was replaced by Desmond Ridder, who couldn’t duplicate those numbers, much less improve on them, in two seasons. Taylor Heinicke didn’t do well in 2023 either.Given the situation in Atlanta, it’s worth wondering if Mariota wants to pursue Smith again. But after playing him over the last two stops, it’s clear he’ll be comfortable with the scheme.
RB/WR/KR Cordarrelle Patterson2023 Age 32 AAV $5.25M
Pattersonwas one of the undisputed highlights of Smith’s tenure in Atlanta. The former wide receiver and kick returner joined New England part-time in 2018, but it wasn’t until Atlanta that he discovered that side of his game. As a freshman at Smith in 2021, Patterson rushed 153 times for 618 yards and 11 total touchdowns. He finished 2022 with 695 yards on 144 carries and eight touchdowns.Patterson suffered a hip injury and was waived in 2023 due to the acquisition of Bijan Robinson. He had 50 carries for 180 yards and nine catches for 38 yards. He is unlikely to re-sign in Atlanta. The Steelers don’t have a player like Patterson who can help fill a larger slot receiver role with Calvin Austin III.
CAaron Brewer 2023 26-year AAV $4.3 million.
The Steelers have a need at center as tight end Mason Cole enters the final year of his contract in 2023. Looks like a solid project, but if they want to close this place early, they could do a lot worse than Brewer. Brouwer, a 2020 undrafted free agent who helped lure Smith from Texas, started one game as a rookie and five in 2021 before becoming a full-time starter in 2022. He had his best year in 2023, when PFF graded him 71.6 in 17 starts. He’s better at run-blocking than pass-blocking, but as a relatively young free agent, he’d be a call-blocking upgrade right away while still having upside. This is a player to watch for the Steelers.
