After what happened to the Pittsburgh Steelers over the final month of the 2024 season, it became quite evident that they needed an infusion of talent along their defensive line. That is especially the case now that Larry Ogunjobi has been released and Cameron Heyward will be 36 years old by the start of next season.
They will almost certainly take advantage of the extremely talented 2025 NFL Draft class of defensive linemen, but it was expected that they would also look at the position in free agency to ensure they have an answer for the 2025 season and not put so much pressure on a rookie. After nearly 24 hours of the legal tampering period, are the Steelers already out of options to meaningfully upgrade their defensive line?
Here is a list of some notable players that have already agreed to terms that are presumably off the market.
– Milton Williams: Four years, $104 million
– Jonathan Allen: Three years, $60 million
– Tershawn Wharton: Three years, $54 million
– Javon Kinlaw: Three years, $45 million
– Grady Jarrett: Three years, $43.5 million
– D.J. Jones: Three years, $39 million
– B.J. Hill: Three years, $33 million
– Poona Ford: Three years, $30 million
– Jarran Reed: Three years, $25 million
– Javon Hargrave: Currently Unknown
Ten of the top names are already off the board. Who is the top defensive lineman left on the market? There is a decent argument to be made that it is Ogunjobi, who the Steelers just released.
Outside of Ogunjobi, here are a few of the names to consider.
Levi Onwuzurike
Onwuzurike was a second-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He is 27 years old, so he still had youth on his side, but he missed the entire 2022 season with a back injury and played in just 10 games the following season in 2023. In 42 games and 10 starts, Onwuzurike has 68 total tackles, 35 solo tackles, 3.5 sacks, four tackles for loss, 16 QB Hits, two passes defensed, and one forced fumble. At 6-3, 290 pounds, with 33-inch arms, he is perhaps a bit undersized for what the Steelers need. That being said, 13 of his 16 QB Hits came last season, so he appears to be a player on the rise.
Calais Campbell
Nothing says youth movement like adding one of the oldest players in football at the moment. Campbell is entering his 18th season and has 110.5 sacks to his name as a likely future Hall of Famer. He has a massive 6-9, 307-pound frame and he’s seen just about everything there is to see in the NFL. I suppose he could be a bridge option if the Steelers are in a pinch. Campbell posted five sacks, 12 QB hits, and 12 tackles for loss last year, so he still appears to have it. He has played all 17 games for the last two seasons, so injuries haven’t been a big concern.
Maliek Collins
Collins is a former third-round pick from the 2016 NFL Draft. He has played for four different teams in his career and is entering the 10th season of his career. He will be 30 years old by the time the season starts. At 6-2, 310 pounds, he is more of an interior guy than an end, but Omar Khan did say they believe Keeanu Benton is capable of playing anywhere along the defensive line. This wouldn’t be a splashy move, but he could add some solid veteran experience. Collins had 33 tackles, five tackles for loss, 12 QB hits, and five sacks last year.
All that to say, the options aren’t great. Who knows, maybe the Steelers had offers in on multiple of the guys that have already agreed to terms elsewhere. They could also explore the trade market or double dip in the draft. If they do the latter, that will be expecting a lot from rookies to play significant snaps in 2025.
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