Already having lost Jonathan Dwyer and facing the impending defection of Jerricho Cotchery to Carolina, the Pittsburgh Steelers are planning visits of Green Bay running back James Starks and New Orleans wide receiver Lance Moore.

Jonathan Dwyer’s free agent status in Pittsburgh was an unknown when the signing period began, and he was not expected to attract a lot of attention. He most certainly didn’t, but Dwyer did accept an offer to rejoin Bruce Arians in Pittsburgh West, aka Arizona.

In contrast, Jerricho Cotchery was expected to resign with the Pittsburgh Steelers. However, the Carolina Pathers receiving corps has been ravaged. They recently cut Steve Smith, and the contact Smith signed with the Baltimore Ravens is likely driving up Cotchery’s value.

• Cotchery will be 32 by opening day, and knows full well his next contract could be his last.

While Cotchery has played in Pittsburgh for a minimal salary during the last two years, he’s understandably looking for a bigger pay day and Carolina will likely offer more than Pittsburgh.

Cotchery’s Carolina visit is undoubtedly driving the Steelers interest in Moore, but as Behind the Steel Curtain Editor Neal Coolong observes, Moore has many unwelcome attributes of recent Steelers wide receivers – namely age above 30, injury history and lack of height (ever since Plaxico Burress left in 2004, Ben Roethlisberger has been on record saying he wants a “tall receiver.”)

James Starks is a more enticing prospect. He’s a career backup who, after a glance at his numbers, fits the Mewelde Moore mold. At age 28 he’s played in 35 NFL games but only started 2, but has averaged 4.4 yards a carry, including 47 yards in 10 carries in the Steelers 2013 defeat of the Packers.

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