The start of NFL free agency is underway, and the Pittsburgh Steelers have been busy. In an effort to keep Steelers Nation (as well as ourselves) head from spinning too much, we bring you Steel Curtain Rising’s annual Steelers 2016 Free Agent Tracker.
Steelers 2016 Unrestricted Free Agents
Antwon Blake
3/17 – Signed by Tennessee Titans
Brandon Boykin
3/28 – Signed by Carolina Panthers.
Bruce Gradkowski
Byron Stingily
Cam Thomas
Clifton Geathers
Darrius Heyward-Bey
3/7 – Steelers resign Darrius Heyward-Bey to 3 year contract
David Nelson
Doug Legursky
Greg Warren – Signed to one year extension
Jordan Todman
3/18 – Signed by the Indianapolis Colts
Kelvin Beachum
3/15 – Signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Michael Vick
Ramon Foster
3/9 – Steelers resign Ramon Foster to 3 year contract.
Robert Golden
3/7 – Steelers resign Robert Golden to 3 year contract.
Sean Spence
3/16 – Signed by Tennesse Titans
Steve McLendon
3/15 – Signed by the New York Jets
Will Allen
Will Johnson
William Gay
3/8 Steelers resign William Gay to 3 year contract
That is a LONG list of unrestricted free agents, although only a handful fall into the category of ones the Steelers will want back that will draw interest from other teams. With that said, two of the Steelers free agents that opponents are most likely to target are charged with protecting Ben Roethlisberger….
As we have every year, Steel Curtain Rising will offer free agent profiles on each, and we will update their status as it changes.
Steelers 2016 Restricted Free Agents
Terence Garvin
3/9 – Not tendered restricted free agent offer by the Steelers.
3/17 – Signed by the Washington Redskins
Per the 2011 CBA, restricted free agents have more than three seasons and less than four seasons of accrued seniority.
The Pittsburgh Steelers can retain the right of first refusal, or the right to match any competing offer, by offering the corresponding tender. The Steelers could, theoretically, offer higher tenders to get draft picks as compensation should the restricted free agent sign an offer and the Steelers decline to match. (See Emmanuel Sanders in 2012.)
Pittsburgh Steelers 2016 Exclusive Rights Free Agents
Chris Hubbard, resigned
Roosevelt Nix, resigned
Ross Cockrell, resigned
Kelvin Palmer, released
Mitchell Van Dyk, released
Rob Blanchflower, released
Per the 2011 CBA, exclusive rights free agents are players who have less than 3 years of seniority accrued and therefore the Pittsburgh Steelers retain exclusive rights.
The Steelers have already resigned Chris Hubbard, Roosevelt Nix, and Ross Cockrell and in turn they have already released their rights to Kelvin Palmer, Mitchell Van Dyk, and Rob Blanchflower all of whom were on placed on the waived/injured list and whose rights reverted to the Steelers when no one else claimed them.
