Buffalo Bills linebacker Tremaine Edmunds Rich Barnes-USA TODAY Sports

Bills LB Tremaine Edmunds headlines potential Steelers free-agent targets

By Aaron Becker | Last updated 1/25/23

Free agency begins March 15 at 4 p.m. ET.

Positional needs for Pittsburgh Steelers: LB, CB, T

Pittsburgh, which traditionally does not spend big for free agents, would have to make cuts to sign any of the league's top free agents. The team must take advantage of QB Kenny Pickett playing on his rookie contract and build around him while it can. If the Steelers take the plunge into free agency, these players could be enticing.

Tremaine Edmunds, LB, Buffalo Bills

Edmunds, who recently completed his fifth NFL season, is only 24. For his career, he amassed 100 tackles every season in the league and 6.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and five interceptions.

Bringing Edmunds to Pittsburgh seems like something the Steelers would do. They have a history of reuniting bloodlines. (See T.J. and Derek Watt, for example.) His brother Terrell, also an impending free agent, has played strong safety for the Steelers the past five seasons.

Pro Football Focus ranks Edmunds as the No. 25 free agent in 2023, calling him a "truly freakish athlete." However, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's Gerry Dulac doesn't think the Steelers have the money to pay him.

Gerry Dulac says the Steelers can’t afford Tremaine Edmunds. #Steelers #NFL
— Blitzburgh (@Blitz_Burgh) January 24, 2023

Edmunds is projected to receive a four-year, $44 million contract, per Spotrac.

Jamel Dean, CB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Pittsburgh has been searching for a lockdown corner for years, and Dean could be that guy. The 26-year-old has seven interceptions and 41 passes defensed in his first four years.

Dean is the sixth-ranked free agent in 2023 by PFF, which called him a player who can "match up well with a lot of the top big-bodied wide receivers across the NFL."

He tends to take risks that lead to explosive plays, but his size (6-1, 206 pounds), athleticism and physicality will have a lot of teams interested. Dean is estimated to receive a three-year, $49.67 million contract, per Spotrac.

Taylor Lewan, OT, Tennessee Titans

Lewan isn't set to become a free agent until after the 2023 season. However, he has hinted that he will be released this offseason.

Because of injuries, the 31-year-old played in two games in 2022. When healthy, he is a solid starter. He is not shy about wanting to join the Steelers.

Those colors so go hard. https://t.co/KTtcnznA3L
— Taylor Lewan (@TaylorLewan77) January 17, 2023

Lewan is set to make almost $15 million in 2023. If released, he may settle for a contract in the $10M-$12M million range due to his age and injury history.

More must-reads: