Free Agency Report Card: Steelers Grade Well for Early Signings
The Pittsburgh Steelers have had quite the start to the 2020 offseason.
Between restructuring every contract under the sun, tagging Bud Dupree and waving goodbye to players ranging from Ramon Foster to Mark Barron, change in (some form or another) has become the norm for a team simply trying to get back to the playoffs this season.
Change brings new faces to the facility (well, maybe not literally this spring). Last season, players in the likes of Steven Nelson, Mark Barron and Donte Moncrief headlined Pittsburgh's free agency class.
2020's class thus far only has two names: Derek Watt and Stefen Wisniewski. Fans will tell you it's already a better collective group of names, but how do the signings grade out early in the process? Of course, we'll need adequate time to properly judge how these signings work out. However, we conveniently have the luxury of no consequences tied to our player evaluations as writers.
Without further ado, here are the early grades of Pittsburgh's two free agent signings:
Derek Watt
Position: Fullback
Former Team: LA Chargers
Contract: 3 years, $9.75 million
The signing of Derek Watt unfortunately spelled the end of the road for Roosevelt Nix's tenure in Pittsburgh. While Nix was an asset on the field, his trouble staying healthy in 2019 (only played in three games) likely helped make this decision easier for the team.
Often times when breaking down players, you'll hear one common theme: The best ability is availability. When it comes to Watt, a player who has yet to miss a game in his career, staying healthy will prove to be beneficial over the course of his time in Pittsburgh.
When it comes to playing fullback, Watt doesn't miss the mark, as he was pivotal in the rushing success of Austin Ekeler and Melvin Gordon through the last few seasons. His physicality and motor provide an excellent pairing of skills to lead Pittsburgh's running back stable.
However, his contributions aren't just limited to the offensive side of the ball.
With the team losing pivotal special teamer Tyler Matakevich in free agency, it was key the team was able to find another player capable of that level of versatility.
What they're saying: "The departure will affect the Chargers more on special teams than offense. With Austin Ekeler emerging over the past two seasons and the offense utilizing the fullback position less frequently, Watt's playing time from scrimmage dipped to just 122 snaps, the lowest of his career. However, his workload on the coverage units spiked to 78%, an increase of 26 percentage points from the season prior."- Jason Hirschhorn of ChargerReport.
What we're saying: Overall, the signing looks to pay dividends in multiple facets. While Watt's impact will be felt mostly on special teams, he also will provide lead fullback services for the team in the coming years. Watt's athleticism and motor will be a welcome sign to what is lately dormant special teams/offensive play. His annual salary is less than Matakevich's, and it certainly doesn't hurt to have Derek on the team when discussing contract extensions with T.J. Watt.
He's not solely taking the Steelers to the Super Bowl. However, his versatility will be extremely beneficial to the team in multiple phases of the game.
Grade: B-
Stefen Wisniewski
Position: Offensive Guard
Former Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Contract: Two years, financial terms TBA
With Ramon Foster's retirement and B.J. Finney's departure in free agency, the Steelers offensive line possesses a legitimate hole in the starting five for the first time in years. Stefen Wisniewski may very well be the answer.
Winning Super Bowls with both the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, Wisniewski already comes to the Steelers locker room with a championship mindset, something only Ben Roethlisberger can reconcile with. Wisniewski's versatility will also be key in a Steelers trench that values what he brings to the table, as his ability to play both guard or center may pay dividends down the road.
His run-blocking abilities are undoubtedly his strength, but he's not too shabby at protecting the quarterback either.
Earning the starting job for Kansas City's playoff run and successfully playing through the Super Bowl, Wisniewski's spectacular postseason run helped earn him a multi-year contract. For what it's worth, Pro Football Focus graded Wisniewski as the second-best guard in the AFC West in 2019 while also performing as the fourth-best guard in the postseason.
What They're Saying: "Wis has experience and his strengths are that. He’s got experience, he’s dirty tough, he brings good energy and he’s brilliant.”- Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid
What We're Saying: With where the Steelers are at in the offseason, signing Wisniewski feels like a no-brainer. Wisniewski, like Reid said, brings a lot of positive attributes to the table, and has proven himself valuable when it matters most. While Wisniewski is a good talent and should easily compete for the spot opposite of David DeCastro, his lack of becoming a perennial starter in previous stops does make me at least a little weary.
Worst case scenario, the Steelers added a strong depth piece that can play multiple positions. This may not prevent the team from drafting inside help early if the situation is right, however, Wisniewski easily a win in terms of addressing needs.
Grade- B+
