Steelers Cut Joe Schobert
The Steelers have released Joe Schobert, per an official team press release. With free agency underway, the inside linebacker is now free to sign with any club in the NFL.
[RELATED: Steelers To Sign M. Jack]
Schobert — a.k.a. Joe-bert or Joe The Show — worked as a Browns starter for three seasons. He led the NFL with 144 tackles in 2017, earning him a Pro Bowl nod, and he led the Browns in stops in 2018 and ’19 as well. Then, he signed with the Jaguars in 2020 on a five-year, $53.75MM deal. The veteran ‘backer paced the Jags in tackles in 2020 (141 stops), but the effort came for a historically dreadful team. So, in August of 2021, the Jags shipped him to the Steelers for a 2022 sixth-rounder.
Schobert saw time in 16 games last year for the Steelers, including 15 starts. He notched 112 tackles, one interception, and six passes defensed, but the Steelers didn’t think he was worth his contract. They’ll save $7.8MM by releasing him with a modest $1.88MM in dead money left over.
There wasn’t much room for the 28-year-old (29 in November) following the addition of Myles Jack. Jack also comes at a cheaper rate with a two-year, $16MM deal.
Steelers Release T Zach Banner
The Steelers were prepared to use Zach Banner as a starter at multiple points, but that path did not pan out for the veteran tackle. Pittsburgh released Banner on Wednesday, wrapping his four-year run with the franchise.
This move will create a notable amount of cap space for the Steelers, who are opening up $5MM because of Banner’s exit. The Steelers gave the former Colts fourth-round pick a two-year, $9.25MM deal in 2021.
Pittsburgh paid Banner despite the 2020 right tackle starter suffering a torn ACL in Week 1 of that season. Banner played in seven games last season but battled more injury trouble and did not regain his starting job. The Steelers were unable to regroup up front in 2021, but as of now, Banner is not in line to be part of their 2022 solution. Overall, the 6-foot-8 blocker played 22 games as a Steeler, making two starts.
The team re-signed its 2021 right tackle starter, Chukwuma Okorafor, to a deal averaging nearly eight figures annually. Pittsburgh also signed interior linemen James Daniels and Mason Cole this week.
Steelers To Sign LB Myles Jack
It didn’t take long for Myles Jack to find his next gig. The former Jaguars linebacker is signing with the Steelers, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter). It’s a two-year deal worth $16MM.
[RELATED: Jaguars To Release Myles Jack]
Jacksonville’s spending spree was going to come with a cost, and the team ultimately decided to move on from their leading tackler yesterday. Jack inked a four-year, $57MM deal ($33MM guaranteed) with Jacksonville back in 2019.
With that said, Jack is still a productive player. He finished last season with 108 tackles in 15 starts, and he had a career-high 118 tackles as recently as 2020. The former second-round pick won’t turn 27 until September, so it makes sense that the Steelers still think he’s got something in the tank.
Many of the Steelers initial FA moves were focused on offense, but the team has started adding to their defense. We learned yesterday that the team was signing cornerback Levi Wallace to a two-year deal.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/15/22
Here’s a look at the latest tender decisions from around the NFL:
RFAs
Tendered:
- Eagles: G Nate Herbig
- Falcons: WR Olamide Zaccheaus
- Jaguars: S Andrew Wingard
- Raiders: S Dallin Leavitt
- Rams: K Matt Gay
- Steelers: S Marcus Allen, LB Robert Spillane ($2.433MM)
- 49ers: LB Azeez Al-Shaair, OL Daniel Brunskill
Non-tendered:
- Bengals: WR Stanley Morgan
- Buccaneers: DE Pat O’Connor
- Eagles: RB Boston Scott, WR Greg Ward
- Titans: FB Khari Blasingame
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Chargers: WR Jalen Guyton, T Storm Norton
NFL Announces Compensatory Picks For 2022 Draft
The NFL has awarded compensatory draft picks for teams in the 2022 draft. These picks are awarded to the teams that suffered the most significant free agent losses during the 2021 offseason.
This year, the NFL awarded 39 comp picks. The comp pick formula assigns picks to franchises who suffered the largest net losses, so teams that signed multiple free agents have a lesser chance of receiving picks.
This year’s formula also includes the changes made last year, when teams began receiving third-round comp picks due to the hiring of minority head coaches and general managers. Seven such picks were awarded this year. The 49ers landed two additional third-rounders this year, obtaining the extra selections for the Jets’ 2021 Robert Saleh hire and the Dolphins hiring Mike McDaniel this year. Miami’s McDaniel hire will give San Francisco another third-rounder in 2023.
The Chiefs obtained a third-rounder for the Bears’ Ryan Poles GM hire, while the Browns landed a third because of the Vikings’ Kwesi Adofo-Mensah GM hire. The Ravens collected their second third-round for the Texans’ 2021 David Culley hire; Culley has since been fired. The Saints and Rams obtained one apiece after seeing the Falcons and Lions hire minority execs Terry Fontenot and Brad Holmes as GMs in 2021. New Orleans and Detroit also landed thirds because of players given high-value contacts last year (Trey Hendrickson and Kenny Golladay, respectively).
Here is the full list of 2022 compensatory selections:
By round:
Round 3: Lions (No. 97 overall), Saints (98), Browns (99)*, Ravens (100)*, Saints (101)*, 49ers (102)*, Chiefs (103)*, Rams (104)*, 49ers (105)*
Round 4: Steelers (No. 138), Ravens (139), Packers (140), Ravens (141), Rams (142), Titans (143)
Round 5: Cowboys (No. 176), Lions (177), Cowboys (178), Colts (179)
Round 6: Rams (No. 211), Rams (212), Falcons (213), Chargers (214), Cardinals (215), Colts (216), Lions (217), Rams (218), Titans (219), 49ers (220), 49ers (221)
Round 7: Chargers (No. 254), Chargers (255), Cardinals (256), Cardinals (257), Packers (258), Chiefs (259), Chargers (260), Buccaneers (261), 49ers (262)
By team:
San Francisco 49ers (5)
Los Angeles Rams (5)
Los Angeles Chargers (4)
Arizona Cardinals (3)
Baltimore Ravens (3)
Detroit Lions (3)
Dallas Cowboys (2)
Green Bay Packers (2)
Indianapolis Colts (2)
Kansas City Chiefs (2)
New Orleans Saints (2)
Tennessee Titans (2)
Atlanta Falcons (1)
Cleveland Browns (1)
Pittsburgh Steelers (1)
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1)
* = special compensatory selection
Steelers To Sign CB Levi Wallace
Levi Wallace is moving from Buffalo to Pittsburgh. The Steelers are adding the four-year veteran cornerback on a two-year deal worth $8MM, NFL reporter Jordan Schultz tweets.
This stands to aid a Steelers team that has Joe Haden unattached. While the Steelers gave Haden a second contract, the former first-round pick has now made it to free agency. It is somewhat interesting the Bills are letting Wallace walk for this price. The team will need to replace a four-year starter.
Despite entering the NFL as a UDFA, Wallace worked as a Bills first-stringer throughout his career. He played in all 19 Buffalo games this past season. The Alabama product should be expected to start for the Steelers next season. The Steelers reupped Cameron Sutton last year and used him as a full-time starter. He and Wallace represent a low-cost tandem, by 2022 cornerback standards.
Wallace, 26, has six career interceptions. More became asked of him last season, when Tre’Davious White suffered a season-ending injury on Thanksgiving night. While Buffalo’s secondary did not hold up well to close out the team’s infamous loss in Kansas City, the Bills did rank first defensively in the regular season. The 6-foot Wallace finished the regular season with his lowest figure for passer rating against (72.6).
Not typically big on unrestricted free agency, the Steelers have been fairly active this week. In addition to the Mitchell Trubisky addition, Pittsburgh has agreed to terms with James Daniels and now with Wallace. The Steelers also re-signed tackle Chukwuma Okorafor for nearly eight figures per year.
Steelers To Sign James Daniels
The Steelers have made another big splash in the offensive line market. The team is signing guard James Daniels to a three-year, $26.5MM contract, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero (Twitter link).
Daniels will see $8.75MM fully guaranteed on this deal, per Spotrac (on Twitter), essentially covering the 2022 season. His cap numbers come in at $4.1MM for 2022 before spiking to $11.1MM in each of the contract’s final two seasons.
[RELATED: Steelers To Re-Sign Chukwuma Okorafor]
The 24-year-old began his career with the Bears. He started 48 of 54 games during that four-year span, establishing himself as a serviceable starter. The former second round pick set a career high in terms of snaps played this past season, with 1,122.
2021 was also his best campaign from an analytical perspective. He earned a PFF grade of 71, making him a solid option in this year’s free agent market. In Pittsburgh, he will join a team that’s been in need of upgrades throughout the offensive front. He will also be re-joining former Bears teammate Mitch Trubisky, who is reportedly joining the Steelers to compete for the starting quarterback role. The pair spent three seasons together in Chicago.
This is the third notable move the Steelers have made regarding their o-line recently. They reached an agreement with Mason Cole yesterday, meaning the unit could look very different when the 2022 season begins. That will likely be a welcome sign for Pittsburgh, as the team continues to re-shape its offense in the post-Ben Roethlisberger era.
RFA Tender Decisions: 3/14/22
The deadline for teams to extend tender offers to their restricted free agents and exclusive rights free agents looms next week. We’ll keep tabs on the latest here:
RFAs
Tendered:
- Commanders: K Brian Johnson
- Saints: WR/PR Deonte Harris (second-round tender)
- Steelers: DB Marcus Allen
- Vikings: K Greg Joseph
Steelers To Sign OL Mason Cole
After re-signing Chukwuma Okorafor earlier today, the Steelers are adding another offensive lineman to the mix. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), the Steelers are signing center Mason Cole. It will be a three-year deal for the offensive lineman. Cole is getting a three-year deal worth $15.75MM, with $11MM paid out in the first two years (per ESPN’s Field Yates on Twitter).
[RELATED: Steelers To Re-Sign OL Chukwuma Okorafor]
The 2018 third-round pick spent the first three seasons of his career with the Cardinals, starting 32 of his 46 appearances. He was traded to the Vikings last offseason for a sixth-round pick, and he proceeded to start seven of his 14 games for Minnesota. Cole spent time at both center and right guard before his season ended early due to an elbow injury.
2021 third-round pick Kendrick Green ran with the starting center gig last year, starting all 15 of his games. The team is also rostering center J.C. Hassenauer.
Steelers To Re-Sign OL Chukwuma Okorafor
Chukwuma Okorafor is heading back to Pittsburgh. The Steelers are re-signing the offensive lineman, reports NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter).
[RELATED: Steelers To Sign Mitch Trubisky]
It’s a three-year deal worth $29.25MM, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (on Twitter). Okorafor will earn $20.5MM in the first two years of the pact.
The 2018 third-round pick has spent his entire career with the Steelers, seeing time in 46 games. He’s taken on a larger role in recent seasons, starting 31 games for Pittsburgh between 2020 and 2021. He saw time in 97 percent of his team’s offensive snaps this past season.
Okorafor’s versatility (he’s even started games at tight end) makes him a commodity, even if he doesn’t hold a starting gig. Naturally, the 24-year-old generated plenty of interest around the NFL, per Garafolo.