Steelers Visit With Taco Charlton
- Michigan edge defender Taco Charlton has visits lined up with the Buccaneers, Cowboys, Dolphins and Saints, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports. Registering 9.5 sacks during a season in which he played with a high ankle sprain, Charlton believes he’s a top-15 player. He met Thursday night with the Steelers, Ravens, Titans and Saints. There’s definitely one team that appears to be interested here, if the overlap is any indication.
Latest On Redskins’ GM Search
The Redskins are casting a wide net in their search for a general manager, but they’re already finding that several top executives are not interested in working for them. Redskins officials are looking at some of the more successful teams in the league to find a highly qualified candidates, but several targets have already removed themselves from consideration, according to CBSSports.com’s Jason La Canfora. 
La Canfora doesn’t list specific names of execs who have been considered, but he hears that the search has included front office people with the Steelers, Seahawks, and Packers. I would speculate that the list of candidates could include Packers Director of Football Operations Eliot Wolf, Packers Director of Player Personnel Brian Gutekunst, and Seahawks co-Directors of Player Personnel Scott Fitterer and Trent Kirchner. However, based on what JLC is hearing, they might not have any interest in the job.
Front office guys from around the league have multiple concerns about the gig. It’s not clear who would really have the power in D.C. given the history of meddling from team president Bruce Allen and owner Dan Snyder. Furthermore, the team’s proposed GM salary is in the $1.5MM range, and that might not be enough money to make a top candidate overlook all of the red flags in Washington. There’s also concern about whether Snyder will be willing to pump the necessary resources into scouts and talent evaluators.
So far, former Bucs GM Mark Dominik and ex-Chargers GM A.J. Smith have been among the names linked to the opening, but JLC hears that neither guy is expected to land the job. Former Redskins quarterback Doug Williams and NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock have also been mentioned as possibilities. In the past, La Canfora has opined that Redskins executive Alex Santos would make a good internal candidate for the job and today he also put forth the name of Washington cap guru Eric Schaffer.
As we’ve heard previously, no hire will be made before the draft in late April, but JLC gets the sense that the Redskins also don’t want to let the process linger too far beyond the draft either.
Steelers Interested In Peterman, Melifonwu, McKinley
Quarterback Nathan Peterman will conduct a private workout for the Eagles next week, and will also meet with the Steelers in April, tweets Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Earlier this year, one scout told Matt Miller of Bleacher Report Peterman has a chance to be the 2017 version of Dak Prescott, a mid-round talent who emerges into a viable starter. Peterman, who transferred from Tennessee to Pitt before the 2015 season, has averaged 2,571 yards and 23 touchdowns over the past two years.
- UConn safety Obi Melifonwu has meetings lined up with the Steelers, Seahawks, and Saints, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. Meanwhile, Melifonwu met “extensively” with the Lions yesterday, and will also visit with the Panthers, according to Tony Pauline of DraftAnalyst.com, who reports roughly 40% of NFL clubs view Melifonwu as a cornerback. Melifonwu, a four-year starter for the Huskies, posted four interceptions during the 2016 campaign.
- Moreau’s UCLA teammate, edge rusher Takkarist McKinley, will visit with the Browns in early April, per Courtney Fallon of NFL.com (Twitter link). After that, McKinley plans to meet with the Ravens, Steelers, Cowboys, and Lions, per Fallon. McKinley put up 10 sacks in 11 games for the Bruins in 2016.
Details On Tyson Alualu's Contract
- Tyson Alualu, DL (Steelers): Two years, $6MM. $1.75MM fully guaranteed. (Twitter link via Adam Caplan of ESPN.com).
Coty Sensabaugh Contract Details
- Coty Sensabaugh, CB (Steelers): Two years, $2.6MM. $425K guaranteed (Twitter link via Caplan).
Steelers To Sign Tyson Alualu
The Steelers will sign former Jaguars defensive lineman Tyson Alualu, a source tells Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter). It’ll be a two-year deal worth $6MM, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter).
Alualu has not lived up to his Top 10 draft status in the NFL, but the Steelers aren’t counting on superstar production out of him either. Our updated ranking of the remaining free agent defensive tackles had Alualu towards the back of the top 15. It’s not clear if the Jaguars had any real interest in re-signing him, which says something about where he is at this stage of his career.
Alualu, 30 in May, appeared in 14 games with ten starts last season for Jacksonville. He amassed 36 total tackles and 2.5 sacks. The advanced metrics at Pro Football Focus were down on him, just like they always have been.
Although Alualu is naturally a defensive tackle, he did see some time at defensive end in 2016. It’s not immediately clear where the Steelers plan on using him.
With Alualu gone, Chad Henne and Marcedes Lewis are the only players remaining from the Jaguars’ 2012 roster, ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco (on Twitter) notes.
Steelers Sign CB Coty Sensabaugh
The Steelers have signed cornerback Coty Sensabaugh to a two-year deal, the team announced. He’ll likely compete for nickel corner job. 
The Steelers hosted Sensabaugh on a visit on Monday and it didn’t take long for the two sides to come to an agreement. The incumbent Giants had interest in retaining him, but they’ll have to find cornerback support elsewhere.
The Steelers now have five corners on the roster: William Gay, Artie Burns, Senquez Golson, Al-Hajj Shabazz, and Sensabaugh. We’re a long way away from September, of course, and his spot on the roster is not a certainty. It’s not immediately clear whether Sensabaugh has guaranteed money included in his deal.
Last year, Sensabaugh appeared in 13 games for the Rams and Giants and Pro Football Focus gave him an abysmal score for that limited sample. Then again, he’s only one year removed from signing a lucrative multi-season deal with the Rams. He could prove to be a valuable supporting piece for the Steelers.
Steelers Hosting CB Coty Sensabaugh
UPDATE – Steelers Sign Sensabaugh
The Steelers are hosting cornerback Coty Sensabaugh on a visit today, Mark Kaboly of DKPittsburghSports.com tweets. Meanwhile, the Giants also have interest in retaining him, according to Dan Duggan of NJ.com. 
[RELATED: Steelers To Sign RB Knile Davis]
Sensabaugh, 28, joined the Rams last offseason on a three-year, $14.5MM deal. Unfortunately, they dropped him just three games into the season, bringing him to the Giants. All in all, he had 24 tackles in 13 games for the two teams. Pro Football Focus gave him a poor 48.4 overall score, his third consecutive year with a poor showing. The Steelers presently have four corners on the roster: William Gay, Artie Burns, Senquez Golson, and Al-Hajj Shabazz.
Sensabaugh, Leon Hall, and Trevin Wade are all free agents and the Giants still need to add cornerback depth behind Janoris Jenkins, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, and Eli Apple.
Steelers To Sign RB Knile Davis
The Steelers are signing running back Knile Davis, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets. It’ll be a one-year deal. 
Davis, a longtime backup in Kansas City, found himself buried on the Chiefs depth chart last year. When he got an opportunity to get away from Jamaal Charles, Charcandrick West, and Spencer Ware, he fell flat. Davis was traded to the Packers in mid-October, but he only got five carries in two games before being waived. He was claimed by the Jets the next day, but he was cut about three hours later when the team opted to sign free agent running C.J. Spiller. Davis circled back to KC and amassed just 23 yards off of 13 carries.
Davis had some quality games in 2013 and 2014 with Kansas City, but we haven’t seen him move the needle in a while. He’ll now try to catch on as a backup for Le’Veon Bell in Pittsburgh.
Steelers Meeting With DL Tyson Alualu
Tyson Alualu is visiting with the Steelers, a source tells Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (on Twitter). The Jaguars free agent defensive lineman will touch down in Pittsburgh on Monday afternoon. 
Our most recent rundown of free agent defensive tackles had Alualu in the top 15, but only by a thread. Despite spending his entire career with the Jaguars, Alualu was on the Jags’ roster bubble heading into the 2016 season. This year, the Jaguars let him test free agency without much of a battle to keep him and it’s not clear if they have interest in re-signing him at this juncture.
Last year, Alualu appeared in 14 games with ten starts. He had 2.5 sacks and 36 total tackles and finished out as the No. 74 DT in the league by Pro Football Focus’ measure. His 47.0 overall grade was the result of a poor pass rush grade and a mediocre showing against the run. PFF has had the 29-year-old (30 in May) roughly in that range for his entire career.
The Honolulu, Hawaii native might not be a game-changer, but he could be a useful reserve for Pittsburgh thanks to his experience on both the interior and exterior of the D-Line. Right now, the Steelers have only three D-Line reserves under contract: defensive tackles Daniel McCullers and Johnny Maxey plus defensive end Leterrius Walton. Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt are slated to start on the ends with Javon Hargrave in between.