Grading each Steelers move in free agency Pittsburgh bolsters roster by signing several new starters

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It hasn't taken long for Omar Khan and a sistant general manager Andy Weidl to show how they will attack free agency in the post Kevin Colbert era. The duo, along with vice president of player personnel Dan Rooney Jr., worked in concert to pull off a strong start to free agency while setting the up for a succe sful 2023.With salary cap guru Khan crunching the numbers, the Steelers signed seven players during the first week of free agency. Two of those players have Zach Johnson Jersey direct ties to Weidl, who in 2017 played an integral role in the ' first Super Bowl victory as the team's a sistant director of player personnel. The Steelers also kept two of their own free agents while shoring up a few of their biggest personnel needs ahead of April's NFL Draft.For a second straight year, the Steelers signed solid veterans at bargain deals. Along with strengthening their roster for the short term, this approach should further aid Pittsburgh when it comes time to extend the contracts of the young offensive players that include, , and .Now that the dust has started to settle, below are our grades for each of the Steelers' free agent signings so far. Grade: AIt's never a bad thing to add an eight-time Pro Bowler to an already solid defense. The Steelers signed Peterson instead of re-signing , who inked a lucrative, multiyear deal with the . Peterson is coming off of a 2022 season that saw him record five interceptions and 15 pa ses defended (his highest totals since 2012). He also played in all 17 games, a notable stat given his age (32).Adding Peterson gives the Steelers another veteran presence in the locker room. The signing calls to mind the Steelers inking 32-year-old running back in 2015. Williams ended up played a significant role in Pittsburgh's 2015 playoff Anthony Lawrence II Jersey run while also helping the Steelers reach the AFC title game the following season. The Steelers are surely hoping that Peterson can have a similar impact.Grade:B+The 6-6, 334-pound Herbig brings a big personality to Pittsburgh. He also brings a strong desire to run block because, , "the quarterback can't get hit when you're run blocking." The Steelers signed Herbig to help further strengthen a running game that went from 29th in the NFL in 2021 to 16th in 2022. Herbig adds even more depth to the interior of the Steelers' offensive line. He may even be able to beat out for the starting job at right guard. Grade: A-In Holcomb, the Steelers are getting a rugged run-stuffer who is also solid in pa s coverage. In 2021, Holcomb had a career year with 142 tackles, two interceptions, seven pa s breakups and two forced fumbles in 16 games. He mi sed 10 games last season, however, as he suffered knee and foot injuries. Despite his lack of availability, Holcomb still finished the season with 69 tackles while averaging nearly 10 tackles per game.The MIKE linebacker for the , Holcomb was named a team captain before the start of the 2022 season. Last year's injury is the only po sible concern with this signing. Miami Hurricanes College Jersey If healthy, Holcomb is an upgrade over former first-round pick , who had become a major liability in the middle of Pittsburgh's defense.Grade: BRoberts is slated to start in Pittsburgh alongside fellow linebackers Holcomb, and . He replaces , who had 104 tackles during his only season in Pittsburgh. A sixth-round pick in the 2016, Robert won two Super Bowls with thebefore signing with the in 2020. Last season, he recorded career highs with 107 tackles and 4.5 sacks in 17 games. Roberts finished the season on a strong note by recording two sacks and 21 tackles in the Dolphins' last three regular-season games.A converted outside linebacker, Roberts is a better run-stuffer and pa s rusher than a pa s defender. This could be a concern given the fact that Pittsburgh played six games a year against the likes of , and .Grade: A-After spending the 2022 season on a one year "prove-it" contract, Ogunjobi has been rewarded with a multiyear deal. He was a big signing for the Steelers given that they have several other defensive linemen currently on the open market. While his stats didn't jump off a page, Ogunjobi played well during his first season in Pittsburgh. He made 16 starts and recorded 48 tackles (seven tackles for lo s) and 1.5 sacks. Ogunjobi's sack of Watson in Week 18 helped the Steelers defeat the Browns while extending Pittsburgh's streak of non-losing seasons to 19.Ogunjobi was good last year, but the Steelers are probably hoping to get more statistical production in 2023, given the amount of money they Deng Gak Jersey are now investing in him.Grade: ALike Herbig, Seumalo is familiar with Dewan Hernandez Jersey Weidl dating to their time together with the Eagles. The 29-year-old veteran is expected to replace Kevin Dotson as the team's new starting left guard. Including the playoffs, Seumalo made 20 starts at right guard last season after previously spending most of his career on the left side. Last season, Seumalo helped the Eagles boast the NFL's third-ranked scoring offense. He helped enjoy a Pro Bowl season while also paving the way for what was the league's fifth-best rushing attack. Seumalo will look to help Pickett enjoy similar succe s over the next several years.The signing of Seumalo further reinforces the Steelers' desire to have one of the NFL's premier rushing attacks. This is certainly a good thing for Harris and fellow running back, who enjoyed a succe sful partnership last season and should continue to do so moving forward.Grade: BPierre adds continuity to a secondary that lost Sutton and will probably lose starting strong safety in free agency. A quality backup who has six career starts to his credit, Pierre has two interceptions, three forced fumbles and eight pa ses defended over the past two years. He is also a solid special teams contributor.