Report Card: Grading the Steelers first week of free agency

The Pittsburgh Steelers are a team who has sat back and watched more players from their 2024 roster leave than they have brought in new players to the roster throughout the first week of free agency. But that doesn’t mean the moves they’ve made, or haven’t made, haven’t been both quality and expected.

With only one week in the books since the legal tampering started last Monday, it is time to take a look at how we can grade the players who have been signed, or rumored to be signed, at this point.

Buckle up, this can be a bumpy ride…

Players Signed

TE Donald Parnham Jr.

Parnham’s signing likely means the end of the road for MyCole Pruitt, if he were hoping to return for 2025, but if Pruitt does come back it might be a camp battle with Parnham, Pruitt and Connor Heyward for the TE4 role on the roster. Nonetheless, this acquisition which took place before free agency didn’t move the needle much.

Grade: C

CB Darius Slay

Slay is 34 years old, and signed a one-year deal. Those are the only two things I’m not crazy about. Slay can still play at a very high level, and he’ll fit perfectly into the Steelers system. The hope is he stays healthy, and helps mentor some younger players who are just getting their feet wet in the league. Hopefully it isn’t Patrick Peterson 2.0.

Grade: A

LB Malik Harrison

I didn’t know much about Harrison when he was signed, but I have a general feel for why he was brought in a two-year contract. He can play the run down linebacker role, but also plays special teams. If Elandon Roberts was also a special teams demon, I would guess he’d be back. However, he isn’t, so the Steelers kill those proverbial two birds with just one stone.

Grade: C

RB Kenneth Gainwell

I really like Gainwell, and think he is a tremendous change-of-pace back, and third down weapon. I still hope the Steelers draft a dynamic running back in this year’s draft, in which case the Steelers can be extremely creative with how they use Gainwell. Not just in the backfield, but also in special teams and as a pass catcher.

Grade: B+

CB Brandin Echols

Just like Harrison, I didn’t know much about Echols when he signed with the Steelers, but the more I learn, the more I like the signing. Echols was a slot cornerback early in his career, but played on the outside for the Jets the past season. That spells versatility, and depth, at more than one position for the Steelers secondary. Everyone is painting this as competition for Beanie Bishop, but they might want Echols in the slot in certain situations, and Bishop in others. Echols is a great signing due to his versatility and experience.

Grade: B

QB Mason Rudolph

The other day I was thinking what the Steelers would do if they hadn’t signed Mason Rudolph in free agency. Would they still be looking at a depth chart of nothing but Skylar Thompson? Either way, the move to bring Rudolph back to Pittsburgh was a great insurance policy. Is he the answer? Absolutely not, but he could be a bridge to the next quarterback with him signing a two-year contract. It was a smart move, and now the question is if the team will have to use him in 2025 or not.

Grade: A

WR Scotty Miller

If I’m being honest, I was shocked when Miller was retained by the Steelers. Not that he isn’t a capable player, but based on the fact he faces an uphill battle to even make the team. That remains true with the Steelers now looking deep at wide receiver and potentially drafting another pass catcher in the 2025 NFL Draft. Miller is a special teams guy, and that will likely be the only route he has to make the roster.

Grade: C

WR Ben Skowronek

Outside of the Mason Rudolph signing, no free agent signing made Steelers fans more excited than the return of Ben Skowronek. The man who was picked up prior to the 2024 season endeared himself to the fan base with his stellar special teams play, and his gritty style of play. Skowronek is willing to do the dirty work to help the team succeed, and Steelers fans love that more than anything. Skowronek will be a big player in special teams, and I’m sure Arthur Smith will find a way to use him in the offense too.

Grade: A

DL Daniel Ekuale & Isaiahh Loudermilk

Ekuale was the last addition at the one week mark of the new league year, and seems like a reasonable back-up option. I had said he would likely replace Isaiahh Loudermilk, and then the next day the team signed Loudermilk to a one-year deal. This is going to be a difficult battle this offseason for depth positions along the defensive line. But if you think Ekuale, or Loudermilk, change the team’s plans of drafting a defensive lineman, I strongly disagree

Grade: C

Overall, the Steelers first week of free agency could have been viewed as lesser than, compared to other NFL teams and how they have handled the free agency period. But to me, the team made some good signings, but the glaring hole at quarterback makes things difficult. For those who thought the Steelers would be handling free agency differently with more money to spend, they didn’t do anything differently They let big spenders do their thing, and they signed players who they feel fit the culture, positional needs, and at the right price.

Overall, this could have been better, but it also wasn’t horrible. Don’t let the Aaron Rodgers/Justin Fields saga deter from some really good signings so far.

Overall Grade: B-

Be sure to stay tuned to SCN for the latest news and notes surrounding the Steelers as they prepare for the rest of free agency and the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft.