If we've learned anything over the years, it's that the Pittsburgh Steelers don't make splash signings in free agency. In fact, I'm hard-pressed to recall the team acquiring a household name in free agency since Jerome Bettis nearly 20 years ago. Instead, they target under-appreciated players that they can sign on the cheap, talented guys who haven't enjoyed extensive opportunities to shine but fit Pittsburgh's schemes, nonetheless.
None of this should change now that the NFL Lockout appears resolved.
A couple weeks ago, I made the case for Atlanta Falcons running back Jason Snelling, who could step in as a fullback or a pass-catcher out of the backfield. Additionally, you can expect Pittsburgh to pursue a bargain-bin cornerback like Carlos Rogers or Richard Marshall if they aren't willing to pay the price tag on Ike Taylor. (Don't even mention Nnamdi Asomugha. That's not how Pittsburgh rolls, plain and simple.) The Steelers will potentially lose a lot of personnel along the offensive line, as well, so you should expect to see them reload with cheap, versatile depth guys there, as well. Depth along the defensive line was an issue last year, too, with aging stalwarts like Aaron Smith becoming more and more injury-prone, so we could see the Steelers add some fresh legs to the rotation. Finally, Pittsburgh doesn't appear to be sold on Shaun Suisham, despite his admirable performance last year, so they'll undoubtedly acquire a veteran placekicker.