PITTSBURGH -- With 25 free agents and a salary cap reduced by COVID-19, the Pittsburgh Steelers are facing a herculean task this offseason. Add in the 34 returning veterans that for now push the Steelers over the salary cap by almost $30 million before free agency even begins, and the task becomes even more daunting.
Pittsburgh hasn't had this many unrestricted free agents in the past five seasons, according to the list published by the NFL at the beginning of free agency. Prior to 2021, the most the Steelers had was 18 in 2016. Since then, though, the Steelers have gone into free agency with an average of just eight.