You may have heard by now that the Pittsburgh Steelers actually managed to get some work done in the free agency department prior to the start of the new league year—that is, specifically, the unrestricted free agency department. This is not exactly something that the team has been known for over the past decade or so—or really ever, that I can recall.
Generally speaking, the Steelers have a simple formula that they have exercised for the majority of their years of relevance. The nucleus of the team is built through the draft, and the long-term success is sustained by retaining these key pieces by signing them to long-term extensions in the year prior to their pending free agency.