Early on in the 2024 NFL offseason, the Pittsburgh Steelers have some areas they need to address on defense.
They had no depth at linebacker in 2023. Similar depth issues came up at safety as well.
The team needs a CB2.
Pittsburgh could also use some reinforcements on the defensive line.
The team has a pretty strong front seven with T.J. Watt, Alex Highsmith, Elandon Roberts, and Cameron Heyward. They also got a solid rookie season out of Keeanu Benton.
However, they could end up moving on from Larry Ogunjobi to save cap space after a disappointing 2023 season. If they do, they could be in the market for a veteran to take his place.
That replacement could be a defensive lineman that has accumulated plenty of accolades during his NFL career.
In his article examining the best free agent interior linemen, PFF’s Brad Spielberger named the Steelers as a potential landing spot for Philadelphia Eagles lineman Fletcher Cox.
Still Going Strong
Cox was once one of the best defensive linemen in the NFL. From 2014 to 2020, he earned four All-Pro nods and made the Pro Bowl six times.
He isn’t still at that same level now that he is on the wrong side of 30, but he proved in 2023 that he still has plenty left in the tank.
In his 12th year in the NFL, Cox remained an important part of the Eagles’ defense. He played 66% of the team’s defensive snaps even after the team added Jordan Davis and Jalen Carter in the last two drafts.
He was effective in that time on the field, sacking opposing quarterbacks five times and pressuring them on 28 other occasions.
He also added 3 tackles for a loss and 18 stops while defending the run.
It was another solid season for Cox with the Eagles, but he’s expected to move on from the only team he has ever played for in the NFL as they transition to their younger options at the position.
That could lead him to a team that has tried to trade for him in the pass and that he has recently expressed some interest in joining.
Mutual Interest Between Steelers and Cox
Interest between the Steelers and Cox isn’t anything new. The team has tried to pursue the six-time Pro Bowler in the past.
According to CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora, the Steelers attempted to trade for Cox ahead of the 2021 trade deadline, but weren’t able to get a deal done as they weren’t willing to meet the Eagles’ asking price of a third-round pick.
Cox reciprocated that interest earlier this offseason.
Cox appeared on Cameron Heyward’s “Not Just Football” podcast during the week of the Super Bowl. During his appearance, Heyward asked which defensive lineman Cox would like the chance to play alongside.
His answer was Heyward.
“It’s all love. Just respect that you got for the game, respect that I have for the game. The way that you play the game, the way that I play the game, like we definitely could. That would’ve been nice. We could make some things happen.”
With both sides having shown interest in making a move, this could be something that finally gets done during the 2023 offseason.
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Steelers Named Potential Landing Spot for 6-Time Pro Bowler