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5 Players the Pittsburgh Steelers Could Use Franchise Tag On

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5 Players the Pittsburgh Steelers Could Use Franchise Tag On

Lawrence Timmons, Andrew Luck
Jason Bridge-USA TODAY Sports

The Pittsburgh Steelers could afford to part with most of their impending free agents. But what about the players not yet due to hit the market? It’s a little-known fact that even players with multiple years remaining on their current contract can be franchise tagged, often as a sign of front office goodwill and an indication that a future big-money deal is coming. Here are five players they should tag this offseason.

5. Jason Worilds

Jason Worilds
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

5. Jason Worilds

Jason Worilds
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

The underperforming linebacker/defensive end hybrid is just coming off a season in which he was branded with the franchise tag. There is nothing stopping the Steelers from applying it to Worilds again, but most players don’t typically embrace back-to-back one-year deals. Still, Worilds had fewer tackles and sacks in 2013 than 2012. That doesn’t exactly sound like a man hungry for a new contract.

4. David DeCastro

David DeCastro, Ben Roethlisberger
Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

4. David DeCastro

David DeCastro, Ben Roethlisberger
Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

DeCastro struggled to make nice with the Steeler Nation when he arrived in 2012. His debut season was riddled with injuries, and his first start of 2013 resulted in him inadvertently taking Maurkice Pouncey out for the season. He has, however, flourished under new O-line coach Mike Munchak in 2014. His contract expires this time next year, meaning he could be a lock for the franchise tag at the end of 2015 if an extension cannot be worked out.

3. Lawrence Timmons

Lawrence Timmons
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

3. Lawrence Timmons

Lawrence Timmons
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

A complete package of size, speed, passion and intelligence, Timmons simply personifies what it means to play linebacker the way the Steelers intended. His contract is still two years from expiring, but Pittsburgh would be mad to let him anywhere near free agency. A franchise tag this year or next immediately followed by a multi-year extension sounds like the best way to lock Timmons down for good.

2. Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

2. Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger
Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Undoubtedly, the Steelers’ greatest priority this offseason is securing the services of Big Ben for life. Ben boasts the largest contract on the team, but with a 2016 expiration date looming, the two parties have already shown every intention of agreeing to an extension. That all sounds nice, but at the contract table, money doesn’t talk, it screams, and if Ben and the brass can’t agree, a franchise tag is the surest guarantee he can hope for.

1. Absolutely Nobody

Dan Rooney, Pittsburgh Steelers
Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

1. Absolutely Nobody

Dan Rooney, Pittsburgh Steelers
Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

C’mon, this is the Rooneys we’re talking about! The owners of the most successful NFL franchise of the past fifty years omitted “overpaying” from their vocabulary in about the mid-1970s, and have been defiant in their willingness to let players walk ever since. When it comes down to it, there isn’t a single immediate cause for concern on the entire roster, so expect the Steelers to keep that ledger sheet locked away for at least another year.

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