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3 Players the Steelers Are Guaranteed to Lose in Free Agency

By Scott Rogust

These three Steelers free agents won't be back for 2020.
These three Steelers free agents won't be back for 2020. / Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images

The Pittsburgh Steelers fell just one game short of clinching an improbable playoff berth, all without Ben Roethlisberger, Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown. Even though they'll look to build upon their 2019 season via free agency, they are bound to lose a few players who are coming off the books.

Here are three Steelers who are guaranteed to move onto other teams on the open market.

3. CB Artie Burns

Artie Burns never lived up to his first round selection in 2016.
Artie Burns never lived up to his first round selection in 2016. / Katharine Lotze/Getty Images

This isn't a case of the Steelers losing a player. Rather, they're moving on from him. The Steelers selected cornerback Artie Burns in the first round of the 2016 NFL Draft with the hopes he could be the league's next lockdown defensive back. Burns did have a strong rookie campaign, but fell off the proverbial cliff subsequently afterwards. In the past three seasons, Burns tallied just one interception, which is far from ideal for a starting cornerback. At the conclusion of the 2018 campaign, the Steelers declined his fifth-year option, while benching him for the majority of last season. Burns' time in the Steel City is officially over.

2. FS Sean Davis

Minkah Fitzpatrick's presence on the team spells an end for Sean Davis.
Minkah Fitzpatrick's presence on the team spells an end for Sean Davis. / Sean Gardner/Getty Images

Just like Burns, Sean Davis won't be heavily pursued by the Steelers. The former 2016 second-round pick out of Maryland recorded a total of 247 tackles, 20 passes defensed, and 5 interceptions in 48 games. However, his 2019 campaign was cut short after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury after one game. Davis' injury isn't the reason why he's not returning to Pittsburgh. It's due to the Steeler acquiring stud free agent safety Minkah Fitzpatrick from the Miami Dolphins. No offense to Davis, but Fitzpatrick is much better.

1. DT Javon Hargrave

Javon Hargrave is going to command a huge contract this offseason, well out of the Steelers' price range.
Javon Hargrave is going to command a huge contract this offseason, well out of the Steelers' price range. / Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Even if the Steelers make necessary cuts to free up cap space, the chances of re-signing defensive tackle Javon Hargrave are slim to none. Hargrave proved to be one of the better pass rushing interior defensive linemen in the NFL last season, as evidenced by his 10.5 sacks and 14 quarterback hits the past two years. Given the market for the defensive tackles, Hargrave will likely command a contract with an annual salary of $10 million-plus from another team. The Steelers won't be able to match that.