Today the Steelers will host their first free agent of the 2013 off-season according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. That player will be Pittsburgh native Steve Breaston. Breaston is a six-year veteran in the NFL and has played for the Arizona Cardinals and Kansas City Chiefs. At both stops Breaston has worked with Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley.
It is expected that the Steelers will lose receiver Mike Wallace in free agency this off-season and they will need to add a couple receivers this off-season. In 2012 the Steelers only carried four receivers on the 53-man roster. They may look to have more receivers at Ben Roethlisberger’s disposal this year which would mean they would have to add at least two quality receivers this off-season.
One of those players could be Breaston if he is interested in working with Haley again. There are rumors that Breaston is looking for playing time in 2013 and he may get it with the Steelers if he chooses to come to Pittsburgh. The Steelers could use Breaston as a third receiver and as a return man. During his first three years in Arizona Breaston returned punts and kicks, but he has only returned one kick since. That, however, is due more to teams wanting him to focus on receiver rather than an inability to be an effective return man.
Right now the Steelers have three legitimate receivers on the roster with Antonio Brown, Emmanuel Sanders and Jerrico Cothcery. If Pittsburgh can add Breaston to that group it will help alleviate the loss of Mike Wallace. They will also be looking to add a receiver in the draft to develop.
It looks like Breaston is interested in joining the Steelers. His agent met with the Steelers at the NFL scouting combine on Sunday and had previously said the Steelers are one of Breaston’s off-season targets. The only question surrounding this move is how much money Breaston is looking for. Given the Steelers salary cap issues they won’t have much to offer Breaston.
Luckily for the Steelers Breaston had a falling out with the Chiefs coaching staff last year. He finished the season with just seven receptions and one kick return in ten total games and only four starts. With an off year like that his leverage in negotiations won’t be very high. Pittsburgh will need to hope that he is wanting to play with Haley again and willing to take a hometown discount. However, if he is looking for decent money it is unlikely that he will get it with the Steelers.
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