- The Jacksonville Jaguars signed free agent DE Ziggy Hood to a contract on Thursday. The official terms have not been released as of this update. Hood was the Steelers 2009 first-round draft pick out of Missouri, ideally pegged to be the replacement for DE Aaron Smith once the veteran retired. Hood was never able to fully make the transition from interior lineman to 3-4 defensive end adequately, and last season he was passed on the depth chart by 2011 first-round pick Cameron Heyward.
- Pittsburgh also lost backup DE Al Woods to the Tennessee Titans on Wednesday, leaving Heyward as the only defensive end currently on the roster with any significant game experience. Terms of the deal have not been released. Woods will have a chance to earn a starting job on the Titans revamped defense next season.
- The losses of Woods and Hood will ramp up the Steelers efforts to rebuild their defensive line depth. Free agent DE Alex Carrington, formerly of the Buffalo Bills, will meet with team officials on Thursday night, according to a report from NFL Network. Carrington is 27 years old and a former third-round draft pick of the Bills in 2010. He is coming off a torn quadriceps injury that cost him all but three games in 2013.
- The Steelers could also be more interested in bringing back veteran DE Brett Keisel now that free agency has cost them half of their depth at the position. Keisel has stated that he has no interest in retiring and would love to finish out his career in Pittsburgh. Thus far, Keisel has not had significant attention from other teams.
- TE/FB David Johnson signed a two-year contract with the San Diego Chargers. Chosen in the seventh round of the 2009 NFL Draft, Johnson fell behind FB Will Johnson after injuries cut short both his 2012 and 2013 seasons. If Johnson makes the Chargers roster, the Steelers will receive a compensatory draft pick next offseason.
- Unrestricted free agent RB Jonathon Dwyer signed a one-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals, becoming the next ex-Steeler in a long line to call the desert his new home. A sixth-round draft pick in 2010 out of Georgia Tech, Dwyer rushed for 971 yards and two touchdowns during his stint in Pittsburgh. Dwyer had issues with his conditioning throughout his Steelers career. He was cut during the 2013 preseason, and then resigned when LaRod Stephens-Howling suffered a season-ending injury.
- Free agent FS Ryan Clark will meet with the Washington Redskins this week, which he announced during an ESPN interview on Wednesday. Clark previously played for Washington in 2004-2005. The signing of Mike Mitchell formally closed the door on the 13-year veteran’s Steelers career.
- Free agent WR Emmanuel Sanders will visit with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, according to an NFL.com report. OLB LaMarr Woodley met with the Tennessee Titans today after visiting Oakland on Wednesday.
- Former Steelers OLB James Harrison was released by the Cincinnati Bengals after just one season. Regulated to backup duty in 2013, the 36-year-old Harrison announced the move via Twitter on Thursday afternoon. Could a return to Pittsburgh be in the works, now that the Steelers are looking rather shallow at outside linebacker?
- Aliquippa native CB Darrelle Revis will suit up for the New England Patriots after signing a two-year, $32 million contract on Wednesday evening. Revis was cut by the Buccaneers after spending one season in Tampa. The deal calls for a $12 million salary in 2014 with a $20 million team option for 2015, which will likely need to be restructured should the team decide to keep him beyond the coming season.
Stay locked in on all Steelers free agency news right here at “The Yinzer”, pittsburghsportingnews.com.
