Steelers Free Agent Market Watch: Available Tight Ends

How good the Steelers situation at the tight end position is hard to put a finger on. It comes down to gambling on Ladarius Green. If they can rely on the big man to stay healthy, their trio of Green, Jesse James and Xavier Grimble would be a solid stable. But Green was only available for three games last year and James, Grimble and David Johnson, while solid contributors, weren't making anybody forget about Heath Miller. The team has big decisions to make and may address it in the draft. But should they do it in free agency, there are good names topping the list of available tight ends. But based on James stats, there aren't too many that are considerably better and they might be better off staying with what they've got.

1. Martellus Bennett - New England Patriots

The price tag might be pretty high for Bennett, who just came off of a Super Bowl win. After Rob Gronkowski's season-ending injury, Bennett became the top TE in NE in 2016. Bennett caught 70 balls for 701 yards and seven touchdowns for the SB champs. At 6'6" and 275 lbs., the 2014 Pro Bowler is a great option for any team at the TE position. While he would fit in nicely in Pittsburgh, Bennett has recently tweeted hopes to remain in the Boston area, so he may not be going anywhere.

2. Jared Cook - Green Bay Packers

Jared Cook has been quite the tease to NFL teams. In stops in Tennessee, St. Louis and Green Bay, Cook looked at times to be the next star at the TE position, but never quite elevated himself to anything past solid. Cook has 17 career touchdowns in eight seasons, but last year he only reached the end zone once. His 30 catches and 377 yards last year were quite the departure from his previous five seasons. Cook could get a look, but his stats are slightly less than that of Jesse James.

3. Luke Wilson - Seattle Seahawks

First off, the Seattle tight end is not the acting brother of Lightning McQueen, but Wilson has immense talent. However, he has been overshadowed by the existence of Jimmy Graham in Seattle. In his career, the 27 year-old has averaged 13.2 YPR on 74 career catches. Wilson, who has seven career TDs, could start for many a team.

4. Jack Doyle - Indianapolis Colts

Jack Doyle finally broke out in 2016. The 27 year-old grabbed 59 of his four-year career 94 balls last year. He also reached paydirt five times. At 6'6", 267 lbs. and with good hands, Doyle would be a reliable option for Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers.

5. Trey Burton - RFA - Philadelphia Eagles

At 25, Burton has a lot of upside. The Florida product, in his third year, made 37 catches for 327 yards and a TD in limited action. The restricted free agent, playing behind Zach Ertz, has proved to be a matchup nightmare and would shine in a starring role. Because of being an RFA, signing Burton won't be an easy task. But the Steelers might be a good fit for a player of this caliber.

Other Notable Tight Ends

Larry Donnell - New York Giants
Mychal Rivera - The Raiders
Jordan Cameron - Miami Dolphins
Dion Sims - Miami Dolphins
Ryan Griffin - Houston Texans
Jermaine Gresham - Arizona Cardinals
Vernon Davis - Washington Redskins
Anthony Fasano - Tennessee Titans
Logan Paulsen - Chicago Bears
Rhett Ellison - Minnesota Vikings
Chris Gragg - Buffalo Bills
Darren Fells - RFA - Arizona Cardinals
Gavin Escobar - Dallas Cowboys