The complete list of Steelers’ free agents heading into the 2020 off-season

With the Pittsburgh Steelers 2019 season coming to a close, there are a number of players whose contract status is in the air for the 2020 season. Here is a list of which players are unrestricted free agents (UFA’s), restricted free agents (RFA‘s), or exclusive rights free agents (ERFA‘s).

Unrestricted Free Agents

An unrestricted free agent is a player with four or more accrued seasons whose current contract expired at the end of the season with their team. These players are free to negotiate a deal with the team in which they were under contract up until free agency begins on March 18 at 4 PM. Players may negotiate with new teams 48 hours prior to the start of free agency but contracts will not become official until the new league year begins. The only option a team has in retaining a UFA is the sign them to a new contract or to use the franchise or transition tag.

The following Steelers are set to become UFA’s for 2020:

G B.J. Finney
CB Artie Burns
ILB Ryan Shazier
OLB Bud Dupree
FS Sean Davis
DT Javon Hargrave
TE Nick Vannett
DT L.T. Walton
ILB Tyler Matakevich

Restricted Free Agents

When if comes to restricted free agents, it gets a little more complicated. The following is an explanation as to what qualifies as a RFA and their designation according to NFL.com.

Restricted free agent (RFA): A player with three accrued seasons and an expired contract. RFAs are free to negotiate and sign with any team, but their original team can offer them one of various qualifying offers (“tenders”) that come with the Right of First Refusal and/or draft-pick compensation. These amounts change by a minimum of 5 percent and a maximum of 10 percent (based on the salary cap) each League Year. Tenders are classified as follows:

First-round tender: If the player’s original team decides not to match an offer sheet signed with another team, it is entitled to a first-round draft pick from his new team.

Second-round tender: If the player’s original team decides not to match an offer sheet signed with another team, it is entitled to a second-round pick from his new team.

Original-round tender: If the player’s original team decides not to match an offer sheet signed with another team, it is entitled to a pick in the round the player was originally drafted in.

Right-of-first-refusal tender: Team has the right to match any offer sheet signed with another team, but there is no draft compensation tied to this tender.

The projected value for RFA’s are listed below courtesy of overthecap.com.

2020 Projected RFA Tenders

Type Amount
First Round $4,667,000
Second Round $3,278,000
Original Round $2,144,000

The following Steelers are set to become RFA’s for 2020:

RT Matt Feiler
CB Mike Hilton
LS Kameron Canaday
FS Jordan Dangerfield
T Zach Banner

Exclusive Rights Free Agents

An exclusive rights free agent is any player with less than three accrued seasons whose contract expired at the end of the season. With these players, if their current team offers them a one-year contract for the league minimum, they are not free to sign anywhere else. They must sign their contract or not play in the NFL.

The following Steelers are set to become ERFA’s for 2020:

S Marcus Allen*
DE Lavon Hooks
OLB Tuzar Skipper**
C J.C. Hassenauer

*Reportedly signed his tender
**Signed a two-year deal