NFL free agency is in full effect and to stay up to date you can visit this page on a regular basis. As news happens you will find it on Steelers.com and the Steelers app, and all of it will be found here in case you miss anything.
And during this different time for all, some of the news is coming from teams, while other news is coming from individuals social media accounts.
The Steelers Social Tracker will help find out what is being said on social media during free agency.
Steelers agree to trade for Wormley
March 20
The team acquired defensive lineman Chris Wormley and a seventh-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft from the Baltimore Ravens and are sending the Ravens their fifth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. The trade is agreed upon pending a physical.
Wormley was selected in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the 74th pick overall. He has played in 39 games with 15 starts, including playing in all 16 games in 2019 with seven starts.
In three seasons he has racked up 54 tackles, 35 of them solo stops, two and a half sacks and seven pass defenses. In 2019 he recorded 33 tackles, one and a half sacks and six quarterback hits, all career highs. He added two pass defenses while helping the Ravens defense rank No. 3 in points allowed (17.6) and No. 4 in yards allowed per game (300.6).
Dangerfield signs one-year deal
March 20
Jordan Dangerfield has made it well known that he loves playing for the Steelers, and he will continue to do that after he signed a new one-year contract. "I love Pittsburgh," said Dangerfield. "I feel like Pittsburgh is home."
Dangerfield has made a successful career being a special teams standout, finishing the 2019 season with 12 special teams tackles, tied for seventh overall in the NFL, and five of them solo stops. He also had a forced fumble.
"Everybody wants to be a starter on offense or defense and that is still my dream, to be a starter," said Dangerfield. "But I like my role. I think they know what I can do here. You are a starter on special teams. There is sometimes more pressure because you aren't getting 60 snaps, you are only getting maybe 20 a game. You have to be perfect on each of those plays.
"I love the pressure. You only get one play. You don't have time for any mess-ups. You have to go out and deliver on that play. We only get a handful of plays, a certain amount of plays every game, depending on how the game goes. You have pressure to be perfect on that play."
Canaday signed; Nix released
March 18
For the past three years Kameron Canaday has consistently done a job that doesn't get a lot of attention. And he has done it without fail.
That is why the long snapper, who was a restricted free agent, was signed to a two-year contract.
Canaday signed with the Steelers in February 2017, but was released on May 5 after the team drafted Colin Holba in the sixth-round of the 2017 NFL Draft. He was re-signed on May 30, and then won the job in the preseason and training camp and has been the team's long snapper since.
That isn't the only move the team made as they also terminated the contract of fullback Roosevelt Nix. Nix, who entered the NFL as an undrafted rookie free agent with the Atlanta Falcons in 2014, has been with the Steelers since the 2015 season.
Steelers tender offers to Feiler, Hilton
March 18
The Steelers tendered offers to two restricted free agents, offensive tackle Matt Feiler and cornerback Mike Hilton. Financial terms of the tendered offers were not disclosed.
Feiler has become a staple on the Steelers offensive line over the last two seasons, making 26 of his 27 career starts during that time frame.
"I love it here," said Feiler earlier this offseason. "My family is from Pennsylvania, so we are very close to home. I think we found a home here."
Hilton has played in 47 games with 14 starts in three seasons.
"I feel like I am a true definition of a Pittsburgh Steeler," said Hilton earlier this offseason. "I am a grinder. Nothing comes easy. I would love to spend the rest of my career here."
Hilton has 22 tackles for a loss to his credit, the second-most in the NFL among defensive backs since he entered the league in 2017. His six and a half sacks are fourth-most among defensive backs since he entered the league as well.
Banner signs new one-year deal
March 18
Zach Banner had no complaints about his role last year, when he was a tackle eligible for much of the season, but he wants more.
And he took the first step towards that today when he signed a new one-year contract.
"I am super excited, ready to play back in the black and gold," said Banner. "I am ecstatic I don't have to move again. I get to call this home. It's starting to feel a lot more like home, than home, if that makes sense. My family is on the West Coast and I miss them a lot, but it's growing on me."
Banner, who was slated to become a restricted free agent, was originally drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft, the 137th overall. He was released by the Colts in 2017, and signed with the Cleveland Browns, playing in eight games in 2017. He signed with the Steelers as a free agent in 2018 and was inactive all season.
Last season a lot changed for him when he played in 14 games in 2019, starting one. He became a cult hero with the 'No. 72 has reported as an eligible receiver' announcement on a regular basis during the season.
"I think it's finally time for me to start calling myself a Yinzer. I really do," said Banner. "I think I am going to call myself a Yinzer. I think I was forcefully adopted. I think Pittsburgh said you are a Yinzer. I think that will be my next tattoo."
Shazier placed on Reserve/Retired List
March 17
Ryan Shazier was placed on the Reserve/Retired list.
"Ryan's placement on the Reserve/Retired List serves as a matter of protocol to ensure his continued inclusion within our organization moving forward in his professional career," said Steelers General Manager/Vice President Kevin Colbert.
Shazier spent the last two seasons on the team's Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform List. Shazier suffered a spinal injury against the Cincinnati Bengals on Dec. 4, 2017 and underwent spinal stabilization surgery two days later.
Shazier was the Steelers' first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, the 15th overall selection, and he was voted to the Pro Bowl following the 2016 season.
He started 41 of the 46 games he played in with 299 tackles, including 24 tackles for a loss, seven sacks, seven interceptions, 25 passes defensed, seven forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. In five postseason starts, he had three tackles for a loss, two interceptions, four passes defensed, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.
Ramon Foster announces his retirement
March 16
Veteran guard Ramon Foster, who was second in experience on the Steelers roster behind only Ben Roethlisberger, announced his retirement and has been placed on the Reserve/Retired List by the team.
"When the time comes, you just know and now is the time for me to take a bow," said Foster. "I've made some friends for a lifetime, had some moments that I'll never forget, and seen some things I never thought I would because of this game. First and foremost, I would like to thank my wife and sons. I also want to thank the Steelers organization – Coach (Mike) Tomlin, Mr. Art Rooney II, the late Ambassador (Dan) Rooney, and Kevin Colbert for making Pittsburgh feel like a family. There are so many more people I need to thank, including everyone on staff with the Steelers. I would also like to thank my teammates who made this journey something very special to me and my family – you guys were amazing.
"Last but definitely not least, thank you to the best fans in all of sports. I'm glad to say I was a Steeler for life, and there is no other organization I would have rather played for in my career."
Foster has been a staple on the Steelers offensive line for the past 11 seasons. He first signed with the Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2009 NFL Draft out of the University of Tennessee.
For his career he started 145 of the 160 games he played in, both of those ranking as second-most in team history at the position, including starting all 14 of the games he played in 2019.
"I want to congratulate Ramon on his career in Pittsburgh," said Coach Mike Tomlin. "Ramon was class in every way, professional in every way, and I think his career is indicative of what this professional football journey should be about. He went from being an undrafted free agent to giving us over a decade of service at an extremely high level. I am honored to be associated with him and wish he and his family the best of luck in his retirement."
After 11 seasons of joy and happiness, of laughs and tears, stepping away from the game wasn't an easy decision for Foster. But it was a decision he knew was right at this time.
"It's more than the fact of making the decision, it's just one of those decisions that nobody wants to make," said Foster during an exclusive interview with Steelers.com. "As an athlete and competitor, you always think you have something left. That is always the determining factor. It's when do you say when more than anything.
"You have conversations with family. I have had this conversation with my wife (Kesha). I talked it over a little with my boys (R.J. and Myles) to try and prepare them in a sense. You listen to your body; you listen to your mind. If the conversations you have with your loved ones are right, it's okay to bow out. My oldest son got it better than my young one. He was like, 'We're done.' He gave me that type of expression. It's cool for them in that they both got an opportunity to see and watch me do what I do as a professional athlete. They were literally raised in this league from birth. They got a chance to see it and understand it. That is one of the coolest takes."
There are so many things Foster is going to miss about playing football, so many memories he has, but they all point back to two key things. His teammates and the game they play together.
"The guys, the locker room. Definitely," said Foster. "That and game day. That was always the biggest thing. You do everything to get to game day. To say I wouldn't miss it, I'd be lying about that part of it.
"Just honestly, the jokes and the locker room mentality that guys have. That is always going to be the biggest side of it."
Steelers place franchise tag on Dupree
March 16
When Coach Mike Tomlin spoke during his season-ending press conference this year he brought up one of the team's biggest free agents.
Bud Dupree.
"He is a priority for us," said Tomlin. "Make no mistake, Bud Dupree is a priority for us."
The team proved that he is a priority today when the team placed the franchise tag on Dupree.
Dupree had his best season in 2019. He finished the year with a career-high 11.5 sacks, recording at least four sacks in each of his first five seasons with the Steelers for a total of 31 ½ career sacks. Dupree also set a single season high with 16 tackles for a loss in 2019, ranking him tied for fifth in the NFL last season. Dupree also added four forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries.
Dupree was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in the Steelers win over the Indianapolis Colts last season. Dupree had three tackles, two sacks, three hits on the quarterback and a forced fumble that he recovered.
One of his biggest plays in that Colts came late in the fourth quarter, with just 1:20 to play in the game. The Colts were facing a third-and-1 from the Steelers' 22-yard line and Dupree knocked Marlon Mack for a three-yard loss.
Three players contracts terminated
March 16
The Steelers terminated the contracts of linebackers Mark Barron and Anthony Chickillo and receiver Johnny Holton.
Barron signed with the Steelers as a free agent in 2019. He spent the first seven seasons of his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2012-14) and St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams (2014-18), before spending one season in the black and gold. Barron played in 15 games in 2019, starting nine of them. He finished the season with 82 tackles, four tackles for loss, three sacks, three pass defenses, one fumble recovery and one interception.
Chickillo was the team's sixth-round pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, the 212th selection overall. He has played mainly in a reserve role on defense during his career, starting nine of the 65 games he played in. He also played on special teams. For his career he registered 67 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, eight sacks, three pass defenses, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Holton also signed with the Steelers as a free agent in 2019. He came to the black and gold from the Oakland Raiders, where he was from 2016-18. He had just three receptions for 21 yards and returned three kickoffs for 55 yards in 16 games in 2019, including starting three.
