In my opinion, Steve Keim deserves a good deal of credit for:
- Attempting to re-define the team’s veteran leadership with the acquisitions of DE J.J. Watt, C Rodney Hudson and K Matt Prater —- bell cows for each of the team’s three phases.
- Restructuring LG Justin Pugh’s and ILB Jordan Hicks’ contracts, while retaining key veteran starters such as RT Kelvin Beachum, DT Corey Peters, OLB Markus Golden and CB Robert Alford at cap friendly salaries.
- Retaining OLB Dennis Gardeck on a $3.4M 2nd round tender.
- Waiting to see this season whether OLB/DE Chandler Jones can return to Pro Bowl status before offering him a second lucrative contract.