The Pittsburgh Steelers were in a bit of a rough spot entering the 2014 offseason along the defensive line. Just the previous season, they had an enviable amount of depth. But three of their linemen all hit free agency at the same time. Two left, the other was brought back late in the offseason to play a reduced role.
Ziggy Hood, the Steelers’ 2009 first-round draft pick, signed a four-year, $16 million contract with the Jaguars, a price that Pittsburgh was going to come nowhere close to signing, especially not with their vision in mind of relying more upon the front line for pass rush help.