Steelers lose Beachum, McLendon, sign Denver’s Harris
Pittsburgh Steelers tackle Alejandro Villanueva (78) is shown during a game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.(AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File)
PITTSBURGH – The Steelers suffered their first two free agent losses of the offseason Tuesday when left tackle Kelvin Beachum signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars and nose tackle Steve McLendon reportedly will join the New York Jets on a three-year deal.
When it became apparent Beachum wasn’t going to re-sign with the Steelers, Pittsburgh made a proactive move by signing free agent Ryan Harris to a two-year deal worth $3.9 million.
Harris. 31, was a 16-game starter for the Denver Broncos last season, helping them to a Super Bowl win. He opened the season as Denver’s starting right tackle but moved to the left side for the final 13 games and the postseason.
While Harris will be counted on to help offset the loss of Beachum, the loss of McLendon, the team’s starting nose tackle the past three seaosns, leaves the Steelers thin at that position.
An excellent run-stopper, McLendon played almost exclusively in the Steelers’ base 3-4 defense. He played 34 percent of the team’s defensive snaps, trailing only starting ends Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt. Backup nose tackle Daniel McCullers played just over nine percent of the defensive snaps.
Beachum suffered a torn ACL six games into the 2015 season. He was replaced in the starting lineup by Alejandro Villanueva.
The Steelers wanted to bring back Beachum, but when that became less likely they began talking with free agent offensive tackles, including Seattle’s Russell Okung and Harris.
Beachum, a seventh-round draft pick in 2012, is the first of the Steelers’ unrestricted free agents to sign with another team.
Harris was a third-round draft pick out of Notre Dame by Denver in 2007. He started 34 games in four seasons at right tackle. He moved signed with Houston as a free agent for 2012 and 2013 before signing with Kansas City in 2014, starting 15 games at right tackle.
Harris’ ability to play both right and left tackle was attractive to the Steelers, who will initially use him on the left side as competition for Villanueva. The loser of that training-camp battle also will back up Marcus Gilbert at right tackle, giving offensive line.
“I like playing football,” Harris told Steelers.com. “If I can help my team win by being on the field, that’s winning for me. It doesn’t matter, right, left, I just want to contribute to success and I feel like I can do that here.”
Villanueva, signed to the Steelers’ practice squad in 2014 after being released by Philadelphia, was considered a project after serving three tours of duty as an Army Ranger and spending the early portion of his career as a defensive end.
But after starting the final 10 games last season and both playoff games, Villaneva, 27, was paid an extra $309,000 in performance-based pay, the seventh-highest amount any player in the league was given. Young players are awarded performance-based pay by the league if they outperform their contracts.
Pittsburgh still has former starting left tackle Mike Adams on its roster. Adams lost his starting job to Beachum in 2012 and missed all of last season after having back surgery.