Steelers to meet with Steve Breaston Tuesday

Free agent wide receiver Steve Breaston has a two-day free agency tour planned, and the first stop is in his hometown of Pittsburgh.

Breaston will reportedly meet today with the Steelers, and is scheduled to visit Cleveland Wednesday. Oftentimes, free agents set up a second team to follow the first as a means of creating leverage on the first team (“Ok, we have your offer, we’re going to go to Cleveland and we’ll let you know.”)

The Browns, a team thought to be major players in the free agency market this season, have perhaps more of a need for Breaston’s services than the Steelers do. The cap-strapped Steelers also aren’t likely to provide Breaston a large contract, considering he’s built more for a slot receiver role, the same as top target Antonio Brown.

But Steelers offensive coordinator Todd Haley was Breaston’s coach in Arizona and Kansas City – the only teams Breaston has played for in his pro career, including the 2008 season, when he had 77 catches for 1,003 yards, both career highs. He had over 700 yards receiving in each of the next three seasons before falling off the map with the Haley-less Chiefs.

Breaston’s release wasn’t met with excitement among Chiefs fans, with many of them left in confusion as to how his production dropped from 60 catches a season to seven last year, having been a healthy scratch in six games.

With only two receivers currently signed for the 2013 season – and split end Emmanuel Sanders expected to be signed to a one-year tender offer in restricted free agency – the Steelers are expected to address the receiver position via the draft or free agency, possibly both.

NFL teams have until 4 p.m. ET March 12 to get the salaries of their top 51 players under the salary cap. Because Breaston was released by Kansas City, he is eligible to sign with any team at any time. The free agency period begins at 4 p.m. ET March 12 – at that time, all players whose contracts expired after the 2012 season may sign with another team.