I Am Not a Big Name "Free Agent" Signing Fan, but ...

Look, I am not a Daniel Snyder, crazy football guy, or irrational fan, who on the first day of free agency says, "SIGN THE BIGGEST NAME POSSIBLE". Let me clarify this doesn't win games in the NFL. The Steeler way had been successful with drafting and adding key peices via free agency. It can be said the Ravens and lately the Bengals have been doing both options better than the Steelers.
As has been discussed ad naseaum, The last 5 years of Steelers drafts, minus the Pouncey/Brown year, haven't exactly been stellar. During that time a lot of key veterans retired and this is what the Steelers have done in Free agency to fill the void.
2013 Steelers offseason UFA signings:
QB Bruce Gradkowski
RB LaRod Stephens-Howling
TE Matt Spaeth
OL Guy Whimper
CB William Gay
P Brian Moorman
2012 Steelers offseason UFA signings:
TE Leonard Pope
LB Brandon Johnson
2011 Steelers offseason UFA signing:
WR Jerricho Cotchery
2010 Steelers offseason UFA signings (6):
WR Arnaz Battle
WR Antwaan Randle El
OL Flozell Adams
OL Jonathan Scott
LB Larry Foote
S Will Allen
2009 Steelers offseason UFA signings:
WR Shaun McDonald
CB Keiwan Ratliff
I usually have liked the Steelers way of doing things, but since 2008 the drafting and player development has been just not great. Where are the gems like Harrison or Willie Parker
http://www.pro-football-reference.co.../pit/draft.htm
The problem I see is a stubbornness to stick with the Steeler way, meanwhile the Ravens and Bengals are out Steeler waying the Steelers. If you don't draft well, you need to add VALUABLE mid priced pieces via free agency (Wayne Gandy, Will Woolford, Farrior) not low priced junk like William Gay, Leonard Pope, and Matt Spaeth.
I don't think this is going to be a great year for the Black and Gold (HOPE I AM WRONG AND WILL ADMIT IT GLADLY), and if next offseason we keep on this Steeler Way of the past 5-6 years, we might be Ziggy Hooding ourselves right in the foot.