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View Full Version : Art Rooney II Hints That Steelers Might Be More Active In Free Agency This Offseason



polamalubeast
01-28-2016, 02:48 PM
http://www.steelersdepot.com/2016/01/art-rooney-interview-steelers-2016-free-agency-salary-cap/

SteelersProfessor
01-28-2016, 03:14 PM
They have more flexibility now than they have had in years. No excuse not to at least make an honest effort. You can't force players to sign but you can at least attempt to legitimize a weakness on your roster.

Mojouw
01-28-2016, 05:04 PM
If it follows recent trends it will be a bunch of guys coming off rookie deals.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

86WARD
01-28-2016, 07:29 PM
They have more flexibility now than they have had in years. No excuse not to at least make an honest effort. You can't force players to sign but you can at least attempt to legitimize a weakness on your roster.

Not really in years. Last year they had about $5M. This season $6M. Not that much of a difference.

SteelersProfessor
01-28-2016, 07:30 PM
And as soon as they re-work Ben and Timmons the number changes.

86WARD
01-28-2016, 08:30 PM
And as soon as they re-work Ben and Timmons the number changes.

Which occurs every season.

Craic
01-28-2016, 08:34 PM
So, here (http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/cornerback/available/)'s the list of FAs for CB. Anyone you'd like to see from that list?

86WARD
01-28-2016, 08:40 PM
So, here (http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/cornerback/available/)'s the list of FAs for CB. Anyone you'd like to see from that list?

Trumaine Johnson
Sean Smith
Prince Amukamura


I'd hate to say it, but I'd love to have Pac Man's talent on this team...it would be hard to stomach at first. Of course Josh Norman would be number one, but there's little to no chance he gets out of Carolina.

SteelersProfessor
01-28-2016, 09:01 PM
No it wouldn't. Sign him.

Greg Hardy too.

Mojouw
01-28-2016, 09:28 PM
And as soon as they re-work Ben and Timmons the number changes.

And Decastro needs paid. Bell might get done. AB is going to want money, again. You have one, maybe two lineman in Foster and Beachum to sign. That 5-6 million number for FA's plus another few million for the draft class and the couple of million they carry in to the season as a contingency needs accounted for as well.

SteelersProfessor
01-28-2016, 09:50 PM
DeCastro is already on the books. All they can do now is lower his hit by a million or two. I don't think Beachum is coming back. I think Foster will.

They can a Weddle and a pass rusher and not even blink.

Mojouw
01-28-2016, 09:56 PM
DeCastro is already on the books. All they can do now is lower his hit by a million or two. I don't think Beachum is coming back. I think Foster will.

They can a Weddle and a pass rusher and not even blink.

Huh. Weird. It is almost like 2016 is his last year. http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/david-decastro/

Oh. Wait. It is. This is the point in the rookie contract where the Steelers typically extend "Core" players. That is going to take some coin. Likely over and above the existing 8 million cap charge.

SteelersProfessor
01-28-2016, 10:01 PM
I think if he gets paid MORE via extension, his 2016 number will be lowered. All about his guarantee and his bonus. I would bet his 2016 cap hit on an extension would be no more than $7 mil.

Mojouw
01-28-2016, 10:03 PM
I think if he gets paid MORE via extension, his 2016 number will be lowered. All about his guarantee and his bonus. I would bet his 2016 cap hit on an extension would be no more than $7 mil.

Fair enough. It still only frees up around a million bucks.

Rotorhead
01-29-2016, 10:43 AM
I would bet Beachum comes back before Foster, he can play LT and be an upgrade at LG as well (which is where they will put him if he is healthy and resigns). IF that happens, we will have the best OL in the league!

SteelersProfessor
01-29-2016, 10:47 AM
I would bet Beachum comes back before Foster, he can play LT and be an upgrade at LG as well (which is where they will put him if he is healthy and resigns). IF that happens, we will have the best OL in the league!

Apparently the organization isn't too keen on Beachum at guard. Beachum is also going to WANT tackle money. And we won't pay him tackle money to play guard with DeCastro getting a new deal, And THEN getting a new LT on top of that.

I think Foster stays. And Beach is the one who goes.

Mojouw
01-29-2016, 11:06 AM
If Beachum goes, Villeneuva will be the LT.

SteelersProfessor
01-29-2016, 11:26 AM
Unless they draft a ready made LT in round 1.

Rumors at the Senior Bowl is that Joe Thomas is in play again, and that the Browns have called "everyone" about him.

I'd give up #25 if he was available.

Psycho Ward 86
01-29-2016, 02:39 PM
Unless they draft a ready made LT in round 1.

Rumors at the Senior Bowl is that Joe Thomas is in play again, and that the Browns have called "everyone" about him.

I'd give up #25 if he was available.

you cant pay to have superstars everywhere. when will people realize this


and as far as CB's go, Trumaine Johnson continues to look like a progressively tantalizing option. Everywhere you read about the rams free agents, Janoris Jenkins is considered the better cornerback, and the rams have EJ Gaines who someone on the board said was the starter across from him until he was injured. Not to mention all the other laundry load of free agents the rams need to re-sign. For once let's get a cornerback that can play outside....

SteelersProfessor
01-29-2016, 02:42 PM
At left tackle? I think that's vital. If he's available and all it takes is #25 and a #3 in 2017? I hope we jump on it.

Shoes
01-29-2016, 03:01 PM
If Beachum goes, Villeneuva will be the LT.

He's probably good as gone Mojo. He was seen in Pocatello, Idaho and word has it he's going to join the rodeo circuit riding hippos.

Mojouw
01-29-2016, 04:05 PM
He's probably good as gone Mojo. He was seen in Pocatello, Idaho and word has it he's going to join the rodeo circuit riding hippos.

Well now I have to explain to my office mates why I just spit water all over my desk!

Psycho Ward 86
01-29-2016, 11:58 PM
At left tackle? I think that's vital. If he's available and all it takes is #25 and a #3 in 2017? I hope we jump on it.

we'd be taking on one of the biggest if not the biggest LT contracts in the league. With our cap space limitations, needs, and the value of those picks? Villanueva will be a fine LT and possibly a great one

This is a redskins type of move

86WARD
01-30-2016, 06:09 AM
If Beachum goes, Villeneuva will be the LT.

Beachum is as good as gone with the contract that Lane Johnson got yesterday.




NFL Media Insider Ian Rapoport reported the deal is worth up to $63 million with $35.5 million in guarantees, per a source involved in the situation.

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000629751/article/eagles-ot-lane-johnson-agree-to-sixyear-contract

He currently plays RT with the idea that he will move to left when Peters is gone.

BigNastyDefense
01-30-2016, 10:15 AM
Yeah I think Beachum signs somewhere else.

hawaiiansteeler
01-30-2016, 05:48 PM
Art Rooney II’s Messages Typically Aren’t Just Lip Service

by steelbydesign

http://steelcityblitz.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Art-Rooney-II.jpg

Mike Tomlin is the man that we see every week during the season every Tuesday. Really, Tomlin’s press conferences are a game to see how long Coach Tomlin can talk without really saying anything.

This week, the big man Art Rooney II was the one a the podium however, and when he talks, we’d all be wise to listen. It always surprises me how straight forward the Steelers’ owner usually is in these end of the season press conferences.

Following the 2014 season, Rooney was pretty clear that last off-season the team needed to lock up Ben Roethlisberger, improve the defense, and pointed specifically at the pass rush saying “We’ve got to get more sacks and put more pressure on the quarterback and I think in the games we were successful, we were able to do that. That’s a key piece of the puzzle that we have to look at as we build this defense going into next year.”

Obviously Big Ben got his extension. The team went out and got a pass rushing linebacker in the first round of the draft in Bud Dupree. The team also went from 33 sacks (ranking 26th in the NFL) in 2014 to 48 sacks (3rd in the NFL) in 2015. Mission accomplished.

The previous year, Rooney was optimistic with the way the team finished in 2013; winning 6 of their last 8 games. He said he would like to continue to get better offensively (and specifically mentioned Le’Veon Bell as a player that could really help this team), but said that they needed to get better defensively.

“Obviously, we want to get better. We slipped on defense in some areas this year, particularly in terms of stopping the run; we’re not anywhere near the top of the league, which is where we’ve typically been and where we want to be. There’s no doubt there’s room for improvement there.

“We gave up too many big plays, there’s room for improvement there. Whether it’s getting younger or what other strategies we might use, we want to get better there. And that will be part of what we look at as the weeks and months go by here.”

Again, when the draft rolled around it became pretty clear that everyone was on the same page. Ryan Shazier and Stephon Tuitt were picked with their first 2 selections to get better defensively. Daniel McCullers was taken late, probably to improve against the run as Rooney mentioned. They also added Mike Mitchell, Cam Thomas, Arthur Moats, and Brice McCain in free agency.

I can go through more examples, but the point is when Art Rooney gets up there and says the team is going to work on an area, there are usually moves made that correlate.

So just what did Art say this year?

First thing that did make my ears perk up a bit, was him specifically mentioning free agency. In my research of his past press conferences, he gives almost the same exact line every time when it comes to free agency. Something along the lines of “we will look at opportunities in free agency, but I’m not sure it fits in with our plan.”

This year however, he mentioned the Steelers’ cap being a “manageable situation” and that they “may be a little better” in going after free agents. He did also add that it would “depend on what’s out there.”

He did also specifically mention that they have several guys they would like to extend this off-season. So some of that cap space will go there. Le’Veon Bell was the only player that he mentioned specifically in terms of an extension. Rooney made it clear the team will work to extend him long-term but it might not be this off-season.

He made a similar comment regarding Ben Roethlisberger 2 years ago. I think that the team will make Bell an offer that’s likely well below his market value, and let him take it or (what’s more likely) leave it and they will talk again next off-season.

The biggest takeaway from Art’s talk though, was the pass defense has to get better.

“If you look at us statistically, we weren’t where we’d like to be in terms of pass defense, and so that’s an area we know we want to improve upon,” said Rooney. “We certainly made progress on defense. We got better as the year went on, but we all agree we need to be better in general as a pass defense.

This to me is the most direct comment he made in the entire interview. There will be new faces in the Steelers’ secondary next season.

I’ll admit, I’ve been pretty adamant about saying don’t expect a first round cornerback, but after hearing that I’m not as convinced. They could look at the safety position as well.

Regardless, you can bet that the Steelers will focus heavily on pass defense this off-season.

http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/article_external/art_rooney_iis_messages_typically_arent_just_lip_s ervice/s1_11464_20257129

fansince'76
01-30-2016, 06:12 PM
Mike Tomlin is the man that we see every week during the season every Tuesday. Really, Tomlin’s press conferences are a game to see how long Coach Tomlin can talk without really saying anything.

http://assets.academy.com/mgen/49/10304149.jpg

:chuckle:

86WARD
01-30-2016, 06:18 PM
Sounds good. Talking in the right direction.

MrPgh
01-31-2016, 11:25 PM
http://assets.academy.com/mgen/49/10304149.jpg

:chuckle:

That dog looks like it defends every blade of grass.

fansince'76
02-01-2016, 12:15 AM
That dog looks like it defends every blade of grass.

Obviously... :chuckle:

86WARD
02-01-2016, 05:35 AM
Fake. No shades...

steelreserve
02-01-2016, 01:27 PM
Amazing, the whole thread is basically about Beachum at this point.

Listen, I'd like Beachum back - IF we knew he's going to be the same player after a major injury, and IF we know be can switch positions with no problem, and IF he was willing to take a very reasonable contract, probably $4 million a year; anything more would interfere with our ability to sign a key free agent.

How likely are all three of those to happen? I'd say not a chance in the world. And thanks to Villanueva, LT is not an urgent position of need. Face it, Beachum's gone. We can probably get Foster back for close to what he's making now, do that's what we'll do. DeCastro's deal will probably be for more like a $3 million cap hit next year and then a crippling rise around 2018-19. But we'll have other problems then.

86WARD
02-01-2016, 07:33 PM
Beachum isn't coming back. He's financially stupid if he does.

hawaiiansteeler
02-02-2016, 12:14 AM
Steelers Free Agent Wish List

By: Daniel Sager

Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II made it clear that he wants his team to be more active in free agency, especially given the noteworthy struggles of the secondary, which ranked 30th in the NFL in pass defense.

Rams CB Trumaine Johnson

Johnson had a huge year with 71 tackles and seven interceptions for the Rams. Like Pittsburgh, the Rams are set to lose several high-profile free agents of their own, including Janoris Jenkins, Nick Fairley and William Hayes. If you are the type of person who actually care about Pro Football Focus’ ratings, Johnson was the league’s 16th best cornerback in terms of coverage and he allowed the league’s lowest opposing quarterback rating. Given his age (26) and size (six-foot-two, 207 pounds) Johnson is the rare player who could be a long-term answer for the Steelers.

Packers CB Casey Heyward

Heyward’s potential exit from Green Bay is no fault of his own. He has been an excellent member of the Green Bay secondary, but the Packers have Sam Shields and promising rookies Damarious Randall and Quinton Rollins (both of whom were on the board when the Steelers made their draft selections in 2015…), so Heyward could be the odd man out. If he is, he has the size (five-foot-eleven) and the versatility (played slot as a rookie, moved around last season) to fit into any defensive scheme in the NFL and immediately give the Steelers an upgrade.

http://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2016/02/01/steelers-free-agent-wish-list-5-more-names-that-make-sense-in-pittsburgh/

Psycho Ward 86
02-02-2016, 10:50 AM
Amazing, the whole thread is basically about Beachum at this point.

Listen, I'd like Beachum back - IF we knew he's going to be the same player after a major injury, and IF we know be can switch positions with no problem, and IF he was willing to take a very reasonable contract, probably $4 million a year; anything more would interfere with our ability to sign a key free agent.

How likely are all three of those to happen? I'd say not a chance in the world. And thanks to Villanueva, LT is not an urgent position of need. Face it, Beachum's gone. We can probably get Foster back for close to what he's making now, do that's what we'll do. DeCastro's deal will probably be for more like a $3 million cap hit next year and then a crippling rise around 2018-19. But we'll have other problems then.

$4million = reasonable for a top 10 LT? You've got to be kidding. Tackle depth is mitigated a little bit because of some obscure stipulation that allows Mike Adams to stick around another year before becoming a UFA (yes, Mike Adams, but we have Munchak so you never know). Foster was getting paid like $2-3 million a season, he's said he's essentially looking for money although he wants to stay here so i wouldn't count on it. im willing to push his price tag a little bit to keep him around if/when Beachum walks ($5 million a season for 2-3 years)

Mojouw
02-02-2016, 12:06 PM
Steelers Free Agent Wish List

By: Daniel Sager

Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II made it clear that he wants his team to be more active in free agency, especially given the noteworthy struggles of the secondary, which ranked 30th in the NFL in pass defense.

Rams CB Trumaine Johnson

Johnson had a huge year with 71 tackles and seven interceptions for the Rams. Like Pittsburgh, the Rams are set to lose several high-profile free agents of their own, including Janoris Jenkins, Nick Fairley and William Hayes. If you are the type of person who actually care about Pro Football Focus’ ratings, Johnson was the league’s 16th best cornerback in terms of coverage and he allowed the league’s lowest opposing quarterback rating. Given his age (26) and size (six-foot-two, 207 pounds) Johnson is the rare player who could be a long-term answer for the Steelers.

Packers CB Casey Heyward

Heyward’s potential exit from Green Bay is no fault of his own. He has been an excellent member of the Green Bay secondary, but the Packers have Sam Shields and promising rookies Damarious Randall and Quinton Rollins (both of whom were on the board when the Steelers made their draft selections in 2015…), so Heyward could be the odd man out. If he is, he has the size (five-foot-eleven) and the versatility (played slot as a rookie, moved around last season) to fit into any defensive scheme in the NFL and immediately give the Steelers an upgrade.

http://steelerswire.usatoday.com/2016/02/01/steelers-free-agent-wish-list-5-more-names-that-make-sense-in-pittsburgh/

I read this site almost daily, but gosh is it frustrating. If the Steelers can't afford Beachum because he WON'T be forced to take a "one year prove it deal" then WHY would Okung have to take that deal? When healthy they are fairly equivalent players. I guess because Okung has more injuries?

dislocatedday
02-02-2016, 03:43 PM
If history is any indication, the Steelers will not go and spend significant money on other teams' free agents, and IMO they are correct in this philosophy. This team signs their own key players, and that is the way it should be done. Some would like to see the team sign a top tier FA CB, trade picks for Joe Thomas, and sign all of our guys to lucrative deals............there is only so much money to go around, and it is just not possible (unless you want the team to dole out money upfront in signing bonuses to all these guys, and then be forced to cut a bunch of players in two years and then still have dead money counting against the cap).

There is debate among the fans about what the team should do, and like everyone else, I have my own ideas if I were part of the Steelers brass. I would sign DeCastro to a long-term deal before next season, as well as extend AB. I know AB is not a QB, and I know he has 2 years left currently, but the man has been absolutely sensational for 3 years in a row now. He is literally at the top of the food chain at his position. He has earned it, and he is not someone I would fear going soft after getting money. He will continue to work hard and stay atop of his game. He and Ben go together like peanut butter and jelly. DeCastro has improved every year and is a machine at RG. He is young and ferocious. This is a guy I would pay premium $$.

I would let Kelvin Beachum move on at this point as he will probably get a good sized contract from another team despite his injury last season. I would not spend $10M+ on him, which he may get elsewhere. I like him as a player, but when I compare him to some of the other young guys coming up for new contracts he is lower on the priority list. Go with Villanueva at LT, and give Ramon Foster a new 3 year deal at somewhere close to $4M a season (I'm guessing that is close to what he would get on the open market). This way there is continuity on the O-line for the near future.

I would wait a year on LeVeon Bell. I do think he is worth signing to a long term deal, as I feel he is the best all-around back in the NFL at this point. Besides his great value as a runner, he is a phenomenal pass catcher and he can pickup blitzes extremely well. There is nothing he can't do on the field. However, I think the team should take care of him next offseason. Go ahead and franchise him at that point if needed, and then work out a long-term deal.

The team does not currently have big $$ tied up in many defensive players other than Lawrence Timmons and Cam Heyward. At a $15M cap hit Timmons is just not worth it at that price. I think the team should release him if they can't get a significant paycut in his salary. I'm not sure how much the team saves on the cap by cutting him, but I would guess it is at least $6M for next season. I would also suggest HEath a s a candidate for release, as unpopular as that would be. However, I think he only has one year left on his current deal so I would be surprised if anything happens with him. I expect he will retire after next season (just a guess on my part, but he seems to be rapidly slowing down IMO).

If the team can get a good FA CB or S for no more than $5M per year, then perhaps do it, but even someone like Trumaine Johnson will probably get something like 8-9 million per season from some team. I just think the big $$ need to go to the guys that came up in your system. This is what the Steelers have done for years, and it works.

In another 2-3 years the team will also have guys like Shazier and Tuitt coming up for new deals (as of now, I would place my bets on these 2 men being cornerstone players for this defense, along with Heyward of course). I think Ben plays out his current contract and then retires. At that point the team will likely not have another QB commanding $20M+ per season, so there will be some cap relief from that.

steelreserve
02-02-2016, 07:32 PM
$4million = reasonable for a top 10 LT? You've got to be kidding. Tackle depth is mitigated a little bit because of some obscure stipulation that allows Mike Adams to stick around another year before becoming a UFA (yes, Mike Adams, but we have Munchak so you never know). Foster was getting paid like $2-3 million a season, he's said he's essentially looking for money although he wants to stay here so i wouldn't count on it. im willing to push his price tag a little bit to keep him around if/when Beachum walks ($5 million a season for 2-3 years)

That's why I said there's not a chance of it happening. There's a big difference between "what's reasonable, " what we can afford," and for that matter, "what we can afford without screwing up something more important."

Sorry, but if we have one or two glaring needs to contend for a title, and we turn around and spend $6 or $7 million on a position where we already have starting-quality players or can retain one for half that, we're fucking stupid.

For what it's worth, I don't think Beachum is a top-10 left tackle, just pretty good. He'll still command more money than it'd be smart to pay him, though. Throw in a position change and a potentially career-altering injury, and you'll forgive me if I'm not exactly clamoring to back up the Brinks truck for that.

hawaiiansteeler
02-02-2016, 08:22 PM
Go with Villanueva at LT, and give Ramon Foster a new 3 year deal at somewhere close to $4M a season (I'm guessing that is close to what he would get on the open market).

Determining The Current Market Value Of Steelers G Ramon Foster

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2016/02/determining-the-current-market-value-of-steelers-t-ramon-foster/

Psycho Ward 86
02-02-2016, 08:26 PM
That's why I said there's not a chance of it happening. There's a big difference between "what's reasonable, " what we can afford," and for that matter, "what we can afford without screwing up something more important."

Sorry, but if we have one or two glaring needs to contend for a title, and we turn around and spend $6 or $7 million on a position where we already have starting-quality players or can retain one for half that, we're fucking stupid.

For what it's worth, I don't think Beachum is a top-10 left tackle, just pretty good. He'll still command more money than it'd be smart to pay him, though. Throw in a position change and a potentially career-altering injury, and you'll forgive me if I'm not exactly clamoring to back up the Brinks truck for that.

by all means i agree with letting Beachum walk. i dont think there should be any hard feelings from either party there, just unfortunate circumstances. I think Villanueva is ready

teegre
02-03-2016, 12:42 AM
Weddle shaved his beard tonight.

Why?
My guess: an interview with Tomlin.

86WARD
02-03-2016, 05:22 AM
Weddle shaved his beard tonight.

Why?
My guess: an interview with Tomlin.

Nah...Tomlin likes that shit. Keisel, Ben...

teegre
02-03-2016, 06:13 AM
Nah...Tomlin likes that shit. Keisel, Ben...

True.
But, that's because Brett's and Ben's beards looks good.

Weddle's... :scared:

hawaiiansteeler
02-03-2016, 11:58 AM
True.
But, that's because Brett's and Ben's beards looks good.

Weddle's... :scared:

yeah, but Weddle never sported a mullet haircut as bad as Ben's...:scared:

http://i2.wp.com/glitzburgh.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/ben_roethlisberger_haircut_x610.jpg?resize=267%2C3 00

teegre
02-03-2016, 01:46 PM
yeah, but Weddle never sported a mullet haircut as bad as Ben's...:scared:

http://i2.wp.com/glitzburgh.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/ben_roethlisberger_haircut_x610.jpg?resize=267%2C3 00

All that he needs is a van with the words "Free candy" spraypainted on the side.

:lol:

Shoes
02-03-2016, 02:13 PM
True.
But, that's because Brett's and Ben's beards looks good.

Weddle's... :scared:

I think Weddle's beard is perfect for football season. It makes him look like a madman. :chuckle: