So, Timmons' contract still not redone ...

[steelreserve]

Which means as of now, we are still taking the full $15 million hit despite all the speculation that we'd extend his deal to free up cap space this offseason. So does that mean 2016 is his last season in Pittsburgh?

We're through free agency and have enough cap space to sign our rookies. If we were going to extend him, there's no reason why we'd wait for his current contract to expire first; it's a tremendous financial disadvantage and we've shown no hesitation to use extensions to smooth out cap numbers if we were going to keep the player anyway. I don't think we plan on cutting him right now either and saving the $7M or $8M base salary, because the time to do that was a couple months ago.

So all of this is an unmistakable sign to me that we're prepared to eat shit this season in order to get that contract off the books and then we're done with him. We get what we can out of him for the one remaining year but have no future plans to bring him back.

And then ... ? Does this mean we're handing the job to Williams? Drafting another ILB next year with the hopes that he'll start? Moving to more of a 4-3 where we only need one ILB? I really don't know; just wondered what everyone's theories are on this.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Still wish we would have cut him and went after Danny Trevathan. Would have saved a fuck ton of money and we get a younger player who is ascending.

I don't know how I feel about the situation. He's 2 years removed from a pro bowl season, but 1 year removed from yet another slow start and turf toe. if we extend him, i hope its shorter, like 2 years or something like that, and with little to nothing in guarantees. Cant say I would be terrified if Vince Williams started alongside Shazier, but that side could certainly use an upgrade if that were to be the case. Vince has played plenty and shown he can be a decent starter in the league.

Even better, that would be great if Matakevich becomes our surprise player of the year and shows he can take the reigns.

[polamalubeast]

The steelers have made no restructures in this offseason.This is despite that Roethlisberger has a cap hit 23 millions this year and 18 next year.

It means that the Steelers are not in a bad situation for the salary cap and they want to keep the money for Brown, Decastro,Bell,etc.

[Mojouw]

Eating it all this year gives the team all the leverage with Timmons moving forward. They can dictate the terms moving forward. Not going to be a big demand for aging 3-4 linebackers with declining coverage skills.

That's my take.


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[Rotorhead]

Or maybe they are keeping it as an option in the event someone they want gets cut before the season start?

[teegre]

Tomlin's' contract will be off the boards after this season.

Then, they will have plenty of cap room for the next off-season to re-sign:
--AB
--DeCastro
--Bell

[BlackAndGold]

It's still early, I'm sure it'll get done.

[Hawkman]

Tomlin's' contract will be off the boards after this season.

Then, they will have plenty of cap room for the next off-season to re-sign:
--AB
--DeCastro
--Bell

You mean Timmon's....or was that a Freudian slip?:heh:

[86WARD]

Eating it all this year gives the team all the leverage with Timmons moving forward. They can dictate the terms moving forward. Not going to be a big demand for aging 3-4 linebackers with declining coverage skills.

That's my take.


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Agree 100%

[Psycho Ward 86]

Granted its a different era of football with really different players, but we didnt do too bad on defense with one of our ILB's being more of a downhill thumper (Foote), and we got a pretty good one for that duty in Vince Williams. If we feel like he can make a play here and there in pass coverage like he did when he caused that Timmons interception against the cardinals, it would be sufficient. If he can at least get around that Rey Maualuga/Larry Foote level of pass coverage, its a no brainer. Cant be completely void of weaknesses on a team, right?

[teegre]

You mean Timmon's....or was that a Freudian slip?:heh:


I blame the autocorrect feature on my phone... :lol:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaV-PbDf5rw&app=desktop

[steelreserve]

Granted its a different era of football with really different players, but we didnt do too bad on defense with one of our ILB's being more of a downhill thumper (Foote), and we got a pretty good one for that duty in Vince Williams. If we feel like he can make a play here and there in pass coverage like he did when he caused that Timmons interception against the cardinals, it would be sufficient. If he can at least get around that Rey Maualuga/Larry Foote level of pass coverage, its a no brainer. Cant be completely void of weaknesses on a team, right?

If Williams can be like Foote, that's fine by me. You need a few guys like that on a team. Basically Shazier would be Timmons from 5 years ago, Williams would be Foote. Works for me.

Then just by numbers, we would need another guy for depth if we stay with a 3-4 or some version of whatever you call our defense now - but a guy like that shouldn't be too difficult to find.

[Psycho Ward 86]

If Williams can be like Foote, that's fine by me. You need a few guys like that on a team. Basically Shazier would be Timmons from 5 years ago, Williams would be Foote. Works for me.

Then just by numbers, we would need another guy for depth if we stay with a 3-4 or some version of whatever you call our defense now - but a guy like that shouldn't be too difficult to find.

and by all indications, Williams has really been itching to start for this team and seems like a smart player. I recall he had some play calling responsibilities as a rookie when we were still in Lebeau's defense. That's just impressive to me. He was really upset when Shazier got drafted because he feels like he can be a starter in this league but he hasn't said a peep about that since and appears to have kept a good attitude about it. If we don't get him a shot to start by the time he's a UFA, we're definitely going to lose Williams (due to lack of opportunity) and Timmons (due to age/injury/salary cap) at about the same time.

i dont want more years of obligatory 1st/2nd round linebackers while we toil away at other positions. but thats just me.

And we havent even brought up Matakevich a whole lot into this equation yet.