Steelers created cap space, restructuring DE Cam Heyward’s contract

[polamalubeast]

905534813637144576

[Mojouw]

There is their in season contingency. Traditionally they like to keep 2-4 million.

So that means any remaining cap space is likely going to Tuitt.

At least that is what it all looks like to me.

[steelreserve]

Did we REALLY need to do that? Why not just structure Tuitt's contract whatever way would do the same thing - could they really not fit it in under $10M of cap space, or were they worried he'd complain about getting a bigger bonus?

I thought we had finally learned our lesson: Never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, never, NEVER restructure a contract unless it's the last option available. You aren't really "freeing" cap space, you're getting a small amount this year in exchange for adding the same amount in guaranteed (or dead) money each year for the duration of the contract.

Then again, Khan never saw a restructure he didn't like, so the temptation of doing it just to do it was probably too great. Bad Khan. BAD.

[Mojouw]

Meh? :noidea:

It likely (not that I have any idea) that his cap charge goes up around $1 million dollars on the last 3 years of his deal (2018-20).

http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/cameron-heyward-7746/

That still makes Heyward easily cuttable without a dead money issue any season after this one.

I think Khan et al did learn their lesson. The recent big contracts they have handed out seem to have two common features:
1. Team friendly "escape clauses" a couple years in.
2. The future restructure seems "baked in" from the beginning. In other words even with converting money to bonus and spreading it out, the deal still works in the teams favor.

I really think this is the key thing. They finally have the cap room to give BIG bonus payments up front and then little guaranteed in future years. Keeps the dead money in the Steelers favor. I really think that portion is what held up L Bell's deal. And likely will continue to hold it up.