Art Rooney II Hints That Steelers Might Be More Active In Free Agency This Offseason

[86WARD]

Fake. No shades...

[steelreserve]

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]

Beachum isn't coming back. He's financially stupid if he does.

[hawaiiansteeler]

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/201...in-pittsburgh/

[Psycho Ward 86]

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]

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/201...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]

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]

$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]

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...-ramon-foster/

[Psycho Ward 86]

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]

Weddle shaved his beard tonight.

Why?
My guess: an interview with Tomlin.

[86WARD]

Weddle shaved his beard tonight.

Why?
My guess: an interview with Tomlin.

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

[teegre]

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

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

Weddle's...

[hawaiiansteeler]

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

Weddle's...

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

[teegre]

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

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

[Shoes]

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

Weddle's...

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