16+ million in cap space if we cut the following players

[teegre]

I’m still bitter about missing out on Ed Reed...

[Shoes]

I’m still bitter about missing out on Ed Reed...

[Hawkman]

Dan Marino was my guy

[Mojouw]

Brandon marshal. But you know Wiolie Reid was cool.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

The only thing McDonald has shown is that he can be easily replaced for less money.

Definitely, that is why I say they try and sign Vannett and let McDonald steal some other franchises money by doing nothing.

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I mean it would have made it a little easier if Kettle was taken in R1, R2 or even R3. I was in shock when the Steelers didn't take him in R4. I was sure they would, I still can't believe it.

At least they used that 4th rounder to the maximum and drafted Dobbs. Maybe this year they get somebody that is a steal of a TE in the 4th. I'm still intrigued to see Trautman against top competition.

[Shoes]

Definitely, that is why I say they try and sign Vannett and let McDonald steal some other franchises money by doing nothing.

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At least they used that 4th rounder to the maximum and drafted Dobbs. Maybe this year they get somebody that is a steal of a TE in the 4th. I'm still intrigued to see Trautman against top competition.

Agreed!

[Steeldude]

Other than Watt, who on the Steelers is not expendable via a trade?

[teegre]

Other than Watt, who on the Steelers is not expendable via a trade?

Minkah Fitzpatrick comes to mind.

So does Steven Nelson.
And, Devin Bush.

[DesertSteel]

I’m still bitter about missing out on Ed Reed...

And Matt Elam.

[teegre]

And Matt Elam.

Remember how someone photoshopped his head/helmet onto Kate Upton’s body.

[pczach]

Remember how someone photoshopped his head/helmet onto Kate Upton’s body.

You were making everyone very uncomfortable.

[EzraTank]

Well, McDonald @ 270 lbs stiff-arming a very high tackle attempt by Conte @ 200 lbs covers over reality.

How many remember this stiff arm from another high tackle attempt?

I never understood why the defense can't hit you in the face while tackling but an offensive player is allowed to basically maul your facemask. I think the NFL should make stiff arming to the head illegal and a 15 yard penalty.

[cold-hard-steel]

Joking aside...

The Bills have some core studs, bunch of young (cheap) players, and one veteran at each position (for leadership).

Cut those middling guys (Chickillo, Barron, Berry, Foster, McDonald), extend the studs (Watt, Dupree), keep one veteran for each position (Heyward, Bince), and fill in the rest of the roster with cheap/young players (Olaqwerty, Cain).

Theres that name Bince again . For the life of me I can't find that name anywhere on our roster .

[hawaiiansteeler]

And Matt Elam.

teegre tricked Ozzie right into drafting Elam

[DesertSteel]

I never understood why the defense can't hit you in the face while tackling but an offensive player is allowed to basically maul your facemask. I think the NFL should make stiff arming to the head illegal and a 15 yard penalty.

No way! The stiff arm is one of the few physical plays they still allow. It’s a great play.

[Craic]

I never understood why the defense can't hit you in the face while tackling but an offensive player is allowed to basically maul your facemask. I think the NFL should make stiff arming to the head illegal and a 15 yard penalty.

Who said they can't hit you in the face while tackling? They absolutely can. What they can't do is grab the face mask or drive the crown of their helmet into the face. Otherwise, it's completely legal.

[teegre]

teegre tricked Ozzie right into drafting Elam

That took years of preparation on my part. I would like a player, post it on a Steelers message board, and Ozzie would steal that player away. Then, when the timing was right, I “fell in love” with Matt Elam... and voila!!! he gets drafted by the Ravens!!! Muhahaha!!!

Unfortunately, some Ravens fan on a Ravens board “fell in love with Jarvis Jones” (duping Kevin Colbert).

[Mojouw]

So I was thinking about this and they are going to need $25 million in cap space between now and the start of the 2020 regular season.

$16-18 million: Sign either Dupree or Hargrave
$5 million: Draft Class
$3-5 Million: typical in season reserve

So with the current cap space and carryover, plus the cuts proposed here -- they are still short by about $3-4 million (16+5=21). Steelers Depot and a few other places have recently broken down that due to a "30 %" rule in the CBA, restructures won't be able to be used to free up as much money as in the past this year for the Steelers.

So I wonder where they go for the other several million dollars? My guess is a Heyward extension and a Ben R extension. I know it sounds ridiculous to consider, but those are two of your biggest cap #'s.

Regardless, you may have noticed that the listing above does not include anything for outside FAs, let alone the RFAs of their own (Feiler, Hilton, etc). Long story short, the 2020 Pittsburgh Steelers roster will not include the presence of outside FAs by my math. I could always be wrong, but even dumpster diving for value vets is going to be out of Colbert and Company's price range this year.

Basically, if they sign either Dupree or Hargrave, that is your FA class. Unless they make a truly unexpected and massive salary cap cut to the roster.

[Born2Steel]

So I was thinking about this and they are going to need $25 million in cap space between now and the start of the 2020 regular season.

$16-18 million: Sign either Dupree or Hargrave
$5 million: Draft Class
$3-5 Million: typical in season reserve

So with the current cap space and carryover, plus the cuts proposed here -- they are still short by about $3-4 million (16+5=21). Steelers Depot and a few other places have recently broken down that due to a "30 %" rule in the CBA, restructures won't be able to be used to free up as much money as in the past this year for the Steelers.

So I wonder where they go for the other several million dollars? My guess is a Heyward extension and a Ben R extension. I know it sounds ridiculous to consider, but those are two of your biggest cap #'s.

Regardless, you may have noticed that the listing above does not include anything for outside FAs, let alone the RFAs of their own (Feiler, Hilton, etc). Long story short, the 2020 Pittsburgh Steelers roster will not include the presence of outside FAs by my math. I could always be wrong, but even dumpster diving for value vets is going to be out of Colbert and Company's price range this year.

Basically, if they sign either Dupree or Hargrave, that is your FA class. Unless they make a truly unexpected and massive salary cap cut to the roster.

By this math the Steelers are really screwed then when it comes to signing their own FAs, let alone outside help. McDonald is currently $6.5M, is he going to take less to return at 30+? Finney is $3M+ and will probably take $5M to get back with the demand for OL help around the league. Bud will be around $17M-$19M just on the franchise tag I believe I heard on a podcast. Why would he sign for less to play next season. Hilton I'm not so much worried about since we still have Sutton but it sucks this is his year to get paid and it will be with another team most likely. Hargrave sounds like a luxury signing at this point with Tuitt expected to be back.

I guess we had better hit on some draft picks OR do some terrific trading to get players for draft picks. Minkah for our 1st. How about our 2nd for Garrett Bradbury? Our 3rd comp pick for Dawson Knox? Why draft prospects when we see the players actually play at the next level?

[Mojouw]

By this math the Steelers are really screwed then when it comes to signing their own FAs, let alone outside help. McDonald is currently $6.5M, is he going to take less to return at 30+? Finney is $3M+ and will probably take $5M to get back with the demand for OL help around the league. Bud will be around $17M-$19M just on the franchise tag I believe I heard on a podcast. Why would he sign for less to play next season. Hilton I'm not so much worried about since we still have Sutton but it sucks this is his year to get paid and it will be with another team most likely. Hargrave sounds like a luxury signing at this point with Tuitt expected to be back.

I guess we had better hit on some draft picks OR do some terrific trading to get players for draft picks. Minkah for our 1st. How about our 2nd for Garrett Bradbury? Our 3rd comp pick for Dawson Knox? Why draft prospects when we see the players actually play at the next level?

Yup. Thought I would post my initial take on the math before the whole "sign X" got rolling. I heard a podcast this week that had an interesting point to remember - you don't need the cap space all at once. Like you could make the cuts discussed (Foster, Chickillo, Barron, McDonald, and Berry), sign Dupree to the franchise for $16 million or whatever, and go down to zero. Then extend and restructure some guys to take care of your RFAs (Hilton, Feiler, etc). Then, perhaps, extend Dupree (off the franchise tag) and lower his 2019 cap hit and free up $$$ for the draft class. Then you do another round of restructures/extensions at some point to get to your in season contingency.

I would agree that it is either Hargrave or Dupree, but not both. If you want to snag a big name outside FA, then it may be neither Hargrave or Dupree. Even sub $5 million dollar outside FAs are going to be tough to swing.

The goodish news is that post 2020, the cap situation looks better because so much is coming off the books. The craziest thing is that the "best" place to go get some cap $$$$ is to restructure Ben's deal so his 2021 cap hit is north of $40 million!!!

Honestly, I don't really understand the ins and outs of all this stuff. I shamelessly take my numbers and other information from a variety of websites and the Steelers Depot site. But, it does seem that the 2020 Steelers roster will only be reinforced by internal player development and draft picks.

[86WARD]

They’ll make it work...they always do.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

They’ll make it work...they always do.

Exactly.

Every year there is a thread like this, or even worse projection of salary cap doom, yet somehow the Steelers still put a good team on the field. People love to worry about what never happens.

[Mojouw]

Exactly.

Every year there is a thread like this, or even worse projection of salary cap doom, yet somehow the Steelers still put a good team on the field. People love to worry about what never happens.

N9 doubt they will field a talented and competitive 53 man roster.

But when 8 months from now when random people whine about the lack of a vet QB, a prime TE, or whatever the roster complaint of the moment is, we can use this cap math as a basis for understanding what roster compromises are made to fit the dollars.

It's important to remember that NFL teams don't just take the 53 most talented guys they can find. All kinds of fsctors shape the 53 man roster and cap space is one of them.

[Shoes]

N9 doubt they will field a talented and competitive 53 man roster.

But when 8 months from now when random people whine about the lack of a vet QB, a prime TE, or whatever the roster complaint of the moment is, we can use this cap math as a basis for understanding what roster compromises are made to fit the dollars.

It's important to remember that NFL teams don't just take the 53 most talented guys they can find. All kinds of fsctors shape the 53 man roster and cap space is one of them.

Careful there Mr.!

[teegre]

N9 doubt they will field a talented and competitive 53 man roster.

But when 8 months from now when random people whine about the lack of a vet QB, a prime TE, or whatever the roster complaint of the moment is, we can use this cap math as a basis for understanding what roster compromises are made to fit the dollars.

It's important to remember that NFL teams don't just take the 53 most talented guys they can find. All kinds of fsctors shape the 53 man roster and cap space is one of them.

Some people enjoy discussing math; they find it intriguing. Others don’t.

Those who don’t... can simply ignore these types of discussions.

[DesertSteel]

Some people enjoy discussing math; they find it intriguing. Others don’t.

Those who don’t... can simply ignore these types of discussions.