Updating the Steelers' current salary cap situation after signing 6 draft picks

[pczach]

Updating the Steelers' current salary cap situation after signing 6 draft picks

Dave Schofield



The Pittsburgh Steelers have signed all of their draft picks from the fourth round on from the 2021 NFL draft. Because their top three picks have yet to be signed, two of the six players currently fall in the top 51 salaries for the Steelers. Since that is the case, it’s a great time to give a salary cap update.

The salary cap numbers and contracts for all players drafted by the Steelers have been previously known. Even the contracts for the players who have yet to sign as well as those already under contract can be seen here:

Since the Steelers made a number of acquisitions through the draft and as undrafted free agents, those players not falling in the top 51 of salaries will not be listed below. Therefore, the only contracts will be that of Dan Moore Jr and Buddy Johnson.

Read the rest here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/nfl...?ocid=msedgntp

[Rotorhead]

So long article cliff notes, they are where they should be for cap space

[Mojouw]

https://steelersdepot.com/2021/05/st...okie-minicamp/

This is another recent update.

Long story short: They are fine for now. Will be OVER by about $3 million if they do nothing by the regular season.

There is not a great deal of wiggle room here for anything besides "veteran minimum" and "UDFA low level" signings.

Which leads me to believe that your 2021 53 man roster is largely going to come from the current 90 man roster.

[pczach]

https://steelersdepot.com/2021/05/st...okie-minicamp/

This is another recent update.

Long story short: They are fine for now. Will be OVER by about $3 million if they do nothing by the regular season.

There is not a great deal of wiggle room here for anything besides "veteran minimum" and "UDFA low level" signings.

Which leads me to believe that your 2021 53 man roster is largely going to come from the current 90 man roster.

It's very possible that they make only minor moves. The exceptions could be if they release a player nobody expects them to cut and they sign another preseason casualty, or if they create space by restructuring contracts.

[Mojouw]

It's very possible that they make only minor moves. The exceptions could be if they release a player nobody expects them to cut and they sign another preseason casualty, or if they create space by restructuring contracts.

I am not sure they have anyone left to restructure. Tuitt and Boswell to get under the cap as of right now. Then who? Maybe DeCastro? Certainly wouldn't want to extend when you are paying Haden due to his age.

They must have something planned because they still need players at a few positions.

[HollywoodSteel]

https://steelersdepot.com/2021/05/st...okie-minicamp/

This is another recent update.

Long story short: They are fine for now. Will be OVER by about $3 million if they do nothing by the regular season.

There is not a great deal of wiggle room here for anything besides "veteran minimum" and "UDFA low level" signings.

Which leads me to believe that your 2021 53 man roster is largely going to come from the current 90 man roster.

Really? I just read that they’ll be about $6 million under. But maybe it was an outdated article.

But either way I think your point still stands. The Steelers would want to go into the season with a bit of wiggle room so they are unlikely to make any significant acquisitions at this point.

[Mojouw]

Really? I just read that they’ll be about $6 million under. But maybe it was an outdated article.

But either way I think your point still stands. The Steelers would want to go into the season with a bit of wiggle room so they are unlikely to make any significant acquisitions at this point.

They are under by 6-9 million right now. But they a series of things to account for between now and week 1 that will put them roughly 3 million over if they don’t do anything.

Restructuring Tuitt and Boswell is roughly the cap space needed.

Anything else will require further maneuvering.

[86WARD]

Cap ceiling is $208M in 2022.

[teegre]

$208.5 million for the 2022 season.

Plenty enough to re-sign Watt and Fitzpatrick.

Plenty enough to extend JuJu. He was not as stupid as some think… he knew the Steelers would have the MOST cap room after the season; he knew a one-year deal very well might be followed by a HUGE deal.

And, in regards to THIS thread…

Plenty of room to restructure current contracts / move money into the next cap year.

[HollywoodSteel]

$208.5 million for the 2022 season.

Plenty enough to re-sign Watt and Fitzpatrick.

Plenty enough to extend JuJu. He was not as stupid as some think… he knew the Steelers would have the MOST cap room after the season; he knew a one-year deal very well might be followed by a HUGE deal.

And, in regards to THIS thread…

Plenty of room to restructure current contracts / move money into the next cap year.

Let’s say the Steelers have a decent enough season that they aren’t getting a top QB in the draft, it might not be crazy for us to trade for a veteran QB seeing as we’ll have the money for it.

[86WARD]

Let’s say the Steelers have a decent enough season that they aren’t getting a top QB in the draft, it might not be crazy for us to trade for a veteran QB seeing as we’ll have the money for it.

Jimmy G!

[HollywoodSteel]

Jimmy G!

I was thinking more along the lines of Aaron Rodgers. Or maybe Deshawn Watson. We tend to go to the Super Bowl after our QB serves a suspension.

[86WARD]

I was thinking more along the lines of Aaron Rodgers. Or maybe Deshawn Watson. We tend to go to the Super Bowl after our QB serves a suspension.

True dat!!

[Fire Goodell]

Jimmy G!

Jimmy G is too handsome to be a Steeler QB

no homo though, no homo

[tube517]

Jimmy G is too handsome to be a Steeler QB

no homo though, no homo

[Steeler-in-west]

I wonder if they do the almost annual bring the former Steeler back routine. I know finney is one, maybe there will be a second, however don’t see Nelson coming back....

[hawaiiansteeler]

current salary cap situation:

[pczach]

current salary cap situation:

A early glimpse of the salary cap situation to start 2022.

Thanks man!

[Mojouw]

That is for the 40 or so guys under contract plus the draft picks. Take contracts for 12 more guys off that number. Cuts it half or so.

[Rotorhead]

Looking at the Packers sitting at -35m shows a way for the Steelers to snag Rodgers. They are going to have to cut some serious salaries next year.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

That is for the 40 or so guys under contract plus the draft picks. Take contracts for 12 more guys off that number. Cuts it half or so.

Yeah, but they can create more room by extending out contracts of Minkah, which they likely do. Also can look at potential of releasing Schobert, Banner and Rudoplh, which would create $16 million more in cap space. All kinds of options in '22.

I'm excited to move on next season, to a mix of new talent from the draft and free agency with some of this cap space. Its time for a regroup and rebuild. This team hasnt been a real contender in 5 years or so.

[Mojouw]

Yeah, but they can create more room by extending out contracts of Minkah, which they likely do. Also can look at potential of releasing Schobert, Banner and Rudoplh, which would create $16 million more in cap space. All kinds of options in '22.

I'm excited to move on next season, to a mix of new talent from the draft and free agency with some of this cap space. Its time for a regroup and rebuild. This team hasnt been a real contender in 5 years or so.

All things I would agree with. Not sure i agree with the contender bit...but 4 years...5 years...3 years....all about the same idea.

I think that this off-season and draft cycle are really exciting because instead of looking for the best band-aid fix to a roster hole that will allow them to compete RIGHT AWAY...they can look for the best long-term solution. Their timeline has expanded without needing to get to one last rodeo with their aging franchise QB.

Look what that approach did in the past draft. Harris, PF, Green, Moore, Norwood, and Loudermilk all contributed this year. But each plays a position and has a draft status that historically has players impact MORE in years 2 and 3 than year 1.

Also...I just wanted people to be aware of what those cap space numbers that get floated around really mean. They are often not anywhere close to a real number.

I tend to think of what does the math say the number is - so what was in the posted chart. And then what is the actual usable number once a team makes basic moves to get to a "legal" roster for the next season. This number is typically far less.

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

All things I would agree with. Not sure i agree with the contender bit...but 4 years...5 years...3 years....all about the same idea.

I think that this off-season and draft cycle are really exciting because instead of looking for the best band-aid fix to a roster hole that will allow them to compete RIGHT AWAY...they can look for the best long-term solution. Their timeline has expanded without needing to get to one last rodeo with their aging franchise QB.

Look what that approach did in the past draft. Harris, PF, Green, Moore, Norwood, and Loudermilk all contributed this year. But each plays a position and has a draft status that historically has players impact MORE in years 2 and 3 than year 1.

Also...I just wanted people to be aware of what those cap space numbers that get floated around really mean. They are often not anywhere close to a real number.

I tend to think of what does the math say the number is - so what was in the posted chart. And then what is the actual usable number once a team makes basic moves to get to a "legal" roster for the next season. This number is typically far less.

OK, so they lost to the Jags in the playoffs in 2017. Lets not kid ourselves that last year they were a real contender. 2018, 2019, 2021 missing the playoffs.

Still going to be some big needs to fill in '22 on D line, O line, QB, CB and WR. Sure the number can be misleading, because it doesnt account for a full 53 man roster, but at least it kind of reflects what "can be" of a roster that moves on from some guys like Ben, Ebron, Okorafor and possibly Alualu, Banner, etc....but it then makes room for younger and more hungry players to fill in the gaps.

[Fire Goodell]

I think that's the first time I've ever seen us not in a bad situation cap wise

[Mojouw]

OK, so they lost to the Jags in the playoffs in 2017. Lets not kid ourselves that last year they were a real contender. 2018, 2019, 2021 missing the playoffs.

Still going to be some big needs to fill in '22 on D line, O line, QB, CB and WR. Sure the number can be misleading, because it doesnt account for a full 53 man roster, but at least it kind of reflects what "can be" of a roster that moves on from some guys like Ben, Ebron, Okorafor and possibly Alualu, Banner, etc....but it then makes room for younger and more hungry players to fill in the gaps.

Absolutely. I would like to see them keep Alualu around. I think he could be a mentor to some new faces along the D line.

Banner is another guy that if he is willing to come back on a short-term deal...I wouldn't mind it. This is a whole other discussion, but I still would have liked to see what a Chuks/Dotson/Green/Turner/Banner line looked like. Maybe we see it for a week or two at some point this season? Or at least swap Chuks and Banner. Got to see if you want to resign either one...

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Absolutely. I would like to see them keep Alualu around. I think he could be a mentor to some new faces along the D line.

Banner is another guy that if he is willing to come back on a short-term deal...I wouldn't mind it. This is a whole other discussion, but I still would have liked to see what a Chuks/Dotson/Green/Turner/Banner line looked like. Maybe we see it for a week or two at some point this season? Or at least swap Chuks and Banner. Got to see if you want to resign either one...

Alualu is cheap and I think has 1 more year on his deal. Still, I think if you keep aging veterans around too long, that it takes away a spot on the 53 for a young guy to be on a develop. Cam and Wormley are enough veteran presence for my liking. No idea where Tuitt is at and he has a big cap #. Still need to add another D lineman to the roster for '22.

Banner has one more year on his deal, but I think they can save $3million if they let him go. I think Chuks is a better pass protector than run blocker, so RT isnt good spot for him and I think they let him move on. Dan Moore Jr may improve and be a better LT, but his pass protection isnt great, so it could have likely been best if he was at RT this season IMO. I still think Dotson can be a pro bowler if healthy.

Honestly, I would like to see them either dip in the FA market for an experienced LT or pick one in the draft. Let Moore and Banner work out the RT spot. Maybe Moore is ready to play LT better next year, but I think its been a challenge for him.