OT: Stan Savran just reported that the Steelers are getting ready to sign
- Thread starter bcspsu
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Part 2 of my plan just happened.....Vance McDonald just retired. Now if the Steelers can cut Ebron my plan will be in full affect.
Cut/Retire/Not Sign: Dupree, JJSS, McDonald, Ebron, Villaneauva, James Connor
Sign Haskins
Round 1: Alex Leatherwood, OL
Round 2: Trade up for TE PatFriermouth
Round 3: Best RB available, Chubba Hubbard
Round 4:Best OL Available
Round 6: Best DE Available
Round 7: Best LB Available
Round 7: Best OL Available
Rebuild the OL while finding your future QB, RB, and TE.
Cut/Retire/Not Sign: Dupree, JJSS, McDonald, Ebron, Villaneauva, James Connor
Sign Haskins
Round 1: Alex Leatherwood, OL
Round 2: Trade up for TE PatFriermouth
Round 3: Best RB available, Chubba Hubbard
Round 4:Best OL Available
Round 6: Best DE Available
Round 7: Best LB Available
Round 7: Best OL Available
Rebuild the OL while finding your future QB, RB, and TE.
Not a good team for Haskins to land with. Tomlin hasn’t a clue about discipline, which is what Haskins needs. Tomlin’s teams have always had great talent but under achieved because they have no discipline, no focus.
But since Haskins is a new guy on the bench maybe he won’t get the super star treatment Tomlin is famous for. Just maybe the staff will make him work hard with strong focus and discipline. I could even see him doing well for a couple years but if great success comes he will likely slip back into bad habits under Tomlin.
But since Haskins is a new guy on the bench maybe he won’t get the super star treatment Tomlin is famous for. Just maybe the staff will make him work hard with strong focus and discipline. I could even see him doing well for a couple years but if great success comes he will likely slip back into bad habits under Tomlin.
I'm not sure Tomlin will be around much longer. He's on his last year of his contract with a team option for 2022. Keith Butler is also on a 1 year contract and plans to retire soon. Maybe I'm wrong, but if I were an OC I would think twice before signing with a team that has coaches on short contracts and a 39 year old QB that has a reputation of clashing with OC's. I haven't heard of them interviewing anyone other than Hue Jackson. I think Canada will end up with the job in the end. It's time to rebuild from top to bottom. The SB window has closed.
Edit:
I think Ben is gone. Too much money for a wounded old QB. But the Rooney’s love Tomlin and he will most likely be there at least five more years. Unless he decides he wants to retire. But he is relatively young so I doubt he retires.
Steelers will struggle a couple years for sure. Major rebuild all around. But I think Tomlin will embrace that challenge, that’s the kinda guy he seems to be. Of course, the wise thing to do is move on because he if he stays for the rebuild and fails it will seriously damage his reputation and income potential.
He would be a good analyst in the booth as he comes up with plenty of unique verbiage and is a likeable guy. Maybe do that a couple years and then decide if wants to go back to coaching.
I'm not so sure about that. His current contract extention was signed last fall and it was just a one year extention with a joint option for 2022. I like him as a person but I think he's reached his ceiling as a coach. 3 playoff wins in 5 appearances in the last 10 years is mediocre.
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I agree with all of this...and I think the rebuilding has to start with the OL. I will seriously be pissed if that OT from Alabama, Leatherwood, is there at pick 27 and the Steelers pass on him.
If Leatherwood isn't a name for an O-lineman I don't know what is. 😂
And franchise Dupree, give Watt the contract he has earned, say bye to JuJu....and for god's sake fix the OL!
I think losing Munchak really hurt. While he was with the Steelers, an OL would get hurt and they'd pull a guy off the bench and not miss a beat. That hasn't happened the past 2 years. I guess that's why they're searching for an OL coach. I agree with letting Juju walk and paying Watt, I just think franchising Dupree will be way too expensive.
Franchise Watt??? Pay Dupree? Don't know how that franchise stuff works with the cap...I just think both of those players need to be Steelers
From what I just read, if they franchise him again, it will cost 120% of what he was paid under the franchise tag this year. That falls around 19 million for 2021. That's a lot of money for a guy coming off knee surgery.
Do they still do the franchise thing? Haven’t heard any sports prognosticators mention that this year. Even if they do, may not be necessary for Dupree as he had a serious knee and may miss part of the early season. And since no one knows how good he will be, and his history of injuries, he will probably not get huge offers.
Another problem with keeping him is you will be hoping that two starting linebackers will come back from serious injuries with him and Bush. Maybe better to get a reliable guy there and count on Bush having a good recovery.
See...told ya i don't know what franchise means. No way Pittsburgh should take a 19 million dollar hit. What happens if they franchise Watt?
Watt has 1 more year left on his contract so now's the time to extend him to a contract that is more cap friendly in the next couple of years then take the cap hit towards the end of his contract. One thing that also needs to be considered is the cap was supposed to jump quite a bit this year but with the revenue loss this year there's talk that it actually may go lower than last seasons.
Plus, doesn't Pittsburgh have 19 free agents? Seriously, the window has closed. Say bye to Ben and JuJu and start over.
Not a clutch play as much as a double Neil ODonnell screw up!
I love how message board people have it all figured out. I've read many things since the news broke yesterday. I have yet to read anything anywhere that indicates the kid is a cancer. Other than from fans on Twitter or message boards. I've read that he's young, made some mistakes and needs a new home. I've read that he was put in a no win situation with the WFT. It was his home team. The team was a mess (hence the coaching change after his rookie season). I've read he was pushed into a starting role before he was ready due to pressures from above. Alex Smith has said the kid has a ton of talent and just needs put in the right situation to help him put it all together.
The Steelers are not making this move expecting Haskins to be their starting QB at all in 2021. At best he'll be the backup behind Rudolph, or third string behind Ben and Rudolph. He'll get a chance to learn and mature. Then we'll find out whether or not he has the "it" factor that makes NFL QB's successful.
So if they don't have Haskins they have no other options besides Jones or Rudolph - there will be no other QB's that they could pick up or draft?
WFT fan here. Haskins is not that bad. His problem is more a lack of focus than a lack of discipline. He’s a good enough teammate; he didn’t sulk when he got benched for Smith. More than anything else, he just doesn’t prepare enough and doesn’t practice well enough. I have no idea if this will work for Pittsburgh but I’m rooting for him. He’s not a bad guy.
I'm sure Ben will take him under his wing like he has all the other young QB's over the years. 😆
Of course not. However, unless they are going to pay deeply they won't get one of them. I don't see a Lamar jackson out there at 24 or something of that nature.
Not a challenge at all to your view. Just wondering what makes you so high on him?
You have no idea what you are talking about. He's destined for Canton, at least Texas Lion has these aspirations for him.
Thank you for your question, I truly appreciate it. I am a firm believer in, for the most part, where we came from dictates to a large extent how we perform. Now, I realize that there are always other factors and those factors could make something or someone an exception.
I look at Haskins like this: Big Arm, Big Kid, Athletic to a point and right now comes at the expense of Duck Hodges. I do wonder though. What if Haskins was brought up in a situation similar to Aaron Rodgers. Fell a bit in the draft but had no expectations to start for a while until he "learned" from the likes of the Packers and Farve. Haskins was rushed in to a starter job because he was taken at 15 and because he has an owner that has no idea how to run a franchise. I am not an NFL scout not in an NFL Front office and even I could have told you then it was a bad move.
I believe he has the tools. Now it is time to mold him like he should have been from the start. I truly believe you are looking at the Steelers starting QB in 2022 when Ben retires.
The other part that bothers me are all these people saying how great they were at 21-22 years old and they were ready for everything life threw at them. Or how good their kids are and can surley handle being a CEO of a billion dollar company at that age. Well, I wasn't and maybe, just maybe, I have a soft spot for hoping those that were like me get more than one chance.
Haskins is a big strong guy for sure. But he is not very mobile and needs a solid o line like he had in OSU. Steelers certainly don’t. If they make serious improvements in the line he has a chance.
He certainly has personal issues. Part of being a star at one of the biggest and baddest college football teams is leadership and handling responsibility. Seems he didn’t learn that there. Don’t know how much is his fault, how much is Urban’s and staffs fault.
Amazing buckeyes constantly have top rated QBs that never succeeded in the NFL. I think it’s because they are surrounded with so much talent they look better than they are. OSU has it all....linemen, backs, receivers. But when they get to the pros they can’t adjust to the shortcomings they face.
Haskins might do well but I have my doubts. But with a futures contract he is worth the risk.
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Roger. Could be right. I think he needs that time and some work reading/throwing to a spot. Seems he’s used to throwing to open receiver which is no problem for him. But in nfl open receiver may be third or fourth one u look at. We shall see. And indeed, I did much worse than him as a “man” his age
I can't believe there's this many people who think the Steelers should keep Bud Dupree. Guy has one good year applying for a contract man gets hurt so there's no way they should sign him. He wouldn't have half the numbers he has if watt wasn't on the other side. Already have Bush coming back from a major injury so you can't have two guys who have had major leg injuries trying to come back at the same time. Bush seems like the better player of the two.
Ben comes back plays one more year Pouncey retires Juju and Dupree are gone. Villanueva will either retire or not be re-signed same with another seven or eight guys.
Haskins will have competition in Camp just to be the backup with Rudolph. No harm in having that situation on a cheap contract. Draft an offensive lineman with at least one of your first two picks and then if you want to try for a running back you probably can still get a decent one in the third round if not then you could go D line or tight end. As bad as they're running attack was part of it is the running backs a bigger part of it though is the bad offensive line and the offensive system.
Ben comes back plays one more year Pouncey retires Juju and Dupree are gone. Villanueva will either retire or not be re-signed same with another seven or eight guys.
Haskins will have competition in Camp just to be the backup with Rudolph. No harm in having that situation on a cheap contract. Draft an offensive lineman with at least one of your first two picks and then if you want to try for a running back you probably can still get a decent one in the third round if not then you could go D line or tight end. As bad as they're running attack was part of it is the running backs a bigger part of it though is the bad offensive line and the offensive system.
Steelers expect Roethlisberger to return in 2021
By DALE LOLLEY
Jan 28, 2021 • 3:00 PM
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Ben Roethlisberger will likely be back with the Steelers in 2021. At least that's the current plan for the Steelers as they head into what promises to be a highly unstable situation around the NFL with the potential for the salary cap to go down by as much as $15 million this year.
But Steelers president Art Rooney II said Thursday that Roethlisberger expressed a desire to return to the Steelers for what would be a team-record 18th season when he met with head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert.
Making that occur will be something at which Rooney and Roethlisberger's representatives will have to work hard.
"Ben has been in. I’ve haven't sat down with him myself yet," Rooney said. "He sat down with Coach Tomlin and Kevin and Ben wants to come back. We’ve left that door open. We’ve been up front with Ben in letting him know we couldn’t have him back under the current contract. He understands we have some work to do there. We'll have more conversations. We'll have more conversations internally, and we'll have more conversations with Ben. Obviously, we'll have to know what the cap number is to finalize some of those decisions."
Roethlisberger, who turns 39 this offseason, is scheduled to count $41.25 million against the Steelers salary cap in 2021, the final year of a two-year, $68-million extension he signed in 2019. The Steelers bumped some of his money into this year with a renegotiation last spring, increasing his cap hit by $9.75 million.
But his base salary is just $4 million and he's due a roster bonus of $15 million by March 19, putting a time table on any negotiations that need to take place. Rooney said that while the league hasn't come forth with a hard number on the cap as of yet, he expects that number to be released to teams by mid-February.
The league and NFLPA set a cap floor of $175 million prior to the start of this season. Latest expectations have that figure coming in at just over $180 million. But there is some hope around the league that ownership and the NFLPA can come to an agreement to move that figure even higher.
When the new CBA was signed last February, the cap was set at $198 million this season, with the expectation that it would be $210 million or higher this year. But that was pre-pandemic. With reduced or no fans in stadiums across the NFL this season, the league's revenue stream wasn't as high.
But there is an expectation of increased revenues in future years that could be borrowed from to lessen the blow this year. The Steelers currently have some $215 million in salaries for the 2021 season, meaning if the cap comes in significantly lower than that, the team has a lot of work to do to get in compliance by the start of the new league year in March.
"This will probably be the most difficult salary cap challenge that we’ve had in a long time, maybe ever," Rooney admitted.
That's why Rooney stopped short of saying Roethlisberger would definitely be back in 2021.
Roethlisberger returned from major elbow surgery in 2019 to throw for more than 3,800 yards with 33 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions in 15 games last season as the Steelers won the AFC North with a 12-4 record before being upset by the Browns in the opening round of the playoffs.
Rooney said he has confidence in backup Mason Rudolph as a potential starter moving forward, but also said he wouldn't mind running things back with last year's roster -- with some obvious improvements to the running game.
Despite a strong start to the season running the ball, the Steelers finished dead last in the league on the ground by season's end. That was a reason why offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner and offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett were not retained.
"We have to look at having a commitment to the running game and I don’t know that is something we’ve always had," Rooney said.
The obvious feeling is that if Roethlisberger returns with a stronger running game, the Steelers can contend in 2021. But Rooney also knows that because of the cap situation, that's might not be possible.
"I think we’d like to see Ben back for another year if that can work," Rooney said. "There’s a lot of work to be done to see if that can happen."
www.dkpittsburghsports.com
By DALE LOLLEY
Jan 28, 2021 • 3:00 PM
0
0
Ben Roethlisberger will likely be back with the Steelers in 2021. At least that's the current plan for the Steelers as they head into what promises to be a highly unstable situation around the NFL with the potential for the salary cap to go down by as much as $15 million this year.
But Steelers president Art Rooney II said Thursday that Roethlisberger expressed a desire to return to the Steelers for what would be a team-record 18th season when he met with head coach Mike Tomlin and general manager Kevin Colbert.
Making that occur will be something at which Rooney and Roethlisberger's representatives will have to work hard.
"Ben has been in. I’ve haven't sat down with him myself yet," Rooney said. "He sat down with Coach Tomlin and Kevin and Ben wants to come back. We’ve left that door open. We’ve been up front with Ben in letting him know we couldn’t have him back under the current contract. He understands we have some work to do there. We'll have more conversations. We'll have more conversations internally, and we'll have more conversations with Ben. Obviously, we'll have to know what the cap number is to finalize some of those decisions."
Roethlisberger, who turns 39 this offseason, is scheduled to count $41.25 million against the Steelers salary cap in 2021, the final year of a two-year, $68-million extension he signed in 2019. The Steelers bumped some of his money into this year with a renegotiation last spring, increasing his cap hit by $9.75 million.
But his base salary is just $4 million and he's due a roster bonus of $15 million by March 19, putting a time table on any negotiations that need to take place. Rooney said that while the league hasn't come forth with a hard number on the cap as of yet, he expects that number to be released to teams by mid-February.
The league and NFLPA set a cap floor of $175 million prior to the start of this season. Latest expectations have that figure coming in at just over $180 million. But there is some hope around the league that ownership and the NFLPA can come to an agreement to move that figure even higher.
When the new CBA was signed last February, the cap was set at $198 million this season, with the expectation that it would be $210 million or higher this year. But that was pre-pandemic. With reduced or no fans in stadiums across the NFL this season, the league's revenue stream wasn't as high.
But there is an expectation of increased revenues in future years that could be borrowed from to lessen the blow this year. The Steelers currently have some $215 million in salaries for the 2021 season, meaning if the cap comes in significantly lower than that, the team has a lot of work to do to get in compliance by the start of the new league year in March.
"This will probably be the most difficult salary cap challenge that we’ve had in a long time, maybe ever," Rooney admitted.
That's why Rooney stopped short of saying Roethlisberger would definitely be back in 2021.
Roethlisberger returned from major elbow surgery in 2019 to throw for more than 3,800 yards with 33 touchdown passes and 10 interceptions in 15 games last season as the Steelers won the AFC North with a 12-4 record before being upset by the Browns in the opening round of the playoffs.
Rooney said he has confidence in backup Mason Rudolph as a potential starter moving forward, but also said he wouldn't mind running things back with last year's roster -- with some obvious improvements to the running game.
Despite a strong start to the season running the ball, the Steelers finished dead last in the league on the ground by season's end. That was a reason why offensive coordinator Randy Fichtner and offensive line coach Shaun Sarrett were not retained.
"We have to look at having a commitment to the running game and I don’t know that is something we’ve always had," Rooney said.
The obvious feeling is that if Roethlisberger returns with a stronger running game, the Steelers can contend in 2021. But Rooney also knows that because of the cap situation, that's might not be possible.
"I think we’d like to see Ben back for another year if that can work," Rooney said. "There’s a lot of work to be done to see if that can happen."
Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins, Pirates News, Live Coverage | DK Pittsburgh Sports
Pittsburgh Steelers, Penguins, Pirates News, Live Coverage | DK Pittsburgh Sports
www.dkpittsburghsports.com
Here is my prediction: I think Big Ben is gone. Not sure if he made the decision or if the Steelers made the decision. When the Steelers dumped Fichtner that signaled that Ben was gone since Fichtner was Ben's chosen OC. Look for the Steelers to make a blockbuster QB trade soon. My prediction is that the Steelers will trade TJ Watt to Houston for Deshaun Watson. Some draft picks will also be mixed up in the trade. Getting rid of Big Ben allows the Steelers the cap space to sign Duprey. Thus the Steelers will opt to have Watson and Duprey instead of Big Ben and Watt. In my opinion that is a huge win for the Steelers because of Watson's young age and skills. Watt is a little better than Duprey but not by much. Watson is light years better than Big Ben now and the difference would be huge next year.
"Watt is a little better than Duprey but not by much. "
You haven't been watching Steelers games if you think this. Watt has a nonstop motor and he makes everyone around him better for it. Duprey, not so much.
I will be surprised if Ben isn't back for next season. Ben gets paid next year whether the Steelers release him or keep him. They don't get back enough cap room to justify it.
Trade Watt for Watson? No. The Texans would be nuts to trade Watson for another guy who is only under contract for one season. And the Steelers have a rebuilding project on the horizon, so they need their #1 and their #2 picks to make that happen. I suspect that Watt will leave and get paid for real after next season.
It is clear that they're locked in at QB right now. That's why the Haskins deal makes any sort of sense. Low risk, with possible high reward.
And have you looked at what their schedule looks like for next season yet? Holy crap...a murderer's row of conference champions and playoff teams. Truly brutal. I would rather see Ben try to deal with those defenses than anyone else they currently have on or around the team. Rudolph would go 3-13 against that schedule.
You haven't been watching Steelers games if you think this. Watt has a nonstop motor and he makes everyone around him better for it. Duprey, not so much.
I will be surprised if Ben isn't back for next season. Ben gets paid next year whether the Steelers release him or keep him. They don't get back enough cap room to justify it.
Trade Watt for Watson? No. The Texans would be nuts to trade Watson for another guy who is only under contract for one season. And the Steelers have a rebuilding project on the horizon, so they need their #1 and their #2 picks to make that happen. I suspect that Watt will leave and get paid for real after next season.
It is clear that they're locked in at QB right now. That's why the Haskins deal makes any sort of sense. Low risk, with possible high reward.
And have you looked at what their schedule looks like for next season yet? Holy crap...a murderer's row of conference champions and playoff teams. Truly brutal. I would rather see Ben try to deal with those defenses than anyone else they currently have on or around the team. Rudolph would go 3-13 against that schedule.
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