Cap Space

Yeah and we're going to get some more with some easy cuts. 13.4 million from Preston Smith, 6 million from Cole Holcomb, 7 million from Ogunjobi, 2.7 million from Patterson, 2.5 million from Lowry, 1.1 million from Waitman.... I know not all of these guys are getting cut, but Smith and Holcomb are pretty safe bets IMP and that is nearly 20 million of additional space. Have another 15 in potential cuts if we want to get a bit crazy with our overhaul. All of that is prior to restructures and potential extensions lowering hits. There's little chance we go into the FA period with less than 65 million at our disposal with another 5-10 in restructurable space to leverage if we have to.

We certainly can afford going to the table to chase down a couple bigger name guys. We could easily afford a Higgins contract, sign a quality DL like BJ Hill, and grab a good CB with plenty of room to spare. Ancillary back ups and contracts doled out to guys like Warren will make up some of the cap too, but we can afford quite a bit of roster upheaval if we'd like to.

 

We could get to near 90 mil.

 

Let's hope these cap savings can be used wisely. I know I will
be monitoring. As SGS pointed out, there is much dead wood that should be trimmed.
I am anxious to see if they will be proactive, lord knows we need them to be.

 

depends how deep they want to cut. bubble guys like leal could easily go. waitman set steelers records last year. how good will johnson be after the injury? go with a healthy known commodity. heyward? we don't use him anymore. adams? if we draft a couple why keep him? lowery , same.
we drafted one last year and still have slade. patterson. several fringe players that are 1.1 mil. here or there. yes all these add up to a lot of cap space.

i expect 1 maybe 2 DL drafted.
1 wr drafted. 1 FA
sign warren.
they brought ward back at RB.
draft RB.
draft CB.
1 FA DB.

 

we could get even more cap space with these moves.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/ot...S&cvid=20d3b0df387e4d8b8405eb7cb7161f2a&ei=73

they are saying around 40 mil. if they do all these contracts.

we could be around 130 mil. by the time it's said and done. nice little bank account to play with.

 

If Steelers don't pull a Browns, Broncos or Cowboys and overpay for a QB... they should have decent cap space for the next 5-6 years, even if they draft a franchise QB in '26 or '27 with rookie contract.

Some rare optimism during the Popcorn regime.

 

I wouldn't get my hopes up on Higgins because a team like New England is desperate for weapons on offense, and they can outbid everybody.

 

Thing is, can Tomlin be trusted to actually obtain the right pieces to field a football team capable of not getting housed in the opening round of the playoffs?! Never mind that, for once, will Tomlin and the Steelers not collapse late season?!


That is actually number one on my wish list at present.

 

I know it just a list, and the lowest amount (at this time at least mean squat), but I'd strategically keep Waitman around, He was not the best and has had ups and downs his entire career, but for what we have went through with Punters the last few years, that's a piddly amount to have a quality guy around.

 

Getting on topic regarding cap space, is anyone convinced that the Steeles are going to attempt to plug holes at WR, CB and QB?! I am more than convinced in that sense. Due to that fact, I also don't rule out cutting Larry O and others to make way for other IDLs. He may be a year older than last season but Javon Kinlaw is still on my wish list. Likely looking at 10-12 Million to nab him though. BJ Hill is another.


WR though will garner the most attention. Pittsburgh already broke precedent by backing up the Brinks Truck for an in division Rival in Patrick Queen. Will the team do so again with Tee Higgins?! I'd temper expectations but who knows?! Time will tell for certain.



I do state all of this for one reason; IDL is the massive (no pun intended) focus for the Offseason. Stopping the run is paramount and, in a division where just about every team is capable, in some form or capacity, to run the football, Pittsburgh needs to get back to stopping the run. However, as I have pointed out once and will again, this upcoming IDL Class is Legendary. Would it make sense to take an IDL in Round One despite the Steelers FO knowing this?!



Here is another question; who will be playing Guard in 2025?! Common sense dictates the likes of Spencer Anderson and Mason McCormick. However, suppose a player like Armand Membou or even Will Campbell is available at Pick 21. In such a class that is extremely rail thin with versatility, would either or be a good option?! I bring up Armand for one particular reason; Broderick Jones' slippery slope of a Sophomore Campaign and Troy Fautanu returning to form after his Rookie Season knocked out. Should either or struggle, at the very least, Membou is more than athletic enough and long enough to play the bookend. Will Campbell isn't but he would be a stellar IOL upgrade if the team has enough confidence in both but would want a in case of emergency option.

 

That Omar was talking trade with the 49's last year for an established player I would not rule out looking for a WR in FA. We can only speculate how things go for Pickens, but there has to be a wary feeling in the front office after previous WR encounters, and the things we have seen and at least heard about with GP. How much is true? But to set a deal for 25 to 30 million yearly with a huge guarantee is pretty risky. His potential could easily be top 5, but the issues outside of that have to be addressed. Have seen Hargrave mentioned as a potential returner, I just do not know if it's just to late, the guy is getting up there. Your take on Membou is interesting, can't recall thelast time (if ever) we went OL in the first 3 years straight, but with Andy I would not rule it out.

 

Free agency starts in 39 days

 

Let the countdown begin...

 

Armand Membou's rise should have been apparent since the end of the 2023 College Football Season. Why people finally decided to wake up and notice him now is beyond me. Both his weigh in and performance during the Shrine Bowl definitely caught a lot of peoples eyes. He is going to test a lot better than others are willing to give him credit for.


If anything, don't be surprised if he is the first OT taken off the board when it is all said and done. He has that type of talent, athleticism, physical dimensions and extremely rare five positional versatility. Dude is the complete package.

 

What you see as exciting I see a problem. A division rival with more cap space, and a very solid offense. Only needs to build the other half of the team.

 

To each their own, but I think you're being a little too sunny on the Bengals/cloudy on the Steelers to call an extra $6M 'a problem.' The Bengals have a lot of work to do with their defense this offseason while also having to decide what to do with their two top WRs. Higgins will command $25-$30M/yr in free agency, and Chase, who they likely want to extend this offseason so as to avoid having to tag him next year, could be looking north of $35M/yr.

If I'm listing anything as a problem with the Bengals, it's that they have a franchise QB. We don't.

 

$25-30M for a decoy WR seems a bit rich. Give me a rookie with speed instead and put the cap space in a decent FA CB, ...Charvarius Ward.

 

My cap chopping block:

Preston Smith: 13.4m
Larry O: 7m
Seamalu: 7.8m
Holcomb: 6m
Patterson: 2m

Creates 36m+ in cap space

 

I know you're of the belief that the WR2 isn't used in a Smith offense, and that just isn't true.

98.8% of the plays they ran last year had at least two WRs on the field, and about 57% of those were passing plays.

Also, I'd lean more Carlton Davis than Ward. Steelers ran the 4th-most Cover 1 last year, something Davis is familiar with in Detroit.

 

Art II said that stopping the run is paramount. When he said they needed to run the ball better they drafted Najee Harris.

So I can see IDL or Receiver in the 1st and or 2nd. I do feel at that Pickens will play out the season.

Pickens needs to go to a team that's throw heavy. The Steelers want to run run pass not a balanced offense and that doesn't fit his talent level.

Which begs the question besides money what top flight receiver would want to come here with Tomlin turtle ball?

 

https://www.sharpfootballanalysis.c...ersonnel Usage, 2024,highest rate of 2RB sets.