A good case that the Steelers need to be more involved in free agency.

Consider the Ravens. Anquan Boldin, Jacoby Jones and Matt Birk were all key free agent pickups and all of them played crucial roles in delivering the Lombardi to Baltimore. I understand and agree with the Steelers philosophy of trying to sign their own free agents first, but at times I think we might be a little too internally focused and miss out on opportunities to sign free agents that would be able to contribute to the success of the football team. We haven't really made a "splash" move in free agency since we went out and got James Farrior and that paid off pretty well for us.

Boldin has more than delivered and has provided quite a nice return on the Ravens' original investment. He's a guy that's open even when he's covered. I think Dwayne Bowe could be that guy for us. We may have to pay him a handsome sum but I think he's the kind of receiver that's a legitimate number one and that can be a difference maker like Bodlin was for the Ravens. We need to go get him. I think his return would be much greater and much quicker than any wide receiver we could draft who may or may not pan out.

I'm not proposing that we go out and take the Daniel Snyder approach to free agency, but I think we've been all but ignoring a great tool that can help our football team get better and get back to the pinnacle of the game a lot sooner. It worked pretty well for Baltimore.

 

Of course, Ed Bouchette doesn't make me feel any more optimistic about it with this comment:

Since paying for a proven receiver in free agency is out of the question, they will have to locate one in the draft.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/stories...-so-does-the-lack-of-it-673215/#ixzz2JwZBAOhs


My question is WHY???? Why would the Steelers not consider signing a top flite WR in free agency. Bowe would fit nicely into this offense and would give them a legitimate number one, which would in turn elevate the other WR's games, most notably Brown's. ​

 

Bouchette mentions Allen and Patterson as a couple of big receivers the Steelers could have their eye on, but why not make a play for a PROVEN WR like Dwayne Bowe with great size and good speed and could be our Anquan Boldin? I realize our cap situation is tight, but the Ravens figured out a way to make key free agent acquisitions happen. Why can't we?

 

I think the draft picks do count. But Colbert has already indicated that he may be doing some housecleaning. That should free up some cap space. Hopefully, the Steelers will be judicious while they're executing the big dump and they usually are. I'm just saying that we can't continue to turn a blind eye to free agency as we have in the past when we see other teams in our own division having success in the free agent market. Colbert's a smart guy, Tomlin's a smart guy, Khan's a smart guy and the Rooneys are smart owners. They can figure out a way to get a deal done with somebody like Dwayne Bowe who can come in and immediately help the team.

 

We picked up a free agent WR last year, when we signed Burress, of course they never used him much, we signed Cotchery but seldom throw to him either, a team has to involve FAs in the offense if they sign them, of course you will say but those guys arent top 5 and what you want is a big star wide receiver, like a Calvin Johnson or maybe a Dwayne Bowe, these types of receivers come with big contracts, I remember when Dallas gave up two one picks to Detroit for Roy Williams and a big 50 million contract and williams turned out to be a bust, Bowe could be another williams waiting to happen...Also the rats got Boldin fairly cheap, for 26mill....

 

I have heard a rumor that the aforementioned Boldin may be a cap casualty since they now have to pay Waco Flacco.

 

Not just Flacco, but Boldin, but I think Ed Reed is due for an extension as well along with their best pass rusher Kruger, and right now they are 5 mill over the cap, Flacco alone could make them 20 mill over the cap, somebody or some bodies have to go and even Jacoby Jones is mentioned as a possible release to free up some cap space..

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.co...ll-soon-face-tough-decision-on-anquan-boldin/

 

ryan clark was a good find too.

we are 10 mil. over the cap with under 30 players signed. we have the draft which is 8 possibly and we then have to fill 53 roster spots. just because colbert is going to dump players doesn't mean all their money goes away. we also have to fill their spots and the dead money is still there. ben counts for one-sixth of the cap amount this year. we will have to pay this at some point. these salaries won't just go away.

 

I really wanted Delanie Walker, but I think his price just went up.

 

Yeah, they can only restructure Bens contract so many times, twice already, but paying him in cash only stretches out his bonus cap so far, pretty soon it all adds up against the cap, prorating works in the short term but in the long term it counts as dead money just the same..

 

Yep. Boldin is a beast and I was mad when we didn't try to get him when he was available the first time. I think the presence of Haley alone would be enough reason to keep him from coming here. I wonder what Haley's relationship with Bowe is? I mean I would take Greg Jennings in a heartbeat but I would say he's about to get majorly paid. His hands are every bit as good as Boldin's but he is not the tough guy Boldin is. I definitely think other teams use free agency better. Ed Reed is gonna be a free agent too right? I would take him in an absolute heartbeat. I may be in the minority but I think an aging Ed Reed is better than Ryan Clark and Ryan Mundy put together. I wouldn't mind to try and take him for a year just to see what would happen and also just to see if he could help our guys become better players.

 

Yeah I was mentioning last night that I thought he would be a good free agent to look at.

 

So is Wallace as good as gone?

 

I still say NO POSSIBLE WAY they let Boldin go though. He is their Heath Miller I think. Even at his age I would be shocked if they let him walk and they would be utterly retarded if they did that.

 

The Steelers can't afford Dwayne Bowe he will want around $10 million a year. There is no way they will pay two receivers that type of money after paying Antonio Brown last year. The Steelers are $12 million over the cap if they sign any free agents it will be on the cheap.

 

As I have said in an earlier post, I think Ozzie is much better talent
evaluater than Colbert. Lets hope this changes?

 

Does anyone think that Kruger could play the right side?

Look I love Harrison, but we must admit he is pretty far down the hill for his career. Kruger is just a beast at rushing the passer. If he could play the right and Woodley could return to form....it would be pretty impressive for us. It also would fill a position of need.

 

Ozzie is better at finding the later round guys, or obscure UDFA's. Colbert is better at hitting on the first rounders...Ozzie has missed on a few first rounders over the years...

 

yes. because even the Steelers wanted, they don't have the cap space to pay Wallace what he wants

 

Ozzie is apparently also better than Colbert at finding key free agent pieces, i.e. Boldin, Jones, Birk, that can help his team win Super Bowls. I keep hearing this argument that the Steelers are up against the cap and that seems to be the same argument we hear every year. Free agency can be a difference maker and we need to learn how to play in that arena. I don't think the Ravens get to and win the Super Bowl without Anquan Boldin or Jacoby Jones, both were key free agent pick ups.