Do you want Ben as our starting QB in 2021?

I didn't suspect we would. Below are the top ten cap hits for 2021, along with the dead cap space (prorated bonus money) and cap savings (base salary+roster/workout bonus) if cut/traded before June 1. At the current estimate of $170M next season (I think it will end higher) the Steelers are currently $35M over (not factoring McDonald's retirement).

Ben $41M $22M $19M
Haden $15.5M $8.5M $7M
Tuitt $15M $9M $5.5M
Heyward $14.5M $16M -$1M
Pouncey $14.5M $6.5M $8M
Nelson $14.5M $6M $8M
DeCastro $14M $5.5M $9M
Watt $10M $0 $10M
Ebron $8.5M $2.5M $6M
McDonald $8M $2M $6M

All but Tuitt and Heyward are in their final contract year. Allows for slightly cleaner paths in releasing or extending, though calls for some interesting decisions.

Personally I'd look at what it would cost to resign Hilton and Sutton, release Haden and extend Nelson. If Hilton and Sutton both prove too expensive, resign one and look at a short, moderately priced extension for Haden. Ben has to be extended with as much of his $19M in base/roster bonus pushed forward. Sucks to think of eating it period, but they certainly can't afford it next year.

Heyward's contract was already restructured, and with its current numbers and his age put him out of much consideration. I'd extend Tuitt and DeCastro, keeping the numbers reasonable. It's possible they look to negotiate Watt's first veteran contract this offseason to shift his $10M hit. Ebron has taken some flak for his lack of blocking and drops this year, but with McDonald retiring I think he's a possible candidate for extension as well depending on how the money falls. Pouncey is tough for me. He didn't have a good year, but it's hard to hold any of the line too accountable with the running scheme the coaching staff had in place most of the year. Still, it's not a good year to foot $8M if he's just looking at a farewell tour.

 

Good info. As far as Pouncey and the coaching scheme: Was it the coaching scheme that made the line perform poorly or was the OL just that bad and the coaching scheme was an attempt to compensate for it? Like most things I think its a combination and I'd still get rid or Pouncey as this past year wasn't the only poor performance year he's had. In 2019 it was 50/50 if the ball made it back to the QB off of the ground- terrible year for the ROI on his salary. Time to go.

 

Not to quibble, but Ben’s $15MM roster bonus comes due in mid-March. It is standard, though, for bonuses to be conditioned on passing the physical. If his knees are shot...

 

His contract is guaranteed for injury so if he can’t return because of the knee issue I think the Steelers could be on the hook big time. That’s without reading the fine print of course, but you’d have to imagine that any condition that prevents him taking the field would trigger the injury guarantee.

If the Steelers dont want him back it won’t come to that, they’ll sit him down and make their position clear and he would probably retire rather than be cut once they agree not to come after him for his signing bonus.

 

Opinions will vary. Personally I'm not blaming it all on the coaches, but their approach was pretty terrible IMO, and I don't feel what was done as the season progressed was a direct result of OL performance. Over the first four games the Steelers displayed a good mix of run, pass, and misdirection plays. Some injuries and situational playcalling got them out of it, and they became hyper focused on the short passing game.

Attempts later in the season to rejuvenate the running game seemed futile. But by that point teams had adjusted to the short throws and were jamming the line. Add in o-lineman in two-point stances and it gets hard to blame the mess entirely on the lineman either.

It's hard for me to believe Pouncey is entirely washed up, but I agree he hasn't appeared a top flight C the past two years. And $8M counts for more next year than it has for several.

 

A HOF QB that can turn in that kind of passing irrelevant?

Child please...

 

If Ben retires he has to payback the Bonus money. If he is cut he gets to keep the Bonus money.


Also,
I keep reading that the NFLPA will not let Ben take a paycut.

So, why can't the Steelers cut Ben and then resign him to a new 1 year contract for 1.075 million.

 

I don’t think they would like to cut him, that’s why I said if the team want him gone they’d likely agree that he can retire and keep his bonus. It’s up to the team if they want to ask for it back. I really doubt they’d go down that road.

I’m not sure about the legal side of pay reductions but I don’t see why Ben would or should agree to play for the league minimum. $19m is not outrageous for what he gives you. The issue is the salary cap and his inflated cap number due to the way they set the contract up and the restructure they did last year. That’s not really Bens fault.

Even when Brady was being lauded for playing on team friendly deals for the Pats he was still earning $25m +

 

Not sure where you're getting this, but bonus repayments with retirements aren't cemented in the current CBA. But with more high profile players retiring during the prime of their careers (Luck, e.g.) it will likely be addressed with the next one.

With respect to Ben, any seeking of bonus repayment will be complicated by his age (the Steelers knew he'd be approaching the end of his career by contract's end) and the conversion of base salary into signing bonus at the time in 2019. The Steelers sought the conversion in order to lower his hit at the time. Not going to have a lot of success asking for that back after the fact.

 

No bearing? He just did it again the last game played?!?!? We did make the playoffs too. I’m not “gaga” [SIC], I want to add to that pass attack not take the attack away. If you’re going to replace that it better be at least equal, if not better. Who?
I’ll disagree with you all and I’ll take Ben with a legit run game to compliment those passing yards any day of the week and Sunday too!

 

Ans you see the guy who Ben had no "control" over win a ring when led by an actual leader?

 

Why didn't he do all that to get a ring for Ben im the end? That's multiple receivers now 2iining rings without ben.. hmmm

 

I'd like to see him back.

Further more, what a crappy last year that would be with no fans in the stands. He deserves a good send off next year by the people in Pittsburgh, with people in stands actually cheering for him!

 

Agree and disagree...Your right, Pouncey hasn't been a top notch Center the last 2 years.. Why would you think, being s year older next year, this will suddenly change!

 

I agree & Disagree. I agree we should draft , or get a Qb 2 groom. I agree we can't live in the past ( Bens) I disagree that he's done. He just came off major surgery. Also some of the things you say about him not having a deep ball (same was said about Brady all year). You remember the game against Saints on (I believe Sunday night) 3 ints ,no Tds. He couldn't compete a pass over 7 yards. It's just Ben's was last game this year so it's stuck in your , & my craw. IMO. Ben also did line up under center. Just not alot. Anyway. I think the surgery, and line regression had alot 2 do with play calling, and play.Also a lot of young Wrs here.

 

Answer these questions:
Can Ben do this consistently:
Execute a QB sneak?
Get under center and run play action?
Roll out and make a throw down the field?
Practice?

The answer is no. Anything good he brings to the table is nullified by these things he can't do anymore.

You're hung up on the Legend of Ben not what he's capable of actually doing.

 

Didn't say I thought it would necessarily change. My argument is more to what level Pouncey is actually able to play at, relative to his cost and potential replacement. $8M is a lot in cap space, but their approach to the run game (and, really, the offense as a whole) left a lot to be desired most of last year. This at the least makes it difficult to assess some of the individual components and the role they could play in an improved approach.

 

This is where a lot factors into whether or not Ben should be coming back. Unfortunately, there's less fact than speculation for us to go on at this point. If the reports of arthritis in his knees are accurate it doesn't look good. While I believe he can still make enough throws, he can't carry the entire offense to victory himself anymore. Basic mobility around the pocket and play action with some semblance of an effective running game are going to be required.

It's unclear if his body is truly up to what that will entail. I'd like to think so, but the signs aren't good.

 

Seen the great Jon Kolb was on an interview and he said " I had to turn the game off " in reference to watching the OL...

He said," In all my years of playing an Coaching, I've never seen an Offensive Lineman,where his first step was BACK "...You get the first punch, If your first step is back... You're already at disadvantage he said...