Complete Offseason Roster Plan

I also wouldn't mind to see Timmons go but I really think he might just straight up play for a discount to stay and I don't know if Tomlin would be willing to cut him. They say he's Tomlin's favorite so that would at least be intriguing from that standpoint. I've thought for a couple of years that we might have to change our FA approach to turn things around for the immediate here and now and I agree that we should definitely do that but I think a great rusher and a great safety is what I'd like to see. Although I'm totally not against getting a shutdown corner. I've wanted that forever. Really I wouldn't care if they lured Eric Berry from KC and just broke the bank on him and that be the only FA signing they did. He's a game changer and has said that he wouldn't play for the franchise tag. He's a pipe dream I know but since we're talking hypotheticals I guess he would be my most coveted dude out there if we could get him.

 

I wouldn't re-sign DWill at 1.8 he's almost 34 and can't stay healthy, you can find a cheap backup RB in the mid rounds of the draft. You guys crack me up with this let's sign a edge rusher and CB in FA, that's not the Steelers MO not going to happen.

 

But didn't we sign William Gay in FA?

 

Why is signing an edge rusher and CB that far fetched? Both of those positions are definitive needs. Granted, it's unlikely the Steelers will break the bank and make a splash signing, although I think this could be the year they break tradition and do that, but they very well may find an under the radar type player who may just be getting ready to break out. We've done that before with players like James Farrior, Jeff Hartings, Ryan Clark, etc. I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility.

 

The thing is though about getting one of those under the radar guys is that we used to be able to do that because we had truly dominant players to put them on the field with. Now we don't really have that truly dominant guy like we did in Troy when we got Ryan Clark. That's why I would like to see us get at least one truly dominant defensive FA and then maybe we could already have our "Ryan Clark" on the roster. If that makes any sense.

 

i'm reading it won't be as cheap to sign harrison back. do we do it then or look to use that money on a younger FA instead?

 

Harrison has to be willing to come back on the Steelers terms, or he won't be back. It's that simple.

 

we better draft 2 then.

 

The 2017 veteran players with 10 years plus experience minimum pay is 1 million dollars, vet mini pay increases by 15K each year, in 2016 it was 985K for vets with 10 years plus experience, so JH gets a million$ if we resign him, that's a lot more money than he can earn in his lifes work as an animal Vet, and he is in no position to negotiate since it will be a take it or leave it offer.........

 

Actually I think his sack total this year was the lowest leading total in a lot of years too.

 

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2017/02/steelers-may-pay-keep-james-harrison/

just saw this was why i brought it up.

 

It's the lowest since Glenn Edwards had 4.5 back in 1972.

 

I do think this is the year the Steelers make a big spash in free agency. I'd be surprised if we didn't sign one of the top 5 pass rushers

There's a very clear alignment of 3 things
1. Our Ben Window
2. Our cap space
3. Our dire need at the edge rush position

Melvin Ingram is a PERFECT fit. He checks all the boxes. He's in his prime, he is a proven 3 dimension player in our scheme.... he bends the edge (pass rush), sets the edge (run), runs off the edge (pass coverage).

He's going to be due a huge contract. Teams are going to be lining up to sign him (Colts)... but I say this is the year we drop a mega offer.

(yes, this is all probably wishful thinking)

If not Ingram.... there's Nick Perry.

Of course... the Steeler thing to do would be signing Alex Okafor or John Simon.

 

But Weddle was a 31 year old safety... who had already begun to show the signs of decline.
The Steelers were smart to try and get someone like that on the cheaper side, but not get in a bidding war...

A 27 year old, top 10 34 OLB Rusher... is someone you can make the case for getting in a bidding war considering the current state. An Impact Pass Rusher is a much rarer commodity than quality safety play.

The REAL question... The HARD question.... is whether the franchise is willing to put itself in to cap hell at the end of Ben's contract.

Because we can afford to add a mega contract... even with AB and Bell getting taken care of. We can do it. We can handle it cap wise this year, AND next year... but those contracts, on top of the cap growth in the contracts we've got the Oline and Heyward locked in to.... they are going up... and there's no stopping it. We can kick the can a couple seasons.... but it's essentially an all out "go for 7" in 2017, 2018, 2019.

I for one... am willing to live with the pain in the future (total cap hell around 2019-2020). I say we go all in on the next couple seasons.

 

tuitt, shazier, bell, these are coming due soon. do we have the money for a big FA and still have the loot to get these guys signed? tuitt is going to want heyward money. shazier won't be cheap. bell after this year????

 

Yea, like I said, it's a go for it move... we'd be in cap hell in a few years. We could keep everyone short term.

 

It's not like Harrison has any other options, if he wants to play next season he will re-sign.

 

I would give it a chance of happening if they didn't have to re-sign Bell and Brown, there goes most of their cap space. The Steelers will do what they always do when FA starts sit back and not spend big money, then fans will call them cheap for not signing any outside FA.

 

The OP had them signing Ingram and Johnson, the Steelers spend that much on outside FA I will believe it when I see it. They may sign a mid tier FA like they did with Mitchell and Green, but that's it IMO. Besides Bell and AB have to be paid first, and possibly Tuitt.

 

I'm talking about a big contract signing like it would take to get Trumaine Johnson.

 

Yikes. Puts into perspective my hesitation in buying new refrigerator.

Does your "cap hell" scenario take into account the space that opens up when Ben's massive contract expires? What's the damage if he hangs 'em up after the 2017 or 2018 season?

 

With some big contracts looming in the off season, we wont be getting into any bidding wars this off season, the colts have ingram on their radar and being 55 million under the cap they have the inside track on signing him:

With the Indianapolis Colts set to hit free agency, general manager Chris Ballard should make Los Angeles Chargers soon-to-be free agent pass rusher Melvin Ingram a top target.

Armed with now around $55 million of cap space, the Colts have enough funds to make at least a ‘big splash or two’ in free agency, and a blue chip pass rusher like Ingram certainly fits that mold.