FILTHY LUCRE....... AND PERFORMANCE.

I was just killing time doing some research, looking into Steeler salaries and contracts.

LeVeon Bell makes 1 million dollars a year and his contract is up in 2017.

Left OT Villanueva makes 480 thousand a year and his contract is up in 2017.

CB Ross Cockrell makes 600 thousand a year and his contract is up in 2017.

DE Tuitt makes 1.1 million a year and his contract is up in 2018.

WR Antonio Brown makes 8.5 million a year and his contract is up in 2018.

I'm just going to concentrate on these five guys because we are really getting a lot of bang for the buck with them. I think we should extend these guys right now.

Bell makes 1.0 million a year and is worth 10 times that. He has issues, but I think it would be in everybody's best interest if we sign him to a performance incentive type contract where he can make as much money as he can. Maybe 8 million base, 1 million bonus for 1000 yards, 2 million for 2000 yards, 1 million for 50 catches, 1 million for 16 TD's, etc. Sign him for 6 years.

Villanueva makes 480 thousand to start at left OT and watch Ben's back. Ben gets sacks less than any NFL QB this year, except for Derek Carr in Oakland. And Bell breaks off some nice runs behind Villanueva.
Villy must be doing something right! Extend him right now for 25 million over 5 years.

CB Ross Cockrell makes 600 thousand to start at corner. His contract expires in 2017 and Justin Gilbert gets 3.2 mill guaranteed to sit on the bench. I'd sign Ross to a 6 year 35 million deal now.

DE Tuitt is turning out to be a force to be reckoned with out there. He gets better all the time, and 1.1 million a year is a steal. His deal is up in 2018 but he is showing enough that we should want to lock him in for about 6 more years at about 35 million.

WR Brown makes 8.5 million a year for being the best WR in the game. His deal expires in 2018 and we should do a performance incentive deal with him too. Maybe 10 million base, with 1 million bonus for 1000 receiving yards, 1 million for 100 catches, 1 million for 16 TD's, etc. I'd sign him to 50 million over 5 years, plus incentive bonuses.

Some guys, like Timmons 9.5m, DeAngelo 2.0m, Jarvis Jones 2.1m, expire next year and will probably be gone, so there is going to be some money available.

 

Bell contract seems nice. I bet he will get closer to 9-10 though.

Your Villy contract seems reasonable too. I think it may be a touch pricy, but he's a serviceable LT and if we can get him for that I would t be upset.

The cockrell contract seems a bit rich too, but he might get close to that. He's a good number 2, and locking him up long term seems like a good idea.

I'd love to get Tuitt for that price, but he's looking at getting closer to Heyward money. 5 years 45-50mil seems much more likely.

You are wayyyyy off with AB's contract. He will not be getting less than 15 a year. If we lock him up for 5 years, expect his contract to be between 75 and 80 million dollars. He is possibly the top WR. He will be paid like the top WR.

 

No way. He'd be the highest paid once AP's ridiculous contract goes away. They will tag him and make him prove himself 1 more year before they make him the highest paid RB. Also, given his off the field issues. I'd say it's that or take 6-7 per and we will take the risk on you.

All of those players is why ABs not getting a new contract at the end of the season. Make him honor it and maybe even tag him. Juice might get tagged too.

 

Bell might get tagged, but I'd rather sign him long term. It at least makes sense to tag him in some regard. I don't think 9-10 mil is too rich for Bell though. Not at all. He is an elite runner and blocker, and his receiving ability is in a class of its own best in the NFL at his position.

AB needs a new contract. I'm sorry, we've basically stolen him at the number he's making. I understand he signed a deal, but he's become something that no one other than himself ever envisioned. We owe it to him to lock him up. Besides I'd rather pay AB first and then make Houston and Atlanta pay Hopkins and Jones off of AB's deal and not the other way around. I'm tired of penny pinch with our studs. Pay him. If we lose AB or Bell over a stupid contract dispute or a mil or two here and there then we don't deserve to win football games

 

Enjoy this season...

 

I couldn't give AB 15m a year outright, I could do 10 plus performance. You have to give him incentive to keep producing. Guys that get that crazy money tend to get a little complacent and under-perform, then you're going "I"m payin 15 mill a year for this?!"
I THINK - THE NFL SHOULD START DOING PERFORMANCE BASED CONTRACTS ON ELITE PLAYERS. "ALL THE MONEY YOU WANT IS THERE, YOU JUST HAVE TO GO EARN IT."

 

All of that is why I'm saying base their next contract off the performance of this contract. If they want big money, they have to keep producing big numbers.
If you give elite players a big base, but not top money, and allow for bonuses for performance, then everybody is gonna be happy.
8 mill a year for Bell is fair, but he will want more, so let him make more - throw him a 2 million dollar carrot if he runs for 2000 yards, another mill if he scores 16 TD's.
I'd do it now before he starts hearing offers, he has 5 or 6 good years left.
If he won't take that kind of money, write him off and start looking now for a future feature back.

 

Bell and AB are both going to want around 15 mill a year. I say give it to them if they can earn it. Why give it to them if it turns out their best years are behind them?
I certainly would not base their next contract off what they did in this contract, because there is no quarantee they will have the discipline to make the effort in this new contract, if you have the money, why work hard?

In my opinion, the 5 guys I mentioned probably feel like they are getting robbed because of the bang of the buck, and the organization would show some respect for their effort to extend them and secure their future.
I'd keep the 5 guys I mentioned, and I wouldn't feel good about letting them play for the current salary.

I'm mystified by the Steeler contract structure, they give the 5 I mentioned peanuts, and they give " Heyward, DeCastro, Timmons, Pouncey as much and more than they pay AB.

DeAngelo Williams is getting 2m to sit in the tub, while Bell makes 1 m to win games
Justin Gilbert gets 3.2m to stand on the sideline while Cockrell is getting 600k to make plays all day.
Villanueva gets 480K to start at left tackle, and there are backup left tackles making 4.8 m
Tuitt is getting 1.1m and is going to be soon recognized for the force he is, because teams have to scheme to stop him. Great player. Guys are making 10 times what he makes.

 

You can't tag both players in the same year, the team already promised AB a new contract in 2017.

 

The Steelers aren't going to pay Bell 15 million a year, nor should they. With his two suspensions for weed, and injuries he sustained missing the playoffs in 2014 and 2015. Maybe pay him 9-10 million a year for 3-4 years.

 

Whatever they do with Bell, I hope they put in some safeguards for his suspension potential. Obviously they don't get paid while being suspended but I have no idea how that works with the cap. Does his contract amount for the year apply to the cap if he is suspended for the year?

He will definitely get a big contract. He is essentially our RB and #2 WR.

 

Once again everybody forgets AB still has another year on his contract after this season. Bell doesn't. AB isn't getting a new contract in 2017.

 

AP gets 14. Next highest is 9. Steelers aren't paying top dollar for WR and RB. When's the last time they have done that? No way, Bell gets 12 per.

 

He set himself up to be low balled with his actions. Also, injury prone. Either he takes the 6-8 per and gets more money or they will tag him and he has to take the chance of not smoking weed in the off-season, having another big year, and staying healthy.

 

smokin weed with blount

 

smokin weed with blount

 

what happened there?
BFT syndrome?

 

Well if we don't give him 15 mil a year outright, we lose him. Every team that has the cap space to accommodate him at that salary (or higher) will offer him that. 10 million means that he would make less than Allen Hurns, Tavon Austin, Emmanuel Sanders, Jeremy Maclin, Larry Fitzgerald, Keenan Allen, Vincent Jackson, TY Hilton and Doug Baldwin... that's a slap in the face to AB. Straight up disrespectful. He is WAY better than all of those players. If I were him and the Steelers offered me 10mil a year our contract negotiation would be over. Leaving via FA.

He should be making at least as much (or more than) Dez, Alshon jefferey, AJ Green, Demaryius Thomas and Julio Jones. The cheapest contract of that group is 14mil a year. This really isn't a debate... he's getting 15 mil a year or more regardless, I'm just hoping it's from us. I would offer 5 years/77.5 million. I'd be willing to bet that he'd accept that. Bell should fetch a 4 year 34-38 million dollar contract with low guarantees and a lot of bonus money tied up in roster bonuses and workout bonuses to ensure that he only gets that money if he doesn't get suspended due to substance abuse violations.

You also mentioned you shouldn't base his and Bell's next contract off of what they did under this one... what else would you base it off of? Players earn their next contract with their play. You just gotta be smart about who you pay because some guys are more likely to be lazy when they get paid (Woodley), but most guys aren't. AB and Bell are about as low risk as possible in that regard. AB is the hardest worker on the team and Bell is a hard worker too. Both want to be great, you gotta pay up to get/keep great players. We will not be able to replace either of them IMO. Both have the skills to be future HoF'ers. Guys like that don't grow on trees.

Also, all of the players we are getting "for cheap" as you described are all playing under their rookie contracts. They get paid an arbitrary amount of money based off of their draft status for 4-5 years. They will be paid when their contracts are up at the amount they earned by how well they played during their rookie contracts. They'll get theirs, no need to rush things with guys still on rookie deals.

 

Doing this ensures that the franchise tag year is his last in a Steeler uniform. I don't hate tagging him, but dont low ball him and then tag him as a punishment...

 

I don't think they should give Bell no more than 10-11 million, if he balks at their offer they can tag him in 2017 and 2018. In the Post Gazette Fittipaldo said they may re-sign Tuitt and pick up Shazier's 5th yr option in the offseason, that 30 million projected cap space will go quickly after they re-sign AB and others.

 

10-11 is more than fair. If he doesn't take that, I'd be shocked

Tuitt and Shazier are huge for the Defense tho. Those guys need signed bad. Too bad we spent all of Tuitts money on a RG...

 

The Steelers are projected to have 32 million in cap space next year, with some restructures if needed they will have enough to re-sign Tuitt.

 

Good. He and Shazier are way too important to this defense to let go