Free Agency Thread

They apparently have an offer.... it either works out or not.
I don't them to trade for the Houston WR that is now odd man out with the arrival of Diggs

 

new signings.

https://steelersdepot.com/2024/04/fowler-steelers-signing-te-mycole-pruitt/

mycole pruitt TE from the falcons.

 

Outside of the QB room moves this offseason, the Steelers botched the offense. Picked up 2 low/mid tier WR with drop issues and an old Tight End. Dont like this offense at all.

 

I can't imagine where this guy fits in.

A 32 year old 6'2/245 lbs TE with 70 catches in 9 seasons.

Unless he's gonna play FB. Might as well bring in an actual FB. Some young anvil head.

 

4 WR's, could say 5 with patterson. a better blocking TE than friermuth. one that knows the offense very well and should help the younger TE's we have. callaway, mims, jefferson, watkins and patterson. austin and pickens. pruitt, friermuth, washington. heyward is a man without a country it seems. not sure where he fits. got rid of a bad center. we probably are not done yet either.

 

For all the people complaining about the moves we made in free agency-
Until last year, April 5th was about when we would make a first signing.

 

that is b/c of Ben's BIG FAT CONTRACT largely. Rats, Chiefs, Bills, others have the same problem today.

 

QBs cost more. Franchise QBs cost the most. It’s a problem every franchise wants.

 

you want it.....till you have it

add the Bungles to that list too.

i was just responding to the previous thread - the Why we did never did much in FA until recently.

Ben's contract was the reason.

only 2-3 of those QB are really worth it.

it is bassACKwards - and it is hurting the game. TOO much $$$ going to the QB position.

 

I will never begrudge someone getting the most pay for their job. The owners, NFLPA, and others get together and make decisions on the salary cap. Individual teams can then decide how they want to spend.

I sort of get what you’re saying about the amount of the contracts. But I think it makes perfect sense and rationale that it’s going to QBs. If you’re going to the playoffs every season, the QB is considered the star and face of the franchise. Most cases.

As for FA, the Colbert regime always believed in building through the draft. FA was used more to fill holes in the roster temporarily. The trade for Minkah was more of an exception as well. I don’t think this offseason necessarily means this is the new way either. I think some moves were needed and were made by Omar. I think a move or two this year were forced upon him as well. I guess we’ll see how it goes in the future.

 

i can remember washington and the raiders both spending tons on the top free agents trying to buy a super bowl and all the press saying how loaded they were and they should be the teams to beat. wha wha wha. didn't do a thing. too many look at me diva's to get along on one team together. i'll take good football players over high priced money hungry players any day. good play for a fair price. one guy shouldn't kill a team for years but as long as the market bares it this is what we will get. we pay and they will take. simple as that.

 

Sorry, I agree with the original poster, right now Khan has created more holes in the offense than he has filled.

Created a hole at RT, by releasing Chuks. (Dan Moore says he can't play RT, so maybe Spencer Anderson is your Starter?)
Created a hole at C, by releasing Cole. (Nate Herbig, a guy that has not played a single snap for the Steelers at center is your Starter?)
Created a hole at WR by release DJ. (The Steelers can sign 15 more guys at WR, but so far none of them would be your #2 starter)

Right now I am not giving Khan much credit for all the backup players he is bringing in, because of the fact that he is not addressing the missing starters on offense.

There are still capable starters out there via Free Agency, let alone trade ability. Right now Khan is just playing chicken with the Free Agents waiting for their Prices to go down.

Created a hole at RT. I still like 24 year old Mekhi Becton at RT, Jets moved him to LT last year, but he is a natural RT (Spotrac has his Market Value at $12.9 million)
Created a hole at C. Bring back Mason Cole, he received 100% of the Center Snaps last year, while Herbig sat on the bench.
Created a hole at WR. Gallup / Chark. Both still wanting over $10 million per season. (Spotrac has Chark at $10.9 Market Value and I would assume Gallup wants more)

 

Currently, the minimum annual salary in the NFL is $750K. This is a budget I can’t even get my mind wrapped around. It’s their money, they can spend it however they want. How much does the long snapper make?

 

stay tuned, it is only April 5.

 

Okorafor was ridiculously overpaid for a guy they no longer see as a starter. Also, he sucks. I think they would keep Jones on the right side with Moore on the left before they put Okorafor back in there.

Re-signing Cole would be a disaster.

Johnson wasn't released. He was traded.

 

And none of these guys were replaced by anyone, YET. (C, RT, WR)

I am assuming Khan is just waiting until the price is right on some more free agent moves. That said right now Khan has created 3 huge holes on offense this off-season.

Also, I would feel a lot more comfortable if Mason Cole was still on the roster going into the draft; I don't want another Kendrick Green where we take the better center available in the 3rd round and cross our fingers, or Terrell Edmunds where we take a Need Position in the 1st round no matter what.

 

Anvil Head

 

This is my issue as well. I'm used to them having a significant need/upgrade at a single position, but this draft has them looking at several. Khan made some nimble moves with the QB room, one can argue the thinking behind jettisoning Johnson, and there were significant issues with Cole, Okorafor, and Peterson, but I'm surprised he wasn't more aggressive in getting some pieces in place to at least bridge some of those gaps prior to the draft.

I still allow for him to have something going in the background, but the free agent pools are drying up.

 

How come no teams are interested in Becton? Gallup and Chark aren't worth 10 million a year, Cole gave up the most pressures of any starting center last season.

 

most are thinking we are going to draft a tackle in the first and that they will start. heck jones didn't even start. herbig may be fine as a center, we don't know. the staff has seen him do it in practice. he was a top recruit at center in college. JPJ has one year at it. not every player will be like green was. i'm sure we will draft on or even pick one in free agency but if they think herbig can fill in there then so be it. many guys change positionand work out fine. it's not unheard of. why pass judgement before you even see him play? who knows he might be pretty good at it. if the snaps get to the qb that is already an upgrade. he's a big dude, i doubt he will get pushed back at will. let the process play out before we freak out.

 

I am assuming all the players I was mentioning are wanting $15+ million right now, and Khan is offering $5 million.

Except Mason Cole who probably has the open-ended Mason Rudolph offer of 1 year league minimum whenever you want to come back.

 

I don't see any of that group getting that kind of money. The WR market skewed high this year, but neither Chark nor Gallup come close to the numbers posted by Mooney or Davis the past three years, each of whom were given contracts with a $13M AAV. Becton has a chance to get in the neighborhood being a tackle, but last season was a rough one for him and I believe he was on the left. So a possible RT consideration, and only 24. $12-$13M AAV might be doable; I'm guessing teams want to see how the draft plays out at this point.

 

Don’t forget the Stains, with the biggest fattest QB contract ever.

 

I am not sold on Frazier. Dude needs to have bone lengthening surgery on his arms, he is the new T-rex.