Heyward advocating to play for the browns?

This is fake news. Cam said a couple of things, and some sites/reporters twisted into something he didn't mean.

 

Money talks and BS walks. Hopefully the Steelers don't flinch and lets him play out this year. If the clowns offered him what his agent and him are looking for he will jump.

The Steelers have been very good to Cam. They are not asking him to take a pay cut.

Need to get younger on the D Line ala what Khan and Weidl did with the O Line. Benton is just the start of the transition.

Can't throw money to everyone. They are going to have to pay Wilson after the season. I see a 2 year contract. Ain't going to be cheap. Then have to look at a QB in the 1st to sit and learn.

 

I doubt it's trolling. And even if was trolling it's horrible timing (due to his previous drama, that he started) and unnecessary drama.

 

Where are you getting it's fake? I've only seen where he was asked direct on Twitter and played dumb. I haven't seen him come out saying that "x" reporter is lying.

Also cam is know for calling journalist out.

 

one day at a time, one season at a time.

If Wilson and Co. navigate that gauntlet of a schedule and they SOMEHOW get to 10 wins and somehow WIN a playoff game, I'd think he gets a contract.

If neither of those 2 things happen, then I'd think we look at FA again and also give a hard look at Fields' progression, capabilities - in the off-season.

 

Really? That's not me being sarcastic just asking. He is a long time fixture in the community and on the team. He guests on multiple podcasts and has his own. He announced he was seeking an extension and not attending the early OTA's and fans were losing their minds over it. Didn't the thread here go into dbl digit pages? I mean this screams classic trolling, he has been in Pittsburgh long enough to know the fan base are fickle and turn on players quick.

 

Yeah I saw Cam and Tomlin together at the "Man Up" event in Cranberry last week and when Tomlin was asked about all of the changes the team is undergoing this year, he said that his biggest regret in his coaching career was not getting a ring for Pouncey. Tomlin said that the Steelers are going all in this season because he doesn't want Cam to retire without a Lombardi.

 

I was looking at his contract after reading this and he restructured in 2021 and it would increase his base salary 2.3 million a season over the remaining 3 years including this upcoming season. I'm not sure about the dead money thing protecting players. Miller, Timmons, Polamalu, Ward, Kiesel, Roethlisberger, Vince Williams(?)were all players who restructured deals continually and it increased their base salary to the point where they were overpaid for their age and production and who were cut before the final year of thier contracts because the dead money hit was less than the hit they were due to make. Ben's was the most insane one. Due to make what was 37 million or 47 million. There was no cutting him, no letting him play at that number, they were forced to do a deal with voidable years in order to lower that cap hit to being in the realm of possibility to play two more years. I'm not sure Cam’s restructuring is what inflated his final year's number but I don't think it helped him and it makes the starting point for reworking an extension higher than it should be.

 

Good post, but I'm not following some of your calculations here. First, under Cam's original contract he would have accounted for ~$20.05M against the 2024 cap. Cutting him pre-June 1st would save them $16M, as its the total cap number (base + bonus) minus the bonus (dead money). Since they did restructure him in 2021, adding $2.36 to each of his final four years, his cap number this season became $22.4M. Cutting him and taking the full dead money hit would also result in $16M of savings.

 

Giving up on Pickett after 2 seasons has a setback feel. They are in a predicament. All 3 are one year players for 2024.

I don't want to see the reins handed over to Fields. He is still a project that started. They are not going to open the vault to sign him.

Wilson is a field general. And has a solid resume who could groom the 1st round pick. Possibly a one year deal?

I understand your stance about signing an older QB. Yes he is not Ben but at least he can still move which unfortunately Ben couldn't anymore. And while were on the subject what a slap in the face of Ben his last season not only having a rookie scrub snapping the ball to him but giving him Pouncey's number! No wonder he was snap and throw as Green was on his @ss after the snap. Joke.

They will have to draft a QB in the 1st.

 

Another Tomlin hostage? I can't believe Heyward wants to crap all over his Steelers legacy. Heyward must be reading the tea leaves, "If Tomlin can get a 3-yr. extension, why not me."

 

That's OK it confirmed my thought process and that I'm not expressing it with the right terminology.

 

I didn't mean for you to delete it. Something in the numbers at the end just flagged me, but tbh I was in a rush myself and didn't know if I was missing something.
Your overall point on how pushing off costs creates a snowball later in a contract is a valid one and, IMO, something we should consider before calling out final year vets like Cam for how much money they're making. First, the money they're 'making' has in part already been made when it comes to bonus proration - a figure which may have ballooned by way of the team asking the player to restructure in a previous year(s); second, contract salaries are often end-loaded for the benefit of the team, and risk to the player. The team benefits by keeping cap costs low in the player's younger years, while the elevated base salary in the final years is not guaranteed.

Naturally, players are offered guaranteed money via signing bonuses and partially guaranteed salaries to help offset their risk. But I don't understand those that fault the player for that high cap number at the end of their contract.

 

He wants to play 3 more seasons and indicated he would go elsewhere. Probably to the highest bidder. And with a boatload of guaranteed money. This is the wave now. Even if he agrees to some incentives he still will get the guaranteed which will be a large part of the contract.

The Steelers have to be smart here. They should let him play it out and revisit after the season. Coming off a major groin injury at 35.

I can't see him taking a penny less then the 16 he is getting this season. But we shall see.

 

Chris Jones, five years Cam's junior, just inked an extension with the Chiefs making him the highest paid DT in the league with a $31.75M APY. 37.8% of his contract was guaranteed at signing. Now, we we don't know what kind of year Cam will have, but I don't see any team offering that level of guarantees to a 36 y/o DT next offseason.

Like Elvis said, any contract he signs will likely be peppered with incentives, sometimes referred to as 'guarantees' if the incentive is met (e.g., if Heyward plays in 70% of the snaps on defense in 2025, $10M of his 2026 salary becomes guaranteed).

 

I think he did it on purpose. Trying to flex. Bad move. Saying you wouldn't mind playing for a division rival won't score you any points with anyone.

 

I was just going to post this. Made sure noone else already did, you did. Well done sir

 

Said he was joking. These guyz are all fun n charity UNTIL it comes to their money. I do think Cam deserves a solid contract and even at his age still is top in his field. That is, barring last years injury. Question is, will it now linger?

Still I think they’re gonna get a deal done they just want to bring him back to reality.

 

Pretty much this. I love Cam and what he's meant to this team. I'm also a little surprised by how this is playing out publically. It's unfortunately leading to a distraction. That is the opposite of what the captain of the defense needs to be doing.

It's all a bit strange. We have no idea what contract numbers are being thrown around.

Ultimately this team is going to have to pay a QB though. I'd have to prioritize Wilson over Heyward at this point for the simple fact there is really no other option at the QB position currently.

 

https://steelersdepot.com/2024/06/c...-report-about-willingness-to-play-for-browns/

Just thought I'd throw this out there.