STEELERS QB POLL AFTER 2 PRESEASON GAME

I like how you're not saying that most of those loses are when he played for a team that has went 12- 39 in thee last 3 years, and is on its 6 HC in 7 years. Let's leave that off.
As playing in Pittsburgh his last 4 games he is 3-1, or 3-2 if you count the playoffs. Facts

 

We are essentially saying the same thing. I am referencing his salary in 2024 against 2025 numbers, was having a hard time finding the historical numbers, but the idea is the same. The numbers at the bottom don't inflate like they do at the top. My point was that the other 31 teams don't value him as an above average back up. He would've gotten more money or a multi-year deal if they did. The Steelers, however, did with their monetary contributions.

 

I agree that it's hard to find AAV numbers from 2 years ago...which is why I think it would be better to use the contract he signed in 2025 (which is still a year behind in cap inflation) instead of the one he signed in 2024.

Though I think you're comparing a contract that was signed 2 offseasons ago (2024) to current contracts (2026).

The current NFL cap / team is $301.2MM. The cap before the 2025 season was $279.2MM, and before the 2024 season was $255.4MM.

I just think it's tough to compare contracts that are signed in different years without adjusting for cap inflation. So that one year deal he signed for ~ $2.9MM in 2024 cap dollars is worth almost $3.4MM in today's cap dollars (since the cap went from $255.4 to 301.2).

Mason's take home cash this year is $3MM (just his 2nd year salary). And he took home $3.5MM last season (1st year salary + signing bonus).

The numbers inflate everywhere.

The sentence I bolded in your post is the opposite of what the data says. If it was correct, then you'd be able to point me to 32+16 (or more) QBs deals that had higher AAV (or longer terms beyond the rookie deal which is automatically 4 years). I don't think those contracts exist, but I'd be happy to learn if they do.

Again...I think you're not talking about his most recent contract (which was a multi-year deal). For TEN, he took a 1 year above-average back up contract with the hopes that he could prove that he was a low end starter. The fact that this was 1 year was him gambling on upside earning potential. When he proved that he wasn't a low end starter, he settled for a 2 year above-average back up deal with us.

 

I think I care more about how he played in those games than the result, as wins and losses are more of a team stat than an individual one. I understand wins and losses is important, but the QB can play poorly and win OR play very well and lose. Is a game where he throws for 150 yards and turns it over 3 times but wins a better game than one he throws for 300 yards and 3 TD with no turnovers and the team loses? I will put a synopsis of how just Mason played in each game. That is a more telling thing than simple wins and losses. If you look at his rookie year 5-3 sounds pretty solid, but when you realize he played only two good games and one solid game, you realize he won two games where he didn't play well (one game he is credited with a win despite being benched that game).

I'm gonna look at his starts and am only going to include the last 5 years, as I don't find his play from his rookie year all that relevant to this discussion. Just him as a true backup for us.

2025
@Bears 24-31, 171 yards, 1TD/1INT, 1 fumble (lost), 21 offensive points. - A decent comp% but very little in the way of yards, two turnovers. I would argue this is a poor game.

2024 - Tennessee
@Buffalo 25-40, 215 yards, 1TD/1INT, 3 fumble (1 lost), 10 offensive points - decent comp %, but poor yards given the attempts (and given this was a blowout. Two turnovers and two more times fumbled. Poor game
@Detroit 22-38, 266 yards, 1TD/2INT, 0 fumble, 14 offensive points - poor comp %, but good yards. Was a blowout, so how much of ydg was garbage time? Two turnovers. Poor game IMO
New Eng 20-33, 240 yards, 2TD/1INT, 1 fumble (0 lost), 20 offensive points (OT) - decent comp% and yards. More TD's than turnovers, though did fumble once without losing it. Win. Quality game here for a backup.
@Indy - 23-34, 252 yards, 2TD/3INT, 0 fumble, 30 offensive points - This was 38-7 in the 3rd quarter, much thanks to Rudolph's turnovers. Yards and TD's were fine, but garbage time. Poor outing.
@Jax - 19-31, 193 yards, 1TD/1INT, 1 fumble (0 lost) 13 offensive points - ok comp %, but low yards. Even TD/INT, but couldn't score. Hard to say this was even an "ok" outing. Very meh.

1-4 as a starter. only 7 TD's in 5 games with 8 INT's and put the ball on the ground 5 times. Lucky to only lose 1. I would say mostly bad outings. Won his lone quality outing in OT against a good team. 3 bad outings and 1 meh.

2023
Cincy - 17-27, 290 yards, 2TD/0INT, 0 fumble, 34 offensive points. - Probably Mason's finest moment in the league. Played great here and revitalized the team that was reeling. Great outing
@Seattle 18-24, 274 yards, 0TD/0INT, 0 fumble, 30 offensive points - good comp % and yards. No TD's but no turnovers as well. win. Overall, this was another great outing for him
@Balt - 18-20, 152 yards, 1TD/0INT, 1 fumble (0 lost), 17 offensive points - weather played a factor, which is why the comp % is high and yards low. Lots of short passes. Can forgive an unlost fumble. Win vs. backups. Quality outing
@Buffalo 22-39, 229 yards, 2TD/1INT, 0 fumble, 17 offensive points - Decent TD/INT ratio and no fumbles with okay yards, but got down big early and threw that INT in the RZ. Would consider it a poor outing. Meh at best (generous)

2021
Detroit - 30-50, 242 yards, 1TD/1INT , 1 fumble (0 lost) - decent % for high attempts and decent yards, but uninspiring given a full OT session was played. Detroit was the worst team in the league here, didn't win. Poor outing.

Mason has started 11 games in the last 5 years. He's played two great games, two quality games, one meh game, and six poor games. In 55% of his games he's played poorly, and Quality or better in 36% of his outings. 4-6-1 in these outings, so he's basically deserved the outcome in each of his games. It's a hard correlation to make with those percentages, but essentially if Mason plays in 3 games as a starter for us, we should expect him to have a quality game in 1 of those 3 games. He will play losing football in just over 1/2 of games started, while playing winning football in just over 1/3 of those games. That is the true measure of him as a player.

 

And Yet as a Steeler his last 5 games he is 3-2 , that includes a playoff.
But let a team that no Qb has been successful at determine how you feel, a team that is so bad they are on their 6 HC in 7 years.

 

He was the WR2 on a team that won 14 games and had an MVP candidate QB. He won't be getting the same opportunity as WR3 here.

 

Yeah, but the low end contracts inflate closer to the inflation of the vet minimum than they do to the highest end. The Steelers obviously view him as an above average backup, because he got a multi year deal for an AAV that is above average. It's hard to compare though, because many backups are on rookie deals. Guys like Bagent, Stidham, Trubisky, Winston, etc. are all multi year deal backups, and guys like Fields, Mills, Mariota, Minshew, all took higher deals to stay 1 year. Pickett is taking home $4m in guaranteed money this year. It's not a perfect science, but its relevant.

 

If you read my post, I did the opposite of that. I judged him solely on his level of play instead of wins/losses. Wins and losses are a team stat, and I am not going to get excited about a guy who has been in the league since 2019, played 5 good games ever, and had 3 of them all in a row a couple years ago. That seems more like a fluke than the status quo.

I get that all you care about is wins and losses, but Mason is 8-6-1 all time with us... Kenny Pickett is 14-10 all time. Why aren't you clamoring for us to have kept him over Mason? All that matters is wins/losses while playing for the Steelers? Is there a reason why you think Mason is better than Pickett?

 

Yeah the year I watched the offensive actually come to a semblance of life after Pickett was left on the bench, and Mason played on the exact same team.

 

So you're saying you judged them by the quality of their play on the field as opposed to solely whether or not the team won? Blasphemous lol

You made my point, so thank you. I also judge based on the quality of play put on the field. It hasn't been a pretty showing for Mason's career (in or out of Pittsburgh). He had a great short stretch, and it was awesome... I'll always appreciate that. But Mason isn't good. We will live if we cut him, and we won't be much worse off playing Howard or Allar than we would playing Mason in a pinch.

 

What . I suggest reading what I wrote again that you just quoted. LoL

 

I agree that looking at contracts is an OK, but imperfect way to do this. I only brought it up because you were doing it.

As stated upthread, it becomes "more imperfect" when we're using older contracts without accounting for cap inflation and comparing them to current contract. Especially when the player we're talking about has signed a more recent contract than the one being used to try to judge their worth.

 

I totally get where you're coming from. I know I brought it up and it is an imperfect way of describing it... I was just saying for the conversation that it was. Interesting chat though nonetheless

 

A lot of votes to keep 4 qbs on the roster of 53
Kinda surprising
Most teams don’t carry 4

 

It's a pattern with you. If someone contradicts you... you say the person is not reading. The literacy rate is pretty good around here.... except for that Pimply Dan dude when he's drunk.

 

My prognostications have always been uncannily accurate. So sorry to be the bearer of bad news.