Watt: Ben hasn’t told us he is retiring

A HC isn't going to question his OC on every call .

 

100 of them?!

 

I think the retirement announcement is based on the cap implications and nothing more. Even with Canada's pop gun offense Ben is done like dinner , he can't move he can't throw a deep ball and he refuses to use the center of the field. What was his QB rating this year less than 60. Even with a better offensive line he just doesn't have it anymore, there would be glimpses of the old Ben then they would disappear and we were left with the Old Ben.

 

Right. Because Tomlin calls the pass patterns.

 

Tomlin signs off on them. Brought back the OC.

 

From a salary cap perspective retired players are treated like cuts . So if a player retires, all of his remaining base (P5) salary is forfeited and any guaranteed amounts (prorated bonus, guaranteed salaries, etc.) come due on the books in that league year. But it's the team that submits the retirement status of its player to the league. So in this case, if Ben wanted to formally announce he has retired now, his $10.3MM in void year prorations would still not hit the books until 2022, as the team would just file it as such (e.g., Brees made it official on March 14th last year, three days ahead of the 2021 league year).

 

You know that last year was Canada's first season, right? Are you having a stroke?

 

But not his last.

 

I love Ben, but as long as he's done in Pittsburgh, I'm happy.

The ONLY thing that provides intrigue in Pittsburgh would be how he'd play with so many new faces coming in - he may be good behind a revamped line, new playmakers, etc.

 

Brees announced his retirement in March but the Saints didn’t put him on the Reserve / Retired list (making his retirement official) until June for cap reasons. Presumably that was all agreed beforehand.

Steelers can do this with Ben and save $7.75m on 2022, but it’ll hit the cap sheet the following year

 

Hasn’t he said something along the lines that even though he’s from Ohio, he wants to stay in Pittsburgh after he retires?

That would go against this theory of him going to another team in a way. Well that and the fact his arm strength and accuracy is pretty much done.

 

I dunno.

If I had given 18 years to a team and was the best passer in their history, I'd be pretty bitter about having to work with a rookie offensive coordinator, and play behind a joke of an offensive line for my last hurrah.

It'd make me want to give a year to someone else to prove a point.

 

Right on Brees, but Ben's situation is different because of the void years in his contract from last spring. Once it triggers (typically right after the Super Bowl), he becomes a free agent and the prorated money will be applied to the 2022 cap.

The grid OTC uses can be confusing when it comes to void years because teams can't designate a player whose contract voids as a June 1st cut. That said, teams can re-sign players with contracts set to void. This keeps the proration in place yearly on top of the new contract, rather than the future years all coming due at once the following year.

 

I am still trying to figure out the after June retirement thing.

Right now Ben is on the books for 10.3 million in 2022. With no 2022 Salary in his contract, I thought he bacame a free agent when the season ended?

If he retires after June what does this do with his Cap cost?"

 

Thanks, I guess I was blind as a bat with this post.

Savings 7.75 million in 2022 is he retires after June 1st.

 

That actually makes sense, thanks. In theory they could re-sign him to a league minimum deal and cut him / let him retire after June 1st to get around it if they need the cap room.

My newest wild theory is that Ben is waiting to see what Brady does. If he retires that same year as TB12 then Ben will be an afterthought during the HOF ceremony, if he even gets in that year, voters may want the GOAT as the only QB inductee

 

If that $hit is even close 2 true.....If I was Ben I'd come back somewhere even as a backup.

 

You're correct - with void years there's a trigger (typically something banal like 'still on the roster during the Super Bowl') that when tripped makes the player a free agent and any prorations left over the remainder of the contract apply to the upcoming season as dead money.

When the team actually files his retirement paperwork doesn't impact the amount or timing.

 

Funny, I didn't even think of Ben and Brady competing to get into the same HOF class.

Talking about being the 2nd fiddle.

 

I don't think this is true. The NFL is a league where every player and coach is scrutinized after every practice and every play/game.

The irony is that many of the critics would be fired from their current jobs if they had to live with NFL level scrutiny.

 

What's the difference?

 

hey now hey now

 

Go and play where ? Don’t think any team needs a shot to pieces former great.

 

One has a symphony, the other a fiddle