What projected $200M salary cap means for Steelers in free agency

What the NFL projected $200M salary cap means for Bud Dupree, Javon Hargrave and the Steelers in free agency

By Jacob Klinger

PITTSBURGH — A $200 million salary cap still means the Steelers suffer in free agency this year.

With Bud Dupree, Javon Hargrave and others hitting the NFL-open market and other relatively expensive veteran contracts attached to the roster, the projected cap bump reported by NFL Network on Friday won’t be enough to salvage Pittsburgh’s offseason on its own.

Below is a quick look at the cap savings that would come with the release of the following players:

Vance McDonald - $5,672,500

Mark Barron - $5,250,000

Anthony Chickillo - $5,000,000

Ramon Foster - $4,000,000

to read rest of article:

https://www.pennlive.com/steelers/2...hargrave-and-the-steelers-in-free-agency.html

 

I thought I read somewhere that if the CBA is approved, the cap would go up significantly more and we'd potentially would be able to keep Hargrave and DuPree. Of course, it would have to be approved.

 

Yah, the Owners want this to get done quick so they can tell the networks what they have to pay on the next TV deal. NFL apparently is the only entity in business that tells the Networks what they will pay, not the other way around. I couldnt believe it when I heard it. But it's the truth.

 

I believe the NFL is also exempt from anti-trust laws and anti-monopoly laws. Who says money can't buy government!

 

It wouldn't surprise me if Art II is okay with being in salary cap hell too.

I honestly don't follow how well the Steelers have managed the salary cap in the past but it just seems like there are a lot of nagging issues at the top of this organization.

 

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/09000...s-nfls-request-for-broad-antitrust-protection

 

https://scarincihollenbeck.com/law-...why-would-an-nfls-antitrust-exemption-matter/

There a number of articles recently about the NFL's anti-trust exemption but most of them deal with the topic of the national anthem and I do not want to open that can of worms again.

I'm pretty sure they are still exempt. I don't know what "broad antitrust" means in respect to the article you posted?

 

Not an expert on this but if I understand the basics, it has to deal with the NFL being a monopoly with no other real competitors to keep pricing, services, salary's, etc in check. One of the ways the NFL got around this, I think, was to unionize the players and have a NFLPA. Broad anti-trust means they are still the NFL and still a monopoly but still allowed to operate as they have. I remember Bell telephone was broken up into several "Baby Bells" for similar circumstances. If the government didn't allow it to be broad, then something like the AFC and NFC would be separate leagues competing against each other and that is what I believe is being broad is part of. Someone who knows more can clean up what I just posted if its way off.

 

It was actually AT&T who was broken up by the government under "deregulation and divestiture". AT&T has now become an even bigger, and more corrupt, organization than they ever were prior to the 1982 break up. They have now bought back all the companies which were divested from them as well as all their competition.

 

When was the last time they had a surplus of cap space? Always close to the cap.

Let us not forget that Cam Heyward is up for an extension. Won't come cheap.

Who will replace McGlass? Having a solid tight end will only help Ben. That isn't consistently nursing some injury. Releasing him would save some cash but then you have to sign someone who is above the line. Not cheap. Wash. Or he stays at 7 ish.

Chickillo I hoped would blossom but its time to let him go. Savings.

Foster is done. Savings.

I thought Barron came on at the end of the season. Vince is a major liability in coverage. I would like to see Barron stay another year.

So the 2 released would net 9,000,0000 in savings. Heyward would eat up most.

Restricted:

Matt Feiler: 1st round tender needs to be applied here. Starter.

Mike Hilton: 2nd or 3rd round tender. Solid part of the secondary.

Then you have Zack Banner, LT Walton, Jorden Dangerfield.

Unrestricted:

16.5 franchise tag for Dupree is nuts. Glad they are talking to some OLBers at the combine. Hope if they draft one it won't take 5 years to show something.

Hargrave likely will be gone so who are you replacing him with? I would like to see him stay.

BJ Finney: They need to look to sign him. Solid depth.

Sean Davis: There has been a lot of negative thought about Terrell Edmunds and yes he has struggled.

Vannett: Can be a back up nothing more.

Matakevich, Burns and Canaday: Ba Bye

 

Nice write up on our current roster vs. cap situation. Agree with about everything here.
Barron & Vince solidifies our glaring hole at ilb. Just don't have Vince playing any zone coverage if he is in.
I'm on board with keeping glass McDonald for another year because there is not much behind him.
Yeah, we can't afford Dupree at the franchise price.
Davis & Edmunds are basically the same impact on the field so another year with Terrell, let Davis walk imo.
Hargrave gets better every year tough to see him go.
Cannot understand why they signed Chickillo at the price they did.

 

And with that Cap increase the market value for these players is also going to increase, especially in key positions. If a team already has extensive cap money this year, the increase will just give them more to spend. The extra money will like give the Steelers enough to keep a couple of mid level core players, but no way could they afford both Hargrove and Dupree.