Which player is likely to return in 2021?

Well since Colbert has come out and said they would like to sign Dupree to a long term extension, there's a chance it gets done this offseason.

 

I said Juju although I can see Conner as well. I don't know about all these stories about Juju being gone. He had two very good years a down year due to injury and I'm not sure the money is his top priority. So I'm not sure why people think the Steelers would draft a playmaker develop him and then let him walk after his rookie deal. Has he said he is going to want that payday or be somewhere else than Pittsburgh?

 

I voted AV. Question marks surround all the rest. Another injury plagued year and Conner could be gone. Another down year and JuJu could be gone. If Highsmith shows promise right out of the gate, will the need be there to overpay Bud, if he's not signed this offseason?

 

Interesting topic

Matt Feiler should be added to the poll he is unrestricted next off season I think?

If AV still looks serviceable I think he will be kept on for another year if not two given the importance of that position and the difficulty involved in finding a LT. Feiler should be back too for the same reason. Maybe they should take a tackle high next year in preparation for life after Ben, unless of course Chuks turns out to be a stud.

I think Sutton could become an important piece of the secondary in 2020 and Hilton may be the one to cut loose. Sutton can play outside as well as slot corner. I don’t think they can keep both.

If juju plays really well this season I think he might price himself out of town, if he doesn’t play well well they may cut him loose and go again at WR in the draft. With TJ’s extension looming they will really need to work some cap magic to keep him. I think he’ll be looking for somewhere in the region of $15m. I don’t see them paying it unfortunately

Conner is as good as gone imo unless he stays on a very team friendly deal. I don’t think there is going to be much of a market for him unless he has a 2018 type season and stays on the field, even then team’s will be wary imo.

Bud almost certainly gone too, albeit I think they would love to keep him, you simply can’t pay everyone

I could be completely out on all of the above but interested to know what others think

 

I voted Cameron Sutton. Mike Hilton has been very good but it is clear that Cameron Sutton is the better option given his coverage skills and possible versatility. Add the fact that we do not know how much longer Joe Haden can play at a high level and having someone like Sutton is the smart play.



Honorable mention is Big AL. Personally, I believe his best days are behind him. The second half of 2019 was by far his worst stretch as a Left Tackle. In addition, there will have to be a decision on Chukwuma Okorafor or Zach Banner. Which one wins out among the two?! Time to find out.

 

They have drafted a rb the last two years. I think dinners days are numbered if hurt again.

AV should get an extension.

I hope they can keep feiler.

Hilton has started over sutton every year. He should be kept. Sutton as well. If not layne is capable of playing outside too. Hilton could jump to fs for a couple of games if needed. Both are important to our secondary.

Juju should be kept. With the new additions he should have a good season.

Dupree I think is gone.

A bigger question is Hayward and tuitt. We have not extended Hayward yet. If Tuitt is hurt again will they cut him loose next year? We could have two big holes to fill. Maybe three if alualu is gone as well. A lot of money, a lot of age, a lot of injury in this part of the team by next year.

TE, DL, ILB, OT, FS, OLB, these seem like high priorities in next year's draft.

 

They should try to get extensions done this offseason for Sutton, Feiler, and Heyward.

 

I could see this but include hilton. I know you don't care for hilton but sutton has never been able to beat him out of the spot. Sutton shouldn't be hard to re-sign.

 

I think it would be foolish to take from the offense to dump into the defense. I don't mean we don't pay watt and minka, but juju is a good receiver even if he is a number two. I see them using the o line again as a way to keep cost down. No I don't think they will keep AV. Too much money to sign Feiler and pay DD and pouncey for now. They will re-sign chuks and let pouncey and DD play out their contracts. Chuks will come cheaper. They have Dotson and Gray and are looking at some guys in this camp to be replacements when the time comes. We had 3 undrafted free agents starting and we saved money for several years by doing that, I can see it continue. In two years, this one included, we will have gone of money available. Heyward, tuitt, ben, DD, pouncey, vince, mcdonald, ebron, haden, boswell, Wisniewski. We have to replace them but that's a ton of money.

 

It will likely be AV. The rest will be gone, IMO. With Ben still on the books for the next 2 years, Steelers can't afford to extend Dupree.

 

Only way I see Dupree staying is for him to take less than someone will be willing to give him. Significantly less to boot. Like 12-15 mil per season including the incentives.
JuJu I'm not sure about. He could price himself out of Pittsburgh on one hand & there might not be a need for him on the other.

 

I voted Sutton..but I think all have a high probability of returning except Dupree. Mostly because of the money. I don't know how much the cap is supposed to go up and Ben's cap hit is 41 million. Then you HAVE to sign Watt and JuJu will get a deal as well. Plus Minkah gets his 5th year option too.. no?

 

If Watt gets a new deal, they like to structure those deals so that that first year cap hit is low, most of it will be in the form of a signing bonus. Minkah is under the team control for 3 years at a reasonable price. It's no guarantee JuJu is re-signed, he needs to have a good season first, or if his asking price is too much they may let him walk. Also the franchise tag could be an option to use on JuJu, to keep him for what could be Ben's last season in 2021.

 

I doubt Dupree will take less yearly than what the franchise tag amount is, if he signs an extension it will probably average $16 million a year.

 

I think they can get Sutton cheaper IMO

 

I picked Juju too much talent not to keep.

 

yes but he's not better. They need to keep both. Haden is another year older next year. He's near his end. Sutton and hilton are in their prime years.

 

They have too many upcoming free agents, I don't see them keeping both.

 

If they don't they still have to Replace them. It will hurt the defense as well.

 

Sutton is better in coverage and can play outside too. They were bringing him in on important passing downs and taking Hilton out towards the end of the season, and leaving them both in on dime packages. Sutton’s role and importance grew as the season went on I felt.

Hilton is significantly better against the run which is why he has been starting on early downs. Ideally you keep both as you say as they complement each other superbly, but as always it’ll come down to $$.

I think they are hoping Layne will be ready when Haden hangs them up.

 

Absolutely false. Hilton's snap count grew from 57% to 62% from the prior year. Sutton went from 25% to 27%. Sutton has a higher completion percentage against and 3 more yards deeper per catch average against. Sutton has 8 passes defended in his career, hilton had 11 just last year. Hilton was ranked number 18 in the top 25 corners in the league last year. His completion % against is only 2nd to nelsons. Sutton snap count went up 25 plays from the prior year and Hilton's went up 78 from the prior year, which was Hilton's lowest of 57% in 2018. Most of that was because of injury.

I like sutton. Hilton is just better in every category. They need to keep both. Sutton for what he does should not cost much. There should be some money coming off the payroll next year. We at all cost should try to keep as much of the defensive backfield intact.

 

Didn’t look at the statistics but it felt to me that Sutton’s role grew as the season wore on and they grew to trust him more in coverage. He started a few games on the outside in 2018 iirc before losing out to Coty Sensenbaugh which may be why his snap count didn’t go up very much from the previous year. He had a bigger role as a dime backer last year.

Below is an article where Mike Hilton says himself that Sutton is better in coverage and he (Hilton) is better v the run, which is how it appeared to me on the field. Mikes role in early downs explains the difference in snap counts and completion percentages are not like for like when they fill different roles on the defence.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.pennlive.com/steelers/2019/09/what-drives-the-difference-between-mike-hilton-cameron-sutton-in-the-steelers-nickel-packages.html?outputType=amp

I expect to see Sutton’s snap count go up this year. Both will have plenty of suitors if they decide to test free agency so it may be difficult to keep hold of them even if they want to. More likely they keep one and look to the draft again.

 

as it said that was through the first 3 games. Hilton's climbed as the season went on. He also said sutton was probably better in his pass defense role but all the numbers do not show that. The Steelers have also talked about running their corners deeper to make up for safety concerns. That was more due last year to keep kam Kelly off the field and not sutton over hilton. There was also the ilb coverage problems that sutton was also a help in covering with he and hilton on the field. We will have even more of this problem this year with Vince starting so we may see more of sutton and hilton on the field. I don't think it boils down to one over the other as this defense evolves. We are better with both on the field. If sutton role expands its more for that reason and doing more with minka but keeping better coverage while we do that. Roles of players had changed from traditional times with defenses.