Who should be the Steelers' quarterback in 2024?

FA I'd go with a Center first off, someone solid but not too pricey like Biadasz. ****can Pickett because that is past due, sign Mooney from Chicago he won't be a headliner but should perform well. QB I'd add someone who isn't too good just to put a vet in that room to push Kenny and give him 2024 to prove it.

I'd draft Corner early, should be a good one available even if they need to position a bit. ILB and Safety rounds 2 & 3. Bring in a Guard and WR midrounds.

 

There are limitations, and even the little tricks come with backends. But this isn't about a few million bucks that needs to be pushed a year here or there. Here are some quick back-of-the-napkin figures as things stand now:

$251M Steelers current 2024 liability, 41 players under contract
+$7.6M Cole Holcomb (currently on IR)
+$11M covering the 11 other players needed to fill the 53-man roster @ an estimated $1M/player (vet minimum in 2024 is $915k, rookies $795k)
+$10M needed to cover draft signings (variance depending on draft position)
+3.5M surplus needed for in-season signings
+2.5M practice squad signings
-$2.5M carryover from unused 2023 cap
=$283.1M

$245M estimated 2024 cap
=$38.1M over

Making up that ground alone will take some not insignificant moves, let alone carving out enough space for Cousins. They can comp $28M by cutting Okorafor, Trubisky (post June 1st), Cole, and Robinson, but it assumes they draft/acquire an OT, C, and WR (with the caveat that anything addressed in FA cuts back on the money saved). Cutting Peterson saves $6.85M, but assuming Wallace isn't re-signed CB depth will also need to be addressed in the same fashion.

Heyward ($16M) carries the largest savings if he doesn't return in 2024. They could extend him with void years if he wants to play one or two more, dropping the savings more into the $8M range. Minkah could be restructured again, but the ~$6M saved in 2024 balloons his cap number in 2025 and '26 to nearly $30M.

If Cousins is looking for three years with a $30M AAV, they could sign him to a diminished salary in 2024 to reduce his hit, but that on top of these types of extension/restructure moves sets the team up for serious cap strain in 2025 & '26 from players either cut, retired, or aging, with no money to retain their younger talent. It's the kind of thing that can lead to multiple years of cap purgatory.

 

Everyone is aware that Cousins is coming off of an Achilles injury, was already not very mobile, will be 36, and the Steelers offensive line hardly pass blocks right?

 

Changed my vote to Mason. He’s a nice guy and deserves at least one vote, lol.

Now go out there and convince me I was right these last three games, Rudolph!