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Xavien Howard

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by SteelersFanIrl, Jul 19, 2021.

  1. Wardismvp

    Wardismvp Well-Known Member

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    Even though I like his game, Steelers will need all remaining
    draft capital and cap space for our players and Sam Howell.
     
  2. CK 13

    CK 13 Well-Known Member

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    With TJ Watt's massive deal on the horizon it just would not fit. Ya know sign him, sign everyone fits here. Sure would be great but it's not going to happen. They will add after the cuts.

    We all have seen what happens when the pass rush is neutralized and no adjustments have been made. They finally upgraded the corner position after years of sub par play. I do feel that Pierre will surprise and Sutton is solid. Finally a couple of homegrowns that will excel. Now to cut ties with that scrub Layne.
     
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  3. SteelerGlenn

    SteelerGlenn

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    My point was that while it may not be smart they can always find a way to sign a guy.
     
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  4. Steel_Elvis

    Steel_Elvis Staff Member Mod Team

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    I wouldn’t. First of all, I think that pass rushers (outside or inside) are the most important pieces for a top defense. A good pass rush can improve the play of everyone in coverage by reducing the amount of time that they need to cover. Second, star corners are paid a very high percentage of the cap compared to safeties and good (but not great) corners. I’d rather have a complete secondary with multiple capable corners and star power at the safety position than invest a ton of cap space in a guy who will only be able to take away one offensive weapon. Our defense has been very good the past 2 seasons when healthy, and our offense has generally been the limiting factor for advancement.

    That’s all setting aside specifics with Howard, and his tendency to spend a lot of time on the sidelines in street clothes.
     
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  5. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    Not with Howard, he just signed a contract in 2019, now he wants to renegotiate for more money let some other team overpay for him.
     
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  6. SteelersFanIrl

    SteelersFanIrl Well-Known Member

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    That’s fair, it’s essentially a weak link system at the back end, and a good pass rush can make an average / good secondary better.

    Getting two capable outside corners to complement what Minkah does would do just fine and would probably result in an above average unit. Maybe that’s Sutton and Pierre going forward in to the medium term but the likelihood of both working out? Not sure

    The best free agent fit due to hit the market in 2022 is probably JC Jackson if they do want to go that route.
     
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  7. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    We aren't going to bottom out that badly, hopefully Howell is gone before we pick.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  8. SteelerGlenn

    SteelerGlenn

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    If the Steelers want to sign Howard or another player they can make Cap space. It may be a terrible thing to do, it may hurt us for years to come, it may be irresponsible, but it’s possible.
     
  9. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    Ah.... I see.


    Gotcha.
     
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  10. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

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    Not stating we will not acquire one through trade. I do believe that, if the team is bent on nabbing one, the 2022 NFL Draft will be the place to do it. How early though the team will nab these players will depend on how efficient James Pierre and Cameron Sutton plays.
     
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  11. Wardismvp

    Wardismvp Well-Known Member

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    We will go after the best QB available, to me that is Sam Howell.
    It wont matter where we finish, we will still go after him.
     
    • Disagree Disagree x 1
  12. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    How bad do you think our record has to be to get the best QB in the draft? And besides being small and slow, what makes Howell the best to you?
     
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  13. S.T.D

    S.T.D Well-Known Member

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    Sam Howell maybe a 3rd ,or 6th Qb taken after this Season in College football when it plays out.
    You never know how it will go.
     
    Last edited: Jul 20, 2021
  14. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    Yeah if they want to cut some players it's possible.
     
  15. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    It's way too early to be fixated on one QB, there will be better QBs available than Howell.
     
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  16. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    And they can worry about Haden's successor next year, they will have plenty of money to spend in free agency if they want to find a CB. I think they would rather let Haden play out the final year of his contract, rather than giving him a new deal.
     
  17. SteelerGlenn

    SteelerGlenn

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    Exactly. There’s always a way. Extensions, restructures, cuts. Again I’m not suggesting we do that.
     
  18. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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    :shrug:
     
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  19. steelersrule6

    steelersrule6 Well-Known Member

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  20. CK 13

    CK 13 Well-Known Member

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    upload_2021-7-20_20-9-4.jpeg
     
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  21. CK 13

    CK 13 Well-Known Member

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    7.2 mill in cap space with a monster deal coming up for TJ Watt.

    That is all...
     
  22. SteelerGlenn

    SteelerGlenn

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    Watts deal won’t be a problem. They can back load it if needed and still sign more FA’s
     
  23. SteelersFanIrl

    SteelersFanIrl Well-Known Member

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    They’re not trading for Howard, but I’ve already explained twice how it can be done if they wanted to do it. It involves pushing some money down the road by converting most of that $12m in to a bonus, but it absolutely COULD be done if both sides were happy to work with each other.

    TJ’s deal could also be structured in a way that saves room in 2021, and they have room for manoeuvre with Tuitt and Haden as well.

    It may leave you with a bit of a stars and scrubs roster down the road if it’s not managed properly but if the cap grows at the expected rate after 2022 any deals signed now will look like good value later, assuming the player is still performing at a high level of course.

    As for SteelersDepot, they posted a long article literally hours before Ingram signed telling fans to forget it, it wasn’t happening etc. I don’t take anything that any of these fan sites say all that seriously, they are largely guessing about most things, like the rest of us.
     
    Last edited: Jul 21, 2021
  24. Maddog78

    Maddog78 Well-Known Member

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    The SteelersDepot guys think that Watt's 2021 cap hit may actually increase with his deal. Regardless, they usually keep about $5M for in season emergencies, so I think for all intents and purposes, they're about done unless they sign a cheap body for depth at league minimum.
     
  25. SteelersFanIrl

    SteelersFanIrl Well-Known Member

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    It may or may not depending on how they structure the deal. They can get the 2021 hit down if they choose to, but the bill always comes due at some point of course.

    I doubt they go for a deal that raises the 2021 hit personally, everything they have done to date signals that they are trying to go for it again in 2021, as unrealistic as that aim will seem to many. They still need 1-2 more bodies if they want to make it through the season.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1

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