Salary cap imbalance?

Are the Steelers suffering from dramatic salary imbalance? Having just a few players take up the majority of the payroll leaves little to invest on other positions or quality backups. When the star player gets injured, you are left with a gaping hole that cannot be filled. We might be 4-1 if TJ Watt was healthy, but his big salary left little for Plan B. Is it a better approach to let the big contracts walk, and settle for slightly less star talent, but more talent on the team overall? On defense especially, one or two stars can be avoided or neutralized and the weaknesses in other areas can be exploited. On offense, QB may be an exception, but I am not even sure of that. Pay for a quality O-line and good things likely happen with an above average QB and decent RBs and WRs. Forget the big contracts. One or two injuries, which are bound to happen, and you are doomed.

 

The Rams just won the Super Bowl with an incredibly unbalanced roster, Donald, Stafford, Cupp and Ramsey are earning all the money there.

There is nothing wrong with paying market leading contracts to great players but obviously if they’re not available to play you’re going to have a big problem.

 

OP, what percentage of the cap does TJ Watt take up?
What percentage of the cap does the top earner on other top teams take up? Hell, you can even do that exercise with every team.

You'll likely find most teams suffer from a salary cap imbalance.
I'll get you started. Both Buffalo and KC spend more on their QB's than we do on Watt, and they're likely the 2 best teams in the league.
Philly is about the same with AJ Brown

Without even googling numbers, guys like Joey Bosa, Aaron Donald, Myles Garrett, Khalil Mack, Cooper Kupp, Tyreek Hill, etc. are all likely above or close to TJ Watt. Some of those teams are better than others, but the point still stands, that every team has to pay 1 or more guys a disproportionate amount of the cap. That's just the nature of a star player in a salary cap world.

We're a better team with TJ Watt than without. It would be a mistake to trade him

 

Id guess most teams are imbalanced in this way.

 

Detroit is the Highest paid Offense this Year. They scored 0 points last week.
They also have the same record We do.

 

OK, so I checked - https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/positional/ has some great stats. TJ and Hayward make up almost 20% of the salary cap. That is the main reason the D is the most expensive defense in the league, and probably why the rest of the D is so poor. Other teams also have a good bit of imbalance, and that seems to be more the norm than the exception. But I still think a bit more balance would allow for fewer glaring weaknesses at other positions. Or else you are relying on luck that the top two or three paid players don't get hurt and miss significant time.

 

Our scouting department has to really get better and soon. They have
to find players that can transition their skills to the NFL. I see some on our
depth chart, that just don't add up. It has devastated our season. We need quality depth.

 

That’s the nail on the head though: it’s not an imbalance as long as those players are performing.

Even with a decent balance, someone’s going to step up, play well and want the bigger money.

 

The top talent will always get paid.

The issue for the Steelers is the talent evaluation, drafting and development.

And certain free agents brought in that have not helped the cause. These misses to me are more concerning then paying someone like TJ Watt and Minkah Fitzpatrick.

And this is where this team stands now.

 

I agree wholeheartedly. I guess for the Steelers' case, having two highly paid defenders, both essentially on the D line, creates vast weaknesses in the secondary that can be exploited even when both stars are healthy. When one goes down or sits due to exhaustion, there are many deficiencies to be taken advantage of. I think O-line is the other area where $$$ should be spent, as an O-line that can open holes or give a QB time makes all the other offensive positions much better.

 

I would bet money that 1st td pass doesn't happen if Watt is playing.

 

What are your thoughts on Lamar Jackson?

 

While in theory that makes sense, I feel the issue is not spending enough on top tier FREE AGENTS and only getting average return on investment

They love to sign their own but you need to add some top end talent

2021 FA signed
Tony Brooks-James
B.J. Finney
Malcolm Pridgeon
Miles Killebrew
Tyler Simmons
Chaz Green
Josh Lambo
Melvin Ingram
Trai Turner
Kalen Ballage
Arthur Maulet
Pete Guerriero
Joe Haeg
Marcus Baugh

2022 FA signed
Ron'Dell Carter
James Vaughters
Mitchell Trubisky
Levi Wallace
Trenton Scott
James Daniels
Damontae Kazee
Myles Jack
Mason Cole
Gunner Olszewski
Tuzar Skipper

HACK

 

This is pretty typical in the NFL. Not many teams truly "spread the money around". Those teams typically don't have a franchise QB (or one on a rookie deal) nor do they have a star pass rusher. Those are the big money positions. We have an elite pass rusher, so we paid him. Simple as that. Most good teams have that imbalance too since the QB is the main position for that. Bills, Chiefs, etc.

 

This past off season was the first time we really got to spend in FA. Daniels, Jack, and Ogunjobi have been great. Those were the "biggest" additions we made. Trubisky money wise was, but he was always just warming the seat for Pickett. We're gonna have a lot of $$ next offseason too. Gonna have to get it right next season as well. Adding 2-3 really good players and hitting with our first 2 picks next year should be a huge boost for us.

 

So if your Baltimores mgmt team you pay him like a top RB?

 

I would say Ravens are caught between a rock and a hard place. LOL

 

Steelers Mgmt has tried to improve their roster, some are just not panning out.

 

In this game today, you need the talent bar to be higher based on the total roster - you've got to have depth.
So, yes, you need to hit on those late round picks as they form the core salary base from which to build around - by adding TJ's and more.
And a good focus on the line of scrimmage is always good - TJ has wrecked some of the best.

 

Everything You said here

 

We will find out at the end of season, Lamar should have taken the money he was offered and ran.

 

Very unlike him: he passed instead of running!