Players who won't be back in 2023

But don’t you think the relationship is damaged beyond repair? That is unless he was to play some these last 4 weeks but that seems unlikely. I feel like he would almost take less money elsewhere to get out of here.

 

Mason is a UFA in 2023.
Unless he resigns himself (ala Charlie Batch) that he is a backup, he won't be back.
That puts the Steelers back in the QB search, as they will need at least 2.
I'd rather not draft this year, but rather sign a FA Vet and pick up the 3rd QB either off someone's roster or an undrafted.

Heyward is a heavy hitter the next 2-years @ $22mil and to make a move on him is going to hurt.
I'm not sure what the strategy there might be, maybe a restructure possibly. They do want to keep him but $22 mil is high.
So that one is going to be interesting.

Larry Ogunjobi was an $8mil addition this year.. He hasn't been anything special

I guess in summary, they have 21 Free Agents out of which 10/11 I could see as bringing back.
Another 4/5 maybes.
(Logistics prevent them from just letting them all go)

2023 Contracts (cap hit = highlighted) - In Red are the ones I'm not in favor of keeping. DJ is on the warning track. If I were him, I would be working out with Kenny non-stop along with Pickens and develop that chemistry.
The CB's I don't even want to keep for depth:
- Wallace maybe but he's competing in camp for a roster spot
- Jackson, does have some potential but I'd think he has to be healthy and win the starting spot opposite a new Corner.
Speaking of RFA 2023 CB's... pickens are looking a little slim. Marcus Peters is out there but he's 30. James Bradberry (Eagles) also will be 30. Tuff market.
- Myles Jack, I dunno. He looks good then he doesn't. We need speed there... Not going to find 2 ILB's so maybe he heals that knee more and comes back better.

 

Many questions ahead, the purge will be interesting.
We have got to hit it out of the park at draft time and FA.

 

Very true.
I know I can't sit here and pretend to know all the answers. Things work much differently in the Real NFL than on a fantasy board like this. lol.
Some folks think they can cut 23 guys and plug in 23 superstars.

 

i'd keep jack and start the rookie robinson next to him. jack has 100 tackles right now and on a bum knee. bush is gone. kazee i'd bring back. levi i'd sign. sutton i'd sign. jackson would have to take a pay cut. edmunds gone. alualu gone. wormley i'd try to sign. witherspoon is still cheap. sign. gentry i'd let go and draft the kid from notre dame. team him up with muth. draft a tackle. draft a center. draft a guard. draft a WR.

 

I like your thinking Mack, still need a top CB, and NT

 

Good start

get the AX out, not the scalpel but the AX! I'd love to see 3 or 4 new coaches, maybe we see that, maybe not......

OL
OC
ST
DL
DC

and.....to make my Christmas......HC!!!!!

I like Kazee and Worm. Sutton - maybe, cheap. Our D sucks.

 

and that is where we will fail. at the top, with planning and strategy. Tomlin and Co should have gone out with Ben, now we just delay the other inevitable - the rebuild AFTER Tomlin leaves. Rooney is messing it up....

 

hoping we can find one in free agency (NT). get the DB's healthy and hoping jackson works out. as i said if we re-sign wallace and sutton and witherspoon along with maulet and pierre, i think we can be in decent shape on the backend. kazee as well. we have to protect our investment in pickett better and give him targets along with helping the run game to keep the defense fresh is a formula for success. we have done better getting free agents on defense and i hope that trend continues. i don't like how we have brought defensive players along in the past. getting some that have had other decent coaching may help, it seems like. i'd like to keep the core together on defense and allow them to build on that. leal should help the front.

 

If Joey Porter Jr is still there wherever we pick I think they pull the trigger?

 

You would think.....No way.

 

They are stuck with part of the signing bonus next year no matter what, but they can save $8 million by cutting him. He's going to have to settle for less to stay, which I doubt he will do.

 

Why You gotta break it??
Oh it's Mel Tillis. LoL

 

First he needs someone to actually make him an offer and I’m not sure I’m seeing that

But if he thinks he will be given a better opportunity sure he should take it

 

I would like to see Jack back one more year IF we can see what he looks like with a better defensive line in front of him and someone above average playing next to him at ILB.

If the front office isn't going to bother I would just cut him loose.

I only say that because Farrior had a pretty average year his first year here. He didn't start hitting his stride until towards the end of the year into his second year with the Steelers.

Jack is supposed to be a good player...unless he is hurt or has decided to just coast on his career?

 

Actually bringing Dobbs back is a thought..I mean how many still think he just need a chance lol.

 

So the depth issues on defense will continue lol

 

I think you have to try to hold on to Sutton depending on what he wants. He is not a #1 corner but is a good player and the Steelers can afford him. Draft another good young player to play opposite him hopefully and you are set up at corner for a couple of years. I know their record at CB isn’t great but they need to try with one of those early picks.

I’d also keep Jack, Edmunds and Ogunjobi, again depending on what they want. They only have a half dozen draft picks or thereabouts. They can’t let everyone go.

Guys like Wormley and Snell, vet minimum or thereabouts as depth if they want to stay.

They absolutely have to add some real quality in the draft and 1-2 impact free agents as well. They have the money and need to use it wisely.

Cam Heyward is playing for $9.4m next season, $12.5m of his cap hit is made up of prorated bonuses that can’t be changed at this stage so the $22m overall figure is kind of irrelevant. He will absolutely be on the roster in 2023 if he wants to be. The following year is when it gets interesting as he will be another year on and his salary jumps to $16m, very much decision time for the team then and presumably that was well understood by both sides when he signed his deal.

 

Wormley tore his ACL Sunday. His season is over. Given how late in the year it is, his readiness for training camp has to be in question. He is a free agent after the season, so I doubt there will be much market for him if the Steelers do want to gamble on his return. Sucks for the guy. Just terrible timing for him.

 

Steelers can clear $25m in cap space by cutting Mitch, William Jackson and Witherspoon, another $8m if they release Myles Jack and there is huge scope to do restructures with some of the big earners as well if they want to.

I’d like them to go after at least one impact free agent player, some targets might be Jamel Dean, Orlando Brown or maybe even bringing back Javon Hargrave

Going to be an interesting offseason

 

I would think Mason would want to move on.

 

You wouldn't get value for Najee, and he's relatively cheap, and under team control for two more years. I'm sure they could make it work with Bush and Jack financially, but what's the point in bringing both of them back? Neither one of them is stout against the run, and they don't create splash plays.

 

If he stays here he is guaranteed a spot on the 53 man team for a few million; if goes somewhere else he could be a last minute roster cut and find himself fighting for a spot on a practice squad at $8,000 per week.


You never know what your new team is going to do; Just ask Baker Mayfield how is time in Carolina went.

Don't feel too sorry for Baker: The Browns are paying $10.5 million, the Panthers are paying $3.5 million and now the Rams are paying $4.8 million of his 2022 salary.

 

Maybe a restructure for him and they kick the can down the road.