Ben's decision to come back

I'm optimistic. Maybe Ben will only win 3 games this season and we can kick MT to the curb and finally get rid of popcorn. I'm pretty sure we will go 9-8 though and he'll be extended for another 4 years.

 

I'll wait until Week 8 before I call the season.

 

The Steelers are literally accounting for $1.075m against the cap this year for Ben returning. Hardly enough to retain a 33 year-old NT, let alone a slot CB or rising edge rusher on his first contract.

Bottom line, I think Ben should have retired as well. But I understand there are details to some decisons I don't understand, and moreover don't control, and will look to how the team can make the best of things given them.

 

You may be in luck, as I believe that the only person that can get Tomlin fired is Ben. With Randy now out of the picture if Ben goes down with the ship this year, he will take Tomlin with him.

Last year was a free pass for Ben and Tomlin with no fans in the stands down the stretch; this year there is going to be blood in the water.

 

Honestly that's been talked about so long a 17 game season that I'm never sure if it was ever gonna happen. 6-10, 6-11, 7-10. Not a big difference. But I guess if that one number makes people simple minded, knock yourself out.

 

I am pretty sure the Steelers will be eating 10 million in dead cap money next year because they wanted to bring back Ben for his farewell tour.

I still think Mason will come off the bench this year when things go south for Tomlin. That is after Ben sits down with some mysteries soft-tissue injury. With a strong defense Mason should be able to pickup his first playoff Win; lord knows he could have easily picked up the playoff win against Cleveland last year!

 

This. With the amount of QBs becoming free agents and those who are claiming to wanting traded ( Wilson, Watson), there will probably not be another year with as many QBs available for another 10 years. But, we ride or die with the team on the field. Hope for 10-6, expect 6-10.

 

I'm glad he came back. I do wish he would have gave up a little more money so we could sign more guys.

 

Assuming he retires, yes. There's about $10.3m that will hit the books. But I think he was referring to this year and the angst some are feeling about the Steelers not being more active in free agency thus far.

As for 2022, if we assume the cap raises back to at least its 2020 level of $198m they're currently $120m under it. And that includes $2.5m to Ben. So ~$112m under if he retires.

 

Steelers have/had a post Ben plan that will be implemented in 2022. Resigning him after his injury was the beginning of that strategy, including letting so called stars of the defense walk in 2021. This salary cap issue of purging the team to accommodate him is not well thought out by some yinzers. Expect Ben to carry the Steelers into the expanded post season come January because that's what he does regardless of who is injured or being owned on defense.

 

Ben is only making 14 million in 2021, that's like half of what starting QBs make, it's up to the team to have enough cap space for free agency.

 

I'd be surprised with 9 wins. Our D currently has no depth in key spots. If the Steelers lose either Watt, Bush or Highsmith for any significant time... things are gonna get ugly quick. Likewise with Heyward and Tuitt. The backups are gonna be mostly cheap undrafted UDFAs.

 

What is Tom Brady's 2021 Cap hit? How bad does Ben want another ring?

 

This is a good point.

 

I mean really who gives a **** what Tom Brady‘s cap hit is. It’s a relevant. Plus it’s a completely different situation. Brady’s been with the Buccaneers for one year. They had a hell of a lot more flexibility and how they structured his contract then what the Steelers had with big Ben this offseason season. Tom Brady is so far inside some of you guys heads that it’s scary.

 

Stop comparing Ben to Brady, Ben giving up another 5 million or so wouldn't mean another ring for the team.

 

How about this comparison. if Both Ben and Brady retire at the end of this year.

Ben will have 10 million in dead cap space for 2022. No Base Salary for 2022 in Ben's contract, so he has to retire.
Brady will count 32 million in dead cap for 2022 if he retires.

So I guess 10 million in dead cap space is better than 32 million.

 

Agree with sentiment in both of these. But for those that want to compare Bean's beans to Brady's:

Only $19m of Ben's $41m could be manipulated this year. So Ben took a $5m cut, the vet minimum base was applied, and the rest converted to signing bonus spread over '21 + four void years: about $2.5m/year. So $19m became $3.5m, and if he retires next offseason he will account for $10m in 2022.

Brady's deal last year was for 2yrs/$50m, broken evenly at $15m in base (including some incentives which we'll assume he hits in both) + $10m in roster bonus each year. These amounts were virtually guaranteed at signing, meaning Brady gets all of it while the cap hit could be shifted.

After the SB, Brady and the Bucs agreed to a one year extension that included three void years. The extension did free up $19m in cap space this year for the Bucs, but Brady didn't take any less money for it. In fact, he was paid more: they added another $25m along with 2022, and converted all but the vet minimum for 2021 ($24m) into signing and roster bonuses. Brady received $40m at signing, and the void years were used to defer the cap hit.

As far as I can tell, the only money potentially not guaranteed is $9m in 2022, but I'm not positive. Even assuming it isn't, if he retires or gets cut after this year the Bucs take a $32m dead cap hit. The year after, $24m, and so on until 2025.

 

Looks like Ben retires before Brady.

 

Brady plays for 10m and that might have been the difference of getting a Gronk on your team or a Suh/McClendon.

For Steelers it might have been keeping JuJu or Dupree. Ben already has generational wealth. I think Ben should have gone down to 10m too.

How bad does he want the ring? What is another 4 million? He probably tosses dollar bills in the fireplace as kindling he is so rich.

 

Ben isn't getting another ring no matter what. What are you guys smoking?

 

I agree, not on board with it leading up to it. But, he's going to be the QB this coming season, so it is what it is. I'm not expecting much because of
what we now know. They have little cap room to pursue any impact FA's. They have to hit this draft out of the park with at least two rookies that can be impact players this year. For me, I'll consider it a solid season if they manage a 9-8 year.

 

The Steelers are going to need more than two players from this draft class to be impact players. I know that's asking for a lot. This team lacks depth everywhere. There are going to be injuries throughout the season. Kevin Colbert needs to pull about 7 rabbits out of his hat this draft.

 

You're not understanding the CBA. Ben had $19m in base wages that could be manipulated. If he gave all but the required vet minimum ($1.075m) back, the team would've comped $2.5m to the cap this year.

 

I wasn't ever really hung up about the money. Money will always be an issue. There will never be enough to sign everyone you want. It's about making the team better. Whether Ben came back at full salary or somehow reworked his contract to not charge anything against the cap, his coming back makes this team less competitive for the next two seasons. We need a season to transition away from him. We need to see what this team is capable post-Ben, on offense AND defense. And we need to see who really wants to be here to grind out a season or two to get things in place for the next run at the playoffs.

You notice I didn't say the SB. That's not the goal for this team anymore. The goal is to be competitive in the playoffs (i.e., win a game). We aren't that team with Ben and Mike. We haven't been for years. It's time to move on, not hold the offense, and the success of the entire team, hostage just so Ben and the Head Cheerleader can "give it one more shot."

Honestly, if he was really coming back to make this team better, he should have given up MOST of his salary, regardless of how many players it would have helped us retain. Think about the statement it would have made if he came out and said, "You can have my salary this year to keep players on the roster who will be here after I'm gone. All I'm coming back for is to give us a chance to win. Keeping the roster intact gives us the best shot at it."

If he didn't make a penny this season, he is still set financially. He doesn't need it to maintain his current lifestyle. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve to get paid for playing, far from it. I would just like, for once, for some superstar to REALLY put his money where his mouth is. He could have solidified his legend in Pittsburgh with a more generous offer to actually make this team better.