Tag Archives: Jason Worilds

Jason Worilds Accepts Transition Tag

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Jason Worilds has reportedly accepted his transition tag today. This means that he may no longer consider offers from other teams. There is reading between the lines to be done here. On the surface, it seemed like the best thing for Worilds and his agent to do was explore the market, hoping for a big payday.

Multiple assumptions can be made about his quickness to “sign” the transition tag. It’s possible that he wasn’t as hot a commodity as many people thought, though I don’t really think that’s true. It’s very probable that his camp and Steelers management are close to a long term deal. The Steelers knew that slapping the transition tag on a player makes it difficult for another team to make a play for him.

Of course it’s not impossible for another team, but the original team has the leverage in that situation. If you’re a team that’s hungry for a pass rusher, having to work out a deal with a player’s agent and then having to wait up to 5 days for the original team to match it, is less than ideal. The beginning of free agency is extremely active, and if you have to wait nearly a week for one player who you might not get, you put yourself in a tight spot, because you likely miss out on other available free agents. On top of that, teams hate to negotiate contracts for other teams, which is essentially what they would be doing. With the team being in worse shape than most from a cap standpoint, they made themselves vulnerable to losing Worilds to a deal they couldn’t match. It wouldn’t take too much for a team to offer the linebacker a front loaded contract that the Steelers wouldn’t possibly be able to equal.

Worilds and his representation may have feared the Steelers would rescind the tag. If he didn’t get the interest he hoped for, and the Steelers withdrew the transition tag, things could get tricky. Ultimately, it’s about risk/reward for both sides.

Now that he has in fact “signed” it, the Steelers have lost a lot of leverage in negotiations. Being a cap strapped team, Worilds’ agent knows the Steelers don’t likely want to pay him $9,754,000 guaranteed this year. The sooner they can lower that cap hit by signing him to a long term deal, the better.

Jason La Canfora reported earlier that the Steelers have made progress towards reaching a long term deal with Worilds. I imagine that’s true, and am sure that is their hope.

 

Steelers Use Transition Tag On Jason Worilds

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The Steelers announce that they are using the transition designation on LB Jason Worilds. This comes right at the 4:00 PM deadline. By doing this, the team is saying they want to sign Worilds to a deal, but either they aren’t yet sure what his value is yet, or both sides can’t yet reach an agreement. Using the transition tag is basically telling his agent to see if he can go find a deal.

Lets explore how the transition tag works. Designating a player a transition player lets him explore the free agent market, while the franchise tag does not. The Steelers will have the right of first refusal to match any offer that Worilds should receive in free agency. If that does happen, they will have 5 days to decide if they want to match. They won’t however receive any compensation this year if they do lose him to free agency.

Using the franchise tag on a linebacker counts $11.455 Mil against a team’s cap, while the transition tag is less expensive at $9.754 Mil. The Steelers will be on the hook for that amount starting March 11th. The two sides can always come to long term agreement, and that contract will make the transition tag a moot point. The last time the Steelers used the transition tag on a player was Max Starks in 2008.

Redskins Franchise Orakpo, Stock Goes Up For Worilds

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The Washington Redskins have used their franchise tag on LB Brian Orakpo today. All teams have until 4:00 PM est to use their franchise tag. Obviously, the Steelers have no intention in franchising anyone this year, but the Redskins franchise tag is relevant to them.

The franchise tag for linebackers is $11.455 Mil. Both sides have until July 15th to work on a new contract. If they can’t reach a deal, then the tagged player will play for a one year contract worth the franchise designation. Brian Orakpo is the top free agent linebacker this year. By using the franchise tag on him, the Redskins have taken him off the market, making Jason Worilds arguably the top free agent linebacker.

I’ve never viewed the Steelers outside linebacker contract situation as being “either/or”. Releasing Woodley this year has never made much sense from a cap standpoint, and the team can’t (won’t) afford to get in a bidding war for Jason Worilds. If they let him play the free agent market, it seems very likely that he’ll be starting for a different team next year.  The Tennessee Titans seem like a very likely landing spot to me. Ray Horton is their new defensive coordinator and they have over $13 Mil in cap space.

Worilds, who turned 26 today, has suggested that he doesn’t want to return unless he can start and that doesn’t seem possible.

Report: Over A Dozen Teams Expressed Interest In Jason Worilds

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Tony Pauline of draftinsider.net reports that several teams have expressed an interest in OLB Jason Worilds at the NFL Scouting Combine. Pauline writes, “I’m told at least at least a dozen teams here at the combine have expressed great interest in Worilds if he hits free agency.”

The demand for Worilds shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise. Rotoworld recently ranked him the number two free agent linebacker behind 3 time pro bowler Brian Orakpo. If Orakpo comes off the market, which I believe he likely will do soon, Worilds will likely be considered the top available free agent pass rusher, regardless of Rotoworld’s ranking.

I’ve said before that the team will very much want to get Worilds signed before free agency opens up, the weekend of March 11th, if they truly intend to sign him. They could keep him here in theory by using the franchise tag on him, but they won’t. At an estimated $130 Mil salary cap (it’s been projected as high as $132 Mil recently) the franchise tag for linebackers would be just over $11.3 Mil. That’s just not something the team can afford to do, nor would they likely if they could.

Worilds has said that he would like to stay in Pittsburgh, but suggested that he would only stay if he could be a starter. The odds aren’t in favor of him wearing the Black and Gold next season.

 

Depth Chart Change- Jason Worilds No. 1, Jarvis Jones No. 2

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This week’s depth chart has been released, and Jason Worilds has been listed as the starting ROLB over Jarvis Jones this week. Jones didn’t start the game in Oakland, and was pulled out after struggling to contain the edge during the loss to the Raiders. He played for a total of only 11 defensive plays.
https://twitter.com/BobLabriola/status/395196607559266304

Steelers Training Camp Injury Report- 8/01

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The Steelers concluded practice today with some new injuries to report. Offensive linemen Nik Embernate injured his knee during one on one drills. Coach Tomlin said in his meeting with the media that it was a significant knee injury. Embernate was carted off the field.

Jason Worilds had a toe injury of some kind. It could just be some minor discomfort and might just limit him for  a day or two, according to Coach Tomlin.

Mark Kaboly reported that LaMaar Woodley limited with some calf discomfort.

https://twitter.com/MarkKaboly_Trib/status/363053329963696129

Tomlin also said he had no new information on the guys who were out, and they will be looked at on a day to day basis.