I think it's safe to say Will Gay, Moats, McCullers, Sensabaugh, Hunter may not be returning for obvious reasons. Hunter was a total disappointment IMO. Made a nice catch off the turf for a TD is all I remember from him. Will Gay for obvious reasons. Age has ended his nice long career. Sutton replaces Gay. McCullers is a total disappointment and likely played his last game as a Steeler. Moats? What can I say that already hasn't been said. Time to move on from him. Keion Adams could be his replacement next season anyway. Sensabaugh served the Steelers well in spot duty. I think Sensabaugh's days in the NFL are all but over. Unless some other team takes a flier on him. I believe Sensabaugh played his last game as a Steelers too. Hubbard may have played his way off the roster. Would keep him if I could. Galambos and Kelsey are next in line at the ILB position. Perhaps either one could make the roster next season. I try to keep both. Justin Thomas and Marcus Tucker are both decent candidates to make the roster next season as well. I try to keep both. Discuss.

You nailed it. Hubbard gets starter money somewhere else. I think Hunter is a solid #5 WR because of his athletic ability. Not sure he returns though. They need ILBs and Safeties in a major way. Sounds like Bell gets tagged again. Steelers have the fewest snaps entering free agency in the nfl. They’d be in extraordinary shape if Shazier wasn’t injured.

Mitchell, Wilcox, Gay, and Sensabaugh are must cuts - saves you over 11M on the cap.

I'd still try to sign Bell to a long term deal to keep his 2018 cap hit far lower than the franchise tag price. Would give you a lot more room to add another piece. Easier said than done though given Bell's expectations.

Vance McDonald can't come back at his current cap hit of 4.6M. They should rip up his current contract and offer him a new (short) deal for like 2 years at 7M, with a couple million guaranteed. He's looked good at times but his production probably wouldn't warrant a ton of interest in FA if he were released. With none of his remaining money guaranteed it shouldn't be difficult to re-work his contract.

Agreed with SP, the Shazier injury puts them in a difficult spot. He might go on the commissioner's exemption list and there's no cap hit, but if he's ready to play do you sign him to an extension to reduce the 8.7M cap hit? That'd be risky.

Shazier going exempt and cutting Mitchell and Wilcox frees up $18 million.

I love Bell but am worried about signing him to a long-term deal. With that said, I’d do it if i could front load some of the early cap hit to the early years. We are looking for a S/ILB but may be drafting one early. Only FA signing I see is depth at ILB/S.

I don’t think it’s safe to say at all...
Been kicking Gay and McCullers, and to a lesser extent, Moats out the door for the past several years now. But here they are...”we do what we do...”

And I know that this won’t be a popular opinion, but I still think Bell’s days in the Black and Gold are winding down.

There's no sense in front loading a deal (cap hit wise) when you simply carry over any unused cap space to the next year. It may entice him to take a little less overall if you give him a higher signing bonus and higher base salaries in the first couple years, but he seems to be someone also focused obliterating the record for total money (and yearly average) for a RB.

16.843 (8.718 + 5 + 3.125), but close enough.

I think some of the other tough calls will be on Boz, Chickillo, and Rogers, all of which are RFAs. Boz deserves a long term deal, which would likely bring a lower cap hit in year 1 than the lowest RFA tender. Chickillo and Rogers haven't done enough to warrant the money of even the lowest RFA tender (close to 2M). They would either need new deals or become UFAs.

I think DHB can go away. Others are stepping up in ST. Allen has been the regular gunner on punts.

I would hope that Golden is released but with the total lack of talent at safety I would be stunned.

I would like to see a safety FA signing. Vacarro. Tre Boston. LaMarcus Joyner will either not allowed on the market or will be outside the price range.

Could they make a run at Navarro Bowman? Seems like a good fit.. Or Terence Garvin

Top 2 changes I try to make? Someone better for Mitchell, someone better for Spence/Fort. All the other guys are just reserves that I could see back, either on their current contracts, or for vet min one year deals.

You know I am not worried about the cap at all, I know some are worried that we have to fit Bell in with perhaps that $14.5 million franchise tag, but they will find a way.

Some sites are reporting that we are only $2.6 million under the cap for 2018 but I have to wonder where they are getting their numbers. For example we are $5 million under the cap right now for 2017, can't they roll that over to next year?

So, $178 million cap +5 million carryover gives them a total of $183 million right?

One site Spotrac has the top 51 contracts coming to $178 million, there is no dead money to speak of, just a little over $900,000, it would appear that the Steelers are at the very least $5 million under the cap.

That does not factor in Bell or some of the other free agents that we have. But if you cut Mike Mitchell, $5 million, cut Willie Gay $1.75 million, cut JJ Wilcox $3.125 million, cut Sensabaugh $1.4 million, that comes out to $11.275 million. Yeah, you draft and sign players to replace them but the going rate for a backup, 4th safety is $555,000, not $3 million. Signing new players may come out to maybe $2.5 million. Figure 3 low draft picks maybe one is an UDFA and say a 1st or 2nd round pick to replace Mitchell. You still save almost $8.8 million by cutting those 4 former players.

So, they were $5 million under the cap and then made 4 cuts to save $8.8 million that brings the total to $13.8 million under the cap.

Now some may want to whittle more meat off of the bone, I hear people wanting to cut Ramon Foster, Vance McDonald, demanding that Joe Haden take a discount, etc. I think those are all bad decisions. Foster is an underrated Guard, he has one year left on his contract, his base salary is just $2.6 million, he is the players union rep, he is well liked and is the glue that helps that offensive line play as well as it does. McDonald and Haden, I can actually see the Steelers giving them extensions and restructuring their contracts to free up money.

For example with Haden, we signed him to a 3 year $27 million contract and the first year was friendly for the Steelers so that if he did not work out they could cut him. Yes, his final two years he makes a base salary of $9 and then $10 million, but the Steelers could very well give him a two year extension and then convert some of this base salary to a bonus to lessen that $9 million this coming season. For example say they give him that two year extension and then convert $6 million of that $9 million base in a bonus. So, instead of Joe Haden counting $11.9 million against the 2018 cap, he would instead count only $7.4 million ($3 million base, $1 million roster bonus, $3.4 million prorated bonus). That would free up $4.5 million.

So, 13.8 + 4.5 + $18.3 million under the cap.

If they went to Vance McDonald and said hey we want to extend your contract by two years. They redo his contract, extend it by two years and take some of his base salary in 2018 and give it to him in the form of a bonus which is prorated over the length of the 4 years. So, say they they take $3 million of his base and spread it out over those 4 years. His base salary for 2018 would be just $700,000. Instead of counting $4.3 million against the cap for 2018, Vance McDonald now counts just $2.1 million. That would free up $2.2 million.

So, $18.3 + 2.2 = $20.5 million under the cap.

Now I cut 4 players in Mitchell, Gay, Wilcox and Sensabaugh and I restructured two players in Haden and McDonald and we are $20.5 million under the cap.

When you are given a big contract, are one of their core players, the Steeler restructure your contract, that is the way they do business. So, with that in mind, Big Al could very well see his contract restructured for 2018.
He is due a roster bonus of $3 million and has a base salary of $3 million and has a cap hit of $7.625 million. Now, in 2015 Marcus Gilbert had a base salary of $1.9 million and a roster bonus due to him of $3.5 million. The Steelers restructured that to where they took $1.15 million of his base and all of his roster bonus of $3.5 and paid it to him as a signing bonus. That $4.65 million was prorated over the remainder of his contract but it freed up money.

The Steelers could do the same with Alejandro. Convert all of that roster bonus $3 million and say, $2 million of his base salary, give him a $5 million signing bonus and reduce his cap hit from $7.625 million down to $4.29 million, a savings of $3.33 million.

So, $20.5 + 3.33 = $23.833 million

Now that is more than enough money to sign Bell to another franchise tender, sign our own restricted free agents, tender them, etc, and factor in the money needed for the draft picks. It will be tight but Omar Khan and company do this every year. Another candidate to restructure is Stephon Tuitt, he has a combined base and roster bonus of some $11 million in 2018, they could pay him a signing bonus and easily free up $4-5 million too.

Also, I have a feeling that the NFL will give us an exemption if Ryan can't play again and we pay him the 5th year option regardless. I think the NFL will give us some relief on that and that $8.7 million will not count against the cap. We could very well be $32.5 million under the cap if that were to happen.

This is just me guesstimating and speculating on how things might happen in the offseason. I pay attention to what they do and how they do it, all of the above is what they have shown to do in years past.

Just slightly off topic but has there been any word at all, on how Shaziers recovery is going? Any chance at all he can still play? Or would we be better off just going the exemption route with him now, I mean if he was able to come back at all, have to wonder at what percentage of the type of explosive player that he was before. Man Steelers roster would be absolutely set for a few future championship runs with him still healthy. Also what an absolutely found stuffed wallet of cash that Haden has been, might be our offset for the lost wallet of cash that Shazier is.

go get Zack Brown from Wash

Dude... For not being worried about the cap at all, that's a lot of verbage.

I had Mitchell as a $6.3 million cap savings if cut. Not sure who is wrong. .

I think he's giving an in-depth, informative look at why he's not worried, dude.

Thanks, Scunge, great work as usual.

Scunge, that is the best guesstimate I have ever read. Excellent work, and not too much verbiage.

I think you’re right since you use Colbert as your avatar

SP, the reason why we save only $5 million is because he is entering his last year of his contract and that is all that is remaining, his base salary of $5 million.

It looks like they restructured his contract twice and so that is prorated over the length of his contract, in addition to the prorated portion of his original signing bonus.

Mike had a $4.75 million signing bonus originally, so you spread that out over 5 years so that comes to $950,000

His restructured pro rated amount is $2,185,418.

That is money that has been paid to him but is on the books regardless of whether or not we cut him or not, it is not going anywhere, you have to pay the piper on that.

So, yeah, Mike Mitchell has a cap hit of $8,135,418, which breaks down to a $5 million base salary and the prorated portions of his signing bonus and restructured bonus combining for $3,135,418.

They can only cut him and get out from under paying that $5 million base salary.

Now, they could extend him, add years to his current contract, and then convert some or all of his base salary for 2018 into a bonus and spread that out over the remainder of his new contract. But, lord I hope they don't do that, he needs to go.

If we do indeed cut Wilcox, Mitchell, Gay, and Sensenbaugh, we will need to draft several DBs. I think it would be unlikely Mitchell goes. This FO wont turn over a secondary that drastically.

What is more likely is Wilcox goes, and Gay becomes a dime safety, Allen moves up off rhe practice squad, and a you g safety is brought in to be groomed to replace Mitchell in 2019.

Ill just assume we figure out a way to get Bell back for at least one more year. Hubbard leaves for more money. Moats is history. We draft one more back in the later rounds to fill the receoving back role in the offense as a backup.

Now the main change I would make to this roster is going to sound a little drastic, but if we can bring in a pair of true 270 pound defensive ends in rounds 1-4 insteadof drafting an ILB to replace Shazier.

I think those two moves cemet us as a 4-3 base.

RE - high pick, Chickillo, Keion Adams
1 tech - Hargrave, Alualu
3 tech - Heyward, Walton, late pick
LE - Tuitt, mid pick
ROLB - Watt, Fort
MLB - Vwill, Matakevich
LOLB - Dupree, bargain FA
CB - Haden, Burns, Allen
Nickel - Hilton, Sutton
Ss - Davis, Gay
Fs - Mitchell, High pick

First and foremost Mitchell has to be replaced
Preferably via FA with a proven solid guy
Use draft for ILB, RB and pass rusher

I totally forgot about Wilcox. If he's willing to renegotiate his contract I try and keep him around. I think this season was a red shirt season for him. Rarely was he on the field for defense and ST's was a bit of a challenge for him. So essentially everyone is in agreement. Mitchell needs to hit the road along with WGay and Sensabaugh. I think WGay and Sensabaugh are half way replaced already with Brian Allen. Could figure into consideration Dashaun Phillips and Greg Ducre/Antonio Crawford as hopefuls. I also think Dangerfield is out of respect by next season. For the record no way do I wish Foster replaced. Allow him to finish his contract and Finney will fall right into LG with little (If Any) drop off. Keeping Finney may present a challenge too. Hubbard is as good as gone ala Beachum. I think Chickillo is kept around. Moats is stealing a roster spot and paycheck at this point. His 'position flexibility' is a joke like his on field production. Time to cut him loose and move on. Perhaps Farrington Huguenin can replace Moats. I know Keion Adams was the talk of camp before his injury. I had heard more about Adams than I did Watt. I certainly try to keep one of the short backs. Ridley over Fitzgerald? At this point I keep Rogers over Hunter. Based on pure production. No question about it. You Re-sign Boz without hesitation. Pay The Man! Replace McCullers with Hooks or a draft pick/UDFA. Jake McGee may present a challenge for Grimble. Interested to watch that competition. And Finally, Buh Bye Heyward-Bey. You played out your welcome. Hang 'em up of be forced to.

Looked like to me they found another unsung free agent in Matt Feiler. Played RG in the last game. I think he could be a valuable backup for the OLine next season along with Finney and Hawkins.

Don't look now, but Munch is really starting to make it look like mid-late-UDFA round linemen on the interior are something the Steelers can pull out of their hats pretty regularly. Definitely value added if you've got a pipeline of these guys coming through the system.

Agree Ice. Hoping Shurmur gets the Arizona gig and Munch stays in Pittsburgh. I know selfish...

the depot did some film work on Feiler from the stains game... http://www.steelersdepot.com/2018/01/fi ... um=twitter