The first off-season Steelers notes from yours truly - a look at free agency: - The free-agency route didnt go too well for the Steelers this season, so instead of diving in this go-around, Id like to see the team use their free agent cap space on role players they need to fill out their depth. Now, here is the best Steelers salary cap data you will find ANYWHERE: The NFL salary cap for 2015 is rumored to be around $140 million. The Steelers have 28 players (lowest in the NFL) under contract for 2015. They are carrying $8.58 million in dead money courtesy of LaMarr Woodley. The Steelers were one of several teams to take advantage of the new CBA in 2011-2012, when they deferred $4.5 million in cap money to be paid back between 2014-2017. They paid $1.125m back in 2014, so you figure they do the same in 2015. If Troy Polamalu retires, it saves the team $8.25m in 2015. The highest cap hits are QB Ben Roethlisberger at $18.39m, ILB Lawrence Timmons at $12.56m, and WR Antonio Brown at $9.7m. Cutting FS Mike Mitchell would cost the team $3.8m. If Mitchell is cut and Polamalu retires, the Steelers would head into free agency with a total salary cap number of $105,819,906 before the draft. Factor in the expected draft class salaries at $7.4m and the CBA loan payback at $1.125m, plus $5.6m in futures contracts (practice squad) and street free agents (filler players) to get to the league-mandated 51 rostered players before the end of the league year - the Pittsburgh Steelers are looking to be right around $121,075,000 on February 28. That gives the team roughly $19.4m in cap room to spend on free agents. That is BY FAR the most money the team has had under the cap since 2005. One position I no longer feel needs to have dedicated draft picks is at Running Back. The Steelers have LeVeon Bell as their unquestioned starter for the foreseeable future, and there is no need to dedicate a valuable draft pick to a position where very few picks pan out, value wise. RB Shane Vereen, RB Mark Ingram, RB Roy Helu, and RB Jacquizz Rodgers are all UFA and all have limited miles on them, not to mention it is easy to see how they would fit into the Steelers offensive system. The big-ticket UFA RBs such as DeMarco Murray, Justin Forsett, and CJ Spiller will have teams spending big money, but the guys I mentioned should be available for very reasonable deals. Roy Helu specifically is a player that would be perfect as a backup to Bell. Trading in UFA TE Matt Spaeth for a better, younger model should be a FA priority. The Steelers need another quality TE who can run block and catch a few balls as well. TE Charles Clay is an UFA, and a mismatch for virtually every team as a swing H-Back/TE hybrid. He was one of the main reasons for the emergence of RB Lamar Miller in Miami this season. The Steelers defense has never recovered from the loss of NT Casey Hampton. it is almost impossible to draft a true 3-4 NT anymore, as very few college teams employ a 3-4 defense. The Steelers have tried to use Steve McClendon in that role, and he has done OK for his lackluster pedigree, but a true NT is needed. DT Dan Williams of Arizona is a massive, run-stopping beast in the middle who will be an UFA. The Steelers should kick the tires on him this off season. The Steelers need to use no less than 3 draft picks on their secondary. Once the retirements roll in (Polamalu, Ike Taylor) and UFAs roll out (Brice McCain, Will Allen, possibly Antwon Blake who is a RFA), the cupboard will officially be completely bare. Left will be William Gay/Cortez Allen at CB and Mike Mitchell/Shamarko Thomas/Ross Ventrone at safety. Figuring the team keeps Blake (only 25 and showed he could play in 2014), cuts Mike Mitchell, and lets the rest walk, the team will need to sign at least one CB and one SS on top of their draft picks and hope that Carnell Lake can either coach the unit up or put on pads and a helmet himself. Luckily, while this is not a great draft year for corners, it is a very good free agent class. CB Byron Maxwell, CB Chris Culliver, and CB Kareem Jackson are all UFA who would be immediate upgrades for the Steelers. All three are 27 years old and have plenty of staring experience. Jackson would be the most expensive, coming off a solid season with the Texans. Maxwell is a product of the Seattle secondary factory, is 6-1, and would bring some serious nastiness back to the Steelers defense. Culliver was great in 2014 with the 49ers and San Fran will be letting him walk, as they have two younger corners ready to start. Defensive Backs cost money, but the Steelers are not in a position to argue at this point. Bringing in one FA CB and drafting a first-round CB would finally bring some stability to the unit. The safety free-agent well is very top heavy. S Devin McCourty is the big prize, and he will easily command a deal that puts him out of the Steelers salary cap price range. The Browns FS Tashaun Gipson is a RFA, but as an undrafted free agent in 2012, he would only cost the Steelers a 7th round pick in 2016 to sign. He is 25 years old and looks like he could be a Pro Bowl level FS for 3-5 years. The Browns will probably resign him, but if they fail to do so, Gipson is the kind of immediate help at a reasonable price that the Steelers should bite on. FS DaNorris Searcy from Buffalo stepped in for the departed Jarius Byrd last season and filled the void. He isnt a ball-hawk, but he is good making openfield tackles and has the speed to get to the QB. Searcy is 26 and has played in 62 games for the Bills over four seasons, including starting 23. Hope you all enjoyed this, next time I will begin my previews for the 2015 NFL Draft.
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 04:49:07 +0000
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