List of Demands for the 2021 Season

[Bridgeburner]

OL: Start with Dotson. Replace everyone else. I wouldn't sign Conner or JuJu or Dupree. Of the three I would consider Dupree first if anyone. Ben... he's not done and Rudolph is trash. But he's not a 41 million dollar quarterback and this team needs a rebuild. Why would the Steelers want Ben for that and why would Ben want to be part of it?

This is the beginning of the lean years.

 

[Bridgeburner]

Ed Booooshet was on the radio this morning. He seems to think the Steelers are screwed where the cap is going after Covid. He think Ben, Juju, Dupree, McDonald, Pouncey, and Hayden are all gone after this year.

 

[thedddd]

If this is about silly overreactions if Ben retires they are better off trading for Matt Stafford than letting Rudolph start.
At least they would have a competent QB with a defense (hopefully healthy) that is built to win now.

 

[thedddd]

BTW....remember in the last decade they only have had 3 playoff wins.

 

[Bridgeburner]

If this is about silly overreactions if Ben retires they are better off trading for Matt Stafford than letting Rudolph start.
At least they would have a competent QB with a defense (hopefully healthy) that is built to win now.

I don't know if they could afford to pay Stafford. At least according to Boooshet.

 

[thedddd]

I don't know if they could afford to pay Stafford. At least according to Boooshet.

True. Probably would have to "restructure" a Ben deal if that happened.

But I have no clue how the NFL cap works, it seems to be the biggest cluster.

 

[Bridgeburner]

True. Probably would have to "restructure" a Ben deal if that happened.

But I have no clue how the NFL cap works, it seems to be the biggest cluster.

Right. I know nothing of it and haven't even tried making sense of it. I know with Covid the cap is going down instead of the usual up each year.

 

[Superbelt]

I'm going to be pretty pissed WHEN Pouncey is still starting here next year.

 

[thedddd]

I'm going to be pretty pissed WHEN Pouncey is still starting here next year.

Have a feeling if anyone retires it is him.

 

[Superbelt]

Rip off the bandaid. Ben 'retires' and cut all the other dead weight.

Get the dead cap money in this upcoming year.

Draftwise, do some trading to accumulate picks for NEXT year, unless an Aaron Rodgers falls. Make lots of OL picks with what you have.

There is still a great core for this team. Put all the eggs in the 2022 NFL draft basket.

 

[Rex Racer]

Right. I know nothing of it and haven't even tried making sense of it. I know with Covid the cap is going down instead of the usual up each year.

Two different NFL reporters that frequent the SportsHub talk shows are convinced that the cap will stay flat for next year. Not that it helps the Steelers if it stays the same, but going down by $5 mil or more would hamper them badly and likely cost them one or two good mid level salary players.

 

[Bridgeburner]

Two different NFL reporters that frequent the SportsHub talk shows are convinced that the cap will stay flat for next year. Not that it helps the Steelers if it stays the same, but going down by $5 mil or more would hamper them badly and likely cost them one or two good mid level salary players.

Good to know man. Thanks for the info.

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

Not even going to bother reading the overreactions...

But here goes my list:

1. Fire Randy & find a real OC. Find a fresh mind for OC

2. Revamp the O-line. Dotson is about the only piece I want to build around. I'd shop DeCastro this offseason if it meant landing a big fish. But he can play another season to bridge the gap if that plan fails. Feiler (if they chose to resign) should be relegated to backup duties. Villanueva & Pouncey need to go. They are still relatively young at RT with Chuks so I wouldn't mind seeing them battle it out another offseason with more competition. Resign Banner to a 1yr maybe? Or maybe double-dipping at OT in the draft is the way to go.

3. Get rid of both McDonald & Ebron. $16m+ wrapped up in both of those players that didn't contribute enough to merit that pricetag. McDonald was a decent blocker but mainly miscast out of necessity. He's a FA now, and has outlived his usefulness. Get a FA TE or draft one. Let Kevin Rader take over blocking duties.

4. Resign Juju & Hilton. Use the tag on 1 if they have to. Obviously want Dupree back, but don't know how they can make that happen without trying to tag him again. They won't have the money. Juju needs to mature, but he's a damn good player and easily the most reliable option they have. DJ & Claypool have high ceilings, but they are susceptible to bad games. They need a stable option, and right now Juju is the best person for the job. Losing Hilton would be a major blow to the secondary.

5. Rebuild the rushing attack. Starts with revamping the O-line, but they need to focus on better blocking schemes this offseason. Their power pull-blocking & zone-based schemes were dogshit this year. Same schemes they've played in years past that worked well, but for whatever reason this year it went to shit. They need to focus on getting the trenches fixed this offseason. If they resign Conner (which I don't think they should) it needs to be near a minimum type deal with incentivized bonuses. Needs to be a prove-it type contract. He's the best they've had, but they could do far better. Drafting in the 1st round doesn't appeal to me.

6. Restructure Ben... Ben still has another year left in the tank but they can't pay him that cap hit. Just no way around it. Let Omar Khan find a way. I have reservations about whether Ben will want to learn a new offense though, or to play without Pouncey in front of him... If he doesn't want either, then it may be time to rip the bandaid off and let him ride out into the sunset.

7. D-line... This is more of a concern at the moment. Heyward, Tuitt & Alualu played at a phenomenal level most of the season but they looked tired down the stretch. Age concerns are relevant. Expecting another year of dominant play from these 3 is scary. Alualu is a FA, as is Wormley.

 

[Rex Racer]

Good to know man. Thanks for the info.

I believe it was Bert Breer (sp) that said it first. Pretty sure he said the with a new TV contract on the horizon that as long as the playoffs and SB went off without a COVID hitch that he didn't think it would go down.

I hope he's correct because New England can use all the cap space they can get right about now.

 

[Superbelt]

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

This applies to 2019 & 2020... lol

 

[FaCe-LeE-uS]

I believe it was Bert Breer (sp) that said it first. Pretty sure he said the with a new TV contract on the horizon that as long as the playoffs and SB went off without a COVID hitch that he didn't think it would go down.

I hope he's correct because New England can use all the cap space they can get right about now.

Was just about to say somethin about this. That new TV deal should be the NFL's salvation. Hopeful that the cap issues will get good news this offseason.

 

[Superbelt]

Ben and Pouncey alone: Over 55.7 million in cap hit next season. Just those two. Are they playing like they are worth 32% of the cap?

Steelers are 21.7 million over the cap. Cutting Ben saves 19 million Cutting DeCastro saves 9 million, cutting Pouncey saves 8 million, cutting Haden saves 7 Million. Cutting McDonald saves 5 million. Cutting Ebron saves 6 Million.

Suddenly you have 32 Million in cap space instead. Sign cheaply. Build the lines. Resign Watt, and JuJu and Hilton. Maybe even see if Bud wants to come back for a year or two after that injury. Could be a reasonable price (But I doubt it).

Pittsburgh Steelers Salary Cap | Over the Cap

Pittsburgh Steelers salary cap, contracts, bonus money, dead money, and cap savings for every player

overthecap.com

 

[Yo Tee]

My main issue with JuJu is that I think he will be just like AB and become a locker room distraction and I refuse to willingly go through that again after Bell and AB. So either JuJu needs to grow up fast or he needs to go. One or the other and I don't think we will see him grow up as quick as we need him to so let him be someone else's distraction.

 

[Superbelt]

My main issue with JuJu is that I think he will be just like AB and become a locker room distraction and I refuse to willingly go through that again after Bell and AB. So either JuJu needs to grow up fast or he needs to go. One or the other and I don't think we will see him grow up as quick as we need him to so let him be someone else's distraction.

He might be a distraction, but he won't be a cancer.

If the worst he ever does is some TikTok dances and giving bulletin board material, I'm ok with that.

That said, they can't pay him and then use him like they used him this year. They wasted him this year. Put him in the slot and then did not look his way often enough. Instead giving the balls JuJu should have been given to Slippery Hands McGee and Cinderblock Mitts.