The NFL announced its compensatory picks for the draft on Monday night and the Steelers added an extra sixth-round selection for losing William Gay to Arizona last season.
The ironic thing is that Arizona released Gay in the offseason and the Steelers re-signed him.
So, in effect, the Steelers got both Gay and a sixth-round draft pick for signing him back after renting him to Arizona for a season.
Of course, the Steelers should reap at least two - and possibly more - higher compensatory picks in 2014 after losing Mike Wallace, Keenan Lewis, Rashard Mendenhall and Ryan Mundy - so far this year.
Pittsburgh hasn't signed anyone to a big-money contract and isn't really counting on their current signings - Gay and tight end Matt Spaeth - to play major roles in 2013.
The Steelers figure to get at least a third-round pick for Wallace and a fourth or fifth-round selection for Lewis.
If Mendenhall has a bounceback season in Arizona, he could net a fifth or sixth-round compensation pick, while Mundy's signing will probably be cancelled out by the moves the Steelers have already made.
@ Speaking of draft picks, there has still been no movement on the Emmanuel Sanders front.
The longer the Patriots go without making Sanders an offer, the less likely they are to do so.
16 comments:
Dale, I know the comp pick formula is not published, but it is my understanding that signing a player who has been released does not factor into the formula. Have you heard anything to the contrary?
In fact, given that the Steelers have largely focused on released players, it seems that they may be looking, in part, to ensure that they receive significant comp picks for Wallace and Lewis.
Spaeth and Gay won't count against them next year, since both were released and didn't reach FA thru and expired contract.
There is a minimum threshold however for qualifying FAs, and Mundy won't qualify as a loss given his one year league minimum contract.
Did Gradkowski get the same deal Gay got? If so, he will qualify as a UFA gain, cancelling out the closest UFA loss in terms of yearly dollar average. And that's Mendenhall.
It can still change, but as it stands right now, Steelers have a net UFA loss of two. Wallace and Lewis.
There's also some issues with playing time as well. If Mundy becomes a starter and makes the Pro Bowl - highly unlikely - it would factor in as well.
The biggest thing is contract signed, however.
And no, they aren't considering compensatory picks when they make their signings. They're looking at helping this year's team.
Of the free agents discussed with the Steelers, we have:
Still possible:
Dustin Keller -this would be a huge catch for our revamped offense.
If we don't sign Keller, we might be more inclined to take Tyler Eiffert in the draft. This all depends on how much Eifert actually reminds Colbert of Jimmy Graham.
Ahmad Bradshaw -won't be getting big money or over 1-year, so does having a chance to start for the Legendary Pittsburgh Steelers seem like something that would interest you?
Elvis Dumerville -though it is unlikely, the Steelers could see a reason to spend starter value to fill a large hole left by James Harrison's departure. However, Dumerville is likely to get some solid proposals to decide between, and Baltimore is as involved as we are, if not willing to pursue him at a high level.
Fallen off:
Victor Butler -he's weighing his options, but I think he's looking for the best financial situation.
Beanie Wells -stubbed his toe really hard on the way up the steps to the steelers front office.
Keller signed with the Dolphins.
Bradshaw's injury history scares me. He won't get more than a one-year deal. And it starting for "the legendary" Steelers won't matter to him. He'll go to the best situation where he can make the most money.
Elvis isn't going to enter the building. He's probably going back to Denver.
Butler is still in play. Wells is a fall-back option.
I think they wait until after the draft to sign a running back - if they sign one.
Comp picks are almost totally predicated on size of the contracts signed.
They'll get a three for Wallace. Maybe a 5 for Lewis, MAYBE, more likely a 6. Look at the sixth rounds comparisons this year.
Anyone else is going to be a 7, if that. Doubt they get anything for Mendenhall on a one year deal, won't get anything for Starks if/when he signs somewhere due to age/tenure(same gimmick as Faneca a while ago).
Is the lack of (or what seems to be lack of) interest in James Harrison due to him wanting too much money, do you think? I figured some team would take him by now. Wish he'd have stayed!
Mendenhall's one-year deal was worth more money than Gay's. Plus he has some PT escalators.
Gay's deal was two years, $3.2 million. Mendenhall was one at $2.5 with a chance to make another million based on how he plays.
And they got a six for Gay.
Playing time and productivity do factor in - though maybe not as much as the contract.
Yes, I am sure Harrison's issue is what his asking price is. The Steelers didn't want to pay $6 million for a player with a balky back and knees. And he had more value to them than anyone else.
My theory on the Steelers' "reported interest" in both Dumervil and Jake Long -- it was to make the Patriots think twice about offering Sanders a deal, to show that the Steelers feel they have room to spend money and therefore wouldn't be afraid to match an offer. Unless the Steelers go after Vollmer, I'll continue to believe the "late push" for Long was not real.
is it possible the "late push for long" was more a product of long's agent trying to get the rams to up the ante or move along quicker with the offer?
Maybe the alleged interest in Long was to motivate Adams/Gilbert since these young guys may think that they can just show up to training camp and be the starters at the two tackle spots.
I don't know about a late push. Agents say a lot of stuff.
The Steelers wouldn't be doing their job if they didn't at least inquire about both players. Doesn't mean there was serious interest.
Playing time and productivity factor in....but it's almost without fail to the negative. It can effect the comp pick adversely, it almost never ramps it up.
It's typically more about the cash.
Dale,
Do you see any realistic scenario that brings Harrison back for another season or do you think that ship has sailed?
I think that ship sailed, was attacked by pirates and sunk to the deepest depths of the ocean.
But I hope he comes back for a year!
I would never say never
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