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Friday, February 28, 2014

News and notes

As we have seen in recent days, it's understandable why Steelers GM Kevin Colbert has taken all of the news regarding the salary cap with a grain of salt.

The latest reports have the cap now at $133 million - a figure that was sent out to teams in a memo, which would make it official - with it scheduled to raise to $150 million by 2016.

That's good news for the Steelers, of course, but it's also good news for all of the team who have found themselves up against the cap.

The biggest winners? Perhaps the Cincinnati Bengals.

With a lot of good young talent, the Bengals were going to have some issues signing guys in upcoming years - and still might given owner Mike Brown's propensity for being cheap. Now, the Bengals can sign who they want.

Their big issue will be whether they want to move forward in the future with quarterback Andy Dalton.

@ The Ravens cut loose a guy that would interest me a lot if I were in charge of the Steelers - linebacker Jameel McClain.

I've always liked McClain as a player. Some Steelers fans might still hold a grudge against McClain for his hit on Heath Miller a few years ago, but it was a football play, nothing dirty.

@ Things should really start to heat up on the free agent front with the Steelers in the coming week. With the start of free agency coming March 11, look for the team to lock up one or two of its impending free agents next week.

My guesses? Linebacker Jason Worilds and defensive lineman Al Woods.

@ The Steelers have also opened some extension negotiations with some veterans for cap relief. Look for something to happen with Troy Polamalu and Ike Taylor.

10 comments:

Eric T said...

After all the doom and gloom reported nationally, Steelers will be ~$4 Million under the cap once the release L. Brown.They probably gcould double that room by extending Troy and/or Ike.

In Colbert (and Khan) we trust.

Whack said...

Dale, This is why I read your blog.

great stuff

Anonymous said...

"That's good news for the Steelers, of course, but it's also good news for all of the team who have found themselves up against the cap."

This is wrong. The cap goes up for all teams equally. There is no benefit for any team. Only players benefit from an increase in the salary cap.

Cap goes up = player salaries go up = no benefit for any team

The only thing this will allow the Steelers to do is carry declining players on bad contracts even longer. I don't consider that good news.

TarheelFlyer said...

Anon,

I hate to say this, but you are looking at upping the cap from only one perspective. No matter what happens with the cap, player contracts will go up. Why? Because bidding wars happen and when they do teams overpay. See Miami with Mike Wallace. They wanted him BAD and overpaid to get him.

Yes the cap goes up equally for each and every team. The benefit to a team like Oakland who was already going to have like 40-45 million to spend is minimal. Now they can spend 55 if they want. The problem is, they still have to attract players to Oakland and THAT could be a challenge.

How do teams like the Steelers benefit? Prior to this, maybe they would have had to cut Woodley in order to keep Worilds. Maybe we get to keep Troy another year. Maybe we can use the money to extend Ben or get the team a UFA safety to replace Clark. Teams like the Steelers benefit because they don't have to dispose of players they would really like to keep but make a financial decision that they have to move on.

In addition, understand that the Steelers only have about 78 million allocated against NEXT year's cap. If that goes up the 140 million like reports are saying it could, the Steelers could have as much as 62 million dollars to spend toward the cap.

Anonymous said...

"In addition, understand that the Steelers only have about 78 million allocated against NEXT year's cap. If that goes up the 140 million like reports are saying it could, the Steelers could have as much as 62 million dollars to spend toward the cap."

I'm no cap expert, by far haha, so I have to ask does that 70+million speculated for the steelers count for the steelers count dead money and/or money from restructuring contracts? I always hear that those restructures and the example of cutting Woodley post june 1 pushes that money down the road, so isn't it allocated in next year's cap? thus making the situation, 60+million to spend, not as good as we can imagine?

and if not, WHERE does that money go to??

Dale Lolley said...

As Tarheel stated, the Steelers don't HAVE to release or restructure guys to get under the cap as they did in previous seasons when it stayed stagnant.

They have just under $5 million in dead money on the books for next season. That's unlikely to change unless they cut Woodley.

bruinmann77 said...

I think the will restructure Troy an maybe one more.

Anonymous said...

dale,
what is the likelihood worilds signs with the steelers before free agency? I just don't see any reason why he would agree to a deal beforehand.

Steve said...

Reports circulating that Heath's been restructured.

BlackNGold said...

Worilds given the Transition Tag