An early look at who won't be here next year

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

While reading the thread regarding Aaron Smith, I thought I'd look to see whose contracts will be expiring over the next two years and who might or might not be back. I'm not sure this list is 100% accurate, but here goes

Sure this is probably premature, and done as a knee jerk reaction to one bad game by Smitty, but what the hell.........

Expires after this season:

Smith - no
Leftwich - not after another IR
J. Scott - no thank you
Dixon - won't want to be here
Batch - time to hang 'em up
Wallace - yes please
Warren - probably but who really cares?
Essex - doubtful, they already cut him this year
Lewis - I think so, they got rid of Butler to keep him around - I think he replaces BMac
Cotchery - depends on if and how he contributes this year
Sepulveda - only if he stays healthy
Gay - please no
Hoke - another future retiree
Moore - doubtful
David Johnson - we can only hope not
Foster - lets see if he can wrestle the RG spot away from Legs
Legursky - not at starters dollars
Mundy - returns to remain Troy's backup forever
McLendon - yes, and he moves up the depth chart
Redman - yes

Expiring after 2012 (so tougher criteria to let go after this season):

Hampton - stays and plays out his contract
Farrior - this one is tough, lets see how he plays this season, he started slow last year
Foote - Bye
BMac - unless he shows something big the he is long gone - very cheap to cut
Mendy - He at least finishes out next season
Allen - he should be gone but there isn't a viable replacement yet
Battle - how is he still even here?
Sanders - he will be re-signed for a long term
C. Scott - he sticks around one more year as "cheap potential"
Sylvester - probab;y extended at some point, not expensive, not cheap
Dwyer - gets another look this year, lets see
Brown - extended


The one thing that I noticed during this exercise is that we have a lot of contracts (20 by the looks of it) due to expire this off-season. Luckily it looks like Wallace is the only stud in that group. With all the money spent this off-season, I can't see them keeping the salaries of aging vets Farrior, Foote, and McFadden after this year. Hampton is also a possibility depending on how bad the cap situation is.

[RuthlessBurgher]

We brought back a lot of guys this year, but other than the big fish we signed to long term deals (Taylor, Colon, Woodley, Timmons, Polamalu), the rest were all brought back simply on one year deals, presumably to get us through this post-lockout, no-OTA season without having to rely on newbies all that much (guys like Moore, Gay, Essex, Hoke, etc. won't be around beyond this season).

[phillyesq]

While reading the thread regarding Aaron Smith, I thought I'd look to see whose contracts will be expiring over the next two years and who might or might not be back. I'm not sure this list is 100% accurate, but here goes

Sure this is probably premature, and done as a knee jerk reaction to one bad game by Smitty, but what the hell.........

Expires after this season:

Smith - no
He likely retires, unless things changes drastically from week 1.

Leftwich - not after another IR
I think at least one of Leftwich, Dixon or Batch returns. Just not sure which one yet.

J. Scott - no thank you
This could largely depend on how Gilbert plays. The Steelers will need a backup swing tackle, and I'm not totally opposed to him return in this role.

Dixon - won't want to be here
Batch - time to hang 'em up
Wallace - yes please
Warren - probably but who really cares?
Eh, he's reliable, but if they can find somebody cheaper who can do the job (and he was once that guy) I'm fine with him returning.

Essex - doubtful, they already cut him this year
Lewis - I think so, they got rid of Butler to keep him around - I think he replaces BMac
Depends on this year, but I hope you are correct

Cotchery - depends on if and how he contributes this year
Could also be dependant on Ward. If Hines retires, I think the Steelers bring back Cotchery, if he's healthy and productive, to keep a veteran presence. I like Cotchery, but he might look for a better situation.

Sepulveda - only if he stays healthy
Gay - please no
Not wanting to see him back might be the most agreed on issue since wanting to replace Mahan.

Hoke - another future retiree
Wouldn't surprise me to see him play another year if not more. May not be with Pittsburgh. He's getting up in years, but doesn't have too much wear and tear.

Moore - doubtful
Does a bit of anything, but nothing particularly well. I'd like to see a young, electric player in this role.

David Johnson - we can only hope not
I bet he returns.

Foster - lets see if he can wrestle the RG spot away from Legs
Legursky - not at starters dollars
Mundy - returns to remain Troy's backup forever
McLendon - yes, and he moves up the depth chart
Redman - yes

Expiring after 2012 (so tougher criteria to let go after this season):

Hampton - stays and plays out his contract

Farrior - this one is tough, lets see how he plays this season, he started slow last year
Foote - Bye
I think one of these two return next year, but almost certainly not both.

BMac - unless he shows something big the he is long gone - very cheap to cut
Cheap to cut, but not a huge salary either. Hopefully, when he suffers his annual injury, Lewis steps up and siezes the job.

Mendy - He at least finishes out next season
... and then the wheels should be about to come off...

Allen - he should be gone but there isn't a viable replacement yet
Battle - how is he still even here?
No way he comes back next year -- his cap number will be relatively significant.

Sanders - he will be re-signed for a long term
C. Scott - he sticks around one more year as "cheap potential"
Sylvester - probab;y extended at some point, not expensive, not cheap
Dwyer - gets another look this year, lets see
Brown - extended


The one thing that I noticed during this exercise is that we have a lot of contracts (20 by the looks of it) due to expire this off-season. Luckily it looks like Wallace is the only stud in that group. With all the money spent this off-season, I can't see them keeping the salaries of aging vets Farrior, Foote, and McFadden after this year. Hampton is also a possibility depending on how bad the cap situation is.

[D Rock]

The real question about whether or not these guys stick around is if the team is comfortable with the alternative options as starters. Looking at it that way, these could be the starters next year...


Ben... :D
Mendy... :)
Sanders... :)
Wallace... :D
Brown... :)
Miller... :D
Colon... :?
uhhhhhhhhhh... :x
Pouncey... :D
Kemo... :?
Gilbert... :)

Hood... :D
McClendon... :?
Heyward... :)
Woodley... :D
Timmons... :D
Sylvester... :?
Harrison... :D
Taylor... :D
Lewis... :x
Polamalu... :D
Clark... :?

There will be big question marks at RG, FS, CB, NT, ILB, RT, LT, and LG...

which is pretty much par for the course with the Steelers it seems.

[Oviedo]

I said before the season started that we were on the verge of a "generational change" on this team. The players that went to three Super Bowls are going to get pushed out the door. This team needs to get younger.

I feel that except for the OL we are on very solid footing moving forward on the offensive side of the ball. I don't feel that way on defense except for the DL. Our LBs are failrly solid and we will keep the two best (Timmons and Woodley) for the next 4-5 years. Harrison is a huge question mark going forward and Farrior is likely playing his last year. In the secondary only Ike gives me a warm feeling. Troy is great but can he stay healthy and what is Plan B behind him? Clark is mediocre and Bmac is abysmal and again what do we have behind either one of them? Nothing I can see because they can't get on the field no matter how bad the starter performs.

We may be entering a 3-4 year period where we aren't on top of the heap and have to go through a mini rebuild.

[Stewie]

Hines?

[papillon]

The real question about whether or not these guys stick around is if the team is comfortable with the alternative options as starters. Looking at it that way, these could be the starters next year...


Ben... :D
Mendy... :)
Sanders... :)
Wallace... :D
Brown... :)
Miller... :D
Colon... :?
uhhhhhhhhhh... :x
Pouncey... :D
Kemo... :?
Gilbert... :)

Hood... :D
McClendon... :?
Heyward... :)
Woodley... :D
Timmons... :D
Sylvester... :?
Harrison... :D
Taylor... :D
Lewis... :x
Polamalu... :D
Clark... :?

There will be big question marks at RG, FS, CB, NT, ILB, RT, LT, and LG...

which is pretty much par for the course with the Steelers it seems.

The Steelers will have the 21st century version of Lewis and Clark. :P

Pappy

[RuthlessBurgher]

The real question about whether or not these guys stick around is if the team is comfortable with the alternative options as starters. Looking at it that way, these could be the starters next year...


Ben... :D
Mendy... :)
Sanders... :)
Wallace... :D
Brown... :)
Miller... :D
Colon... :?
uhhhhhhhhhh... :x
Pouncey... :D
Kemo... :?
Gilbert... :)

Hood... :D
McClendon... :?
Heyward... :)
Woodley... :D
Timmons... :D
Sylvester... :?
Harrison... :D
Taylor... :D
Lewis... :x
Polamalu... :D
Clark... :?

There will be big question marks at RG, FS, CB, NT, ILB, RT, LT, and LG...

which is pretty much par for the course with the Steelers it seems.

The Steelers will have the 21st century version of Lewis and Clark. :P

Pappy

Since we are playing the NFL West teams this season, those two should be helpful on our trips out west to Arizona and San Francisco. :lol:

[Oviedo]

The real question about whether or not these guys stick around is if the team is comfortable with the alternative options as starters. Looking at it that way, these could be the starters next year...


Ben... :D
Mendy... :)
Sanders... :)
Wallace... :D
Brown... :)
Miller... :D
Colon... :?
uhhhhhhhhhh... :x
Pouncey... :D
Kemo... :?
Gilbert... :)

Hood... :D
McClendon... :?
Heyward... :)
Woodley... :D
Timmons... :D
Sylvester... :?
Harrison... :D
Taylor... :D
Lewis... :x
Polamalu... :D
Clark... :?

There will be big question marks at RG, FS, CB, NT, ILB, RT, LT, and LG...

which is pretty much par for the course with the Steelers it seems.

Good assessment, however I'm not sure that James Harrison doesn't turn out to be :(

Not because he lacks talent or heart but because his 34 year old body can't do it anymore. Remember "truf toe" ended the career of Jack Lambert so a back injury ending the career of James Harrison would not be surprising.

[D Rock]

The real question about whether or not these guys stick around is if the team is comfortable with the alternative options as starters. Looking at it that way, these could be the starters next year...


Ben... :D
Mendy... :)
Sanders... :)
Wallace... :D
Brown... :)
Miller... :D
Colon... :?
uhhhhhhhhhh... :x
Pouncey... :D
Kemo... :?
Gilbert... :)

Hood... :D
McClendon... :?
Heyward... :)
Woodley... :D
Timmons... :D
Sylvester... :?
Harrison... :D
Taylor... :D
Lewis... :x
Polamalu... :D
Clark... :?

There will be big question marks at RG, FS, CB, NT, ILB, RT, LT, and LG...

which is pretty much par for the course with the Steelers it seems.

Good assessment, however I'm not sure that James Harrison doesn't turn out to be :(

Not because he lacks talent or heart but because his 34 year old body can't do it anymore. Remember "truf toe" ended the career of Jack Lambert so a back injury ending the career of James Harrison would not be surprising.


He is one of the ones I had trouble deciding which smiley to put. I figured that until he shows the injury has had an effect on his play, I'll stay positive.