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Thread: What will be the easy cuts next year? What will be the difficult ones?

  1. #1
    Legend

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    What will be the easy cuts next year? What will be the difficult ones?

    In order to keep some of our young, promising players, we will likely have to say goodbye to a few more Steeler greats one year after saying goodbye to Steeler stalwarts Hines Ward, James Farrior, Aaron Smith, and Chris Hoke. Here are the guys on our team who currently have a cap hit of greater than $2 million (I don't have the numbers for next year handy, so this will have to do). Some vets like Ben and Heath are in their prime and are having quite possibly the best years of their careers, so have nothing to fear. Some young vets like Woodley and Timmons just got their money a year ago, so they are safe as well. And at the bottoms of the list are the young-and-coming guys like Wallace, Brown, and Pouncey, who are looking for their own big paydays (or in the case of Brown, already got it). That leaves vets like Polamalu, Harrison, Hampton, Keisel, Taylor, Clark, Foote, Mendenhall, and Colon. All are over 30 except for Mendenhall. Some of their contracts are up at the end of the year anyway like Hampton, Foote, Mendenhall, and, of course, Wallace. So of the big money guys in the following list (from [URL]http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/cap-hit/[/URL]), who is the easiest to say "Hasta la vista" and who would be really difficult to replace? Go ahead and rank 'em, folks!
    Steeler teams featuring stat-driven, me-first, fantasy-football-darling diva types such as Antonio Brown & Le'Veon Bell won no championships.

    Super Bowl winning Steeler teams were built around a dynamic, in-your-face defense plus blue-collar, hard-hitting, no-nonsense football players on offense such as Hines Ward & Jerome Bettis.

    We don't want Juju & Conner to replace what we lost in Brown & Bell.

    We are counting on Juju & Conner to return us to the glory we once had with Hines & The Bus.

  2. #2
    Legend

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    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/"]Active Contracts[/URL] [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/cap-hit/"]2012 Cap Hits[/URL]
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/yearly/"]salaries by year[/URL]
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/depth-chart/"]Depth Chart[/URL]
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/free-agents/nfl/2013/pittsburgh-steelers/"]2013 Free Agents[/URL]






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    Player Pos. Base Salary Signing Bonus Other Bonus Cap Figure
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/ben-roethlisberger/"]Ben Roethlisberger[/URL] QB 900,000 5,200,000 3,795,000 9,895,000
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/troy-polamalu/"]Troy Polamalu[/URL] S 6,250,000 2,637,500 250,000 9,137,500
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/james-harrison/"]James Harrison[/URL] LB 5,565,000 2,000,000 1,465,000 9,030,000
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/heath-miller/"]Heath Miller[/URL] TE 4,274,000 850,000 1,946,500 7,070,500
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/casey-hampton/"]Casey Hampton[/URL] DT 2,800,000 2,166,667 - 4,966,667
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/lamarr-woodley/"]LaMarr Woodley[/URL] LB 700,000 2,600,000 1,640,000 4,940,000
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/brett-keisel/"]Brett Keisel[/URL] DE 2,825,000 1,675,000 - 4,500,000
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/ike-taylor/"]Ike Taylor[/URL] CB 825,000 1,812,500 1,641,666 4,279,166
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/ryan-clark/"]Ryan Clark[/URL] S 3,000,000 750,000 500,000 4,250,000
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/lawrence-timmons/"]Lawrence Timmons[/URL] LB 700,000 2,000,000 1,285,000 3,985,000
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/larry-foote/"]Larry Foote[/URL] LB 3,000,000 600,000 - 3,600,000
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/rashard-mendenhall/"]Rashard Mendenhall[/URL] RB 2,050,000 - 1,377,500 3,427,500
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/willie-colon/"]Willie Colon[/URL] G 700,000 1,200,000 950,000 2,850,000
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/mike-wallace/"]Mike Wallace[/URL] WR 2,742,000 - - 2,742,000
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/antonio-brown/"]Antonio Brown[/URL] WR 540,000 1,724,358 - 2,264,358
    [URL="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/maurkice-pouncey/"]Maurkice Pouncey[/URL] C 666,125 - 1,500,625 2,166,750
    Steeler teams featuring stat-driven, me-first, fantasy-football-darling diva types such as Antonio Brown & Le'Veon Bell won no championships.

    Super Bowl winning Steeler teams were built around a dynamic, in-your-face defense plus blue-collar, hard-hitting, no-nonsense football players on offense such as Hines Ward & Jerome Bettis.

    We don't want Juju & Conner to replace what we lost in Brown & Bell.

    We are counting on Juju & Conner to return us to the glory we once had with Hines & The Bus.

  3. #3
    Pro Bowler

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    Easy, cuts, or let walks: Polamalu, Hampton, Mendy, Wallace.

    Depending on if healthy: Harrison.

    Probably willing to settle for a reasonable deal: Foote. He's been playing well and offers some leadership.

  4. #4
    Legend

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    I think the easiest decision to make will be restructing and/or extending Ben.

    It kills me to say it, but unless Harrison agrees to take a pay cut, he may become a cap casualty. The Steelers choice not to restructure him this offseason as they did with others makes it easier for them to sever ties next year, if they choose to do so.

    Looking at the list of the top salaries for 2013, there are no easy decisions. There are some high paid guys that may not be playing up to their contract, but none that you would want to cut.

  5. #5
    Legend

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    Polamalu - His ability to stay healthy is an issue at this point of his career. Would be difficult to cut one of the greatest, but might have to be done.
    Harrison - The defense has stabilized since James has been reinserted into the defense, but is he worth 9 million per annum? If he makes it through the year and the defense is playing good football it would be difficult to justify cutting him.
    Hampton - Almost certainly will meet the Turk and hopefully sign on for veteran minimum
    Keisel - Same fate as Casey may await him, on the other hand he may hang them up on his own, he's a standup guy.
    Taylor - If they draft a corner high in the draft, Ike's days are probably numbered.
    Clark - There are no plans at safety at this point, so Ryan needs to stay
    Foote - Tough call, but they let him go once when he was younger, my guess is that they will do it again.
    Mendenhall - I think they resign Rashard and continue to make him the feature back; he's the best the Steelers have at RB.
    Colon - Keep Willie, he's proven his mettle at guard.

    Pappy


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    "Football is a physical game, well, it used to be anyways" - Mel Blount


  6. #6
    Legend

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    Quote Originally Posted by papillon View Post
    Polamalu - His ability to stay healthy is an issue at this point of his career. Would be difficult to cut one of the greatest, but might have to be done.
    Harrison - The defense has stabilized since James has been reinserted into the defense, but is he worth 9 million per annum? If he makes it through the year and the defense is playing good football it would be difficult to justify cutting him.
    Hampton - Almost certainly will meet the Turk and hopefully sign on for veteran minimum
    Keisel - Same fate as Casey may await him, on the other hand he may hang them up on his own, he's a standup guy.
    Taylor - If they draft a corner high in the draft, Ike's days are probably numbered.
    Clark - There are no plans at safety at this point, so Ryan needs to stay
    Foote - Tough call, but they let him go once when he was younger, my guess is that they will do it again.
    Mendenhall - I think they resign Rashard and continue to make him the feature back; he's the best the Steelers have at RB.
    Colon - Keep Willie, he's proven his mettle at guard.

    Pappy
    Good thoughts. Building on yours here are mine:

    Polamalu--I think Troy may retire on his own. Football isn't everything to him. He needs to take a pay cut to stay.
    Harrison - Unless he gets about 8 sacks before the end of the year I'm saying good bye. No way is his play even last year justify a $9M salary. Thanks but bye.
    Hampton - Bye
    Keisel - Because he is a stand-up guy he will stay for the vet minimum. Like Aaron Smith he won't want to go anywhere else.
    Taylor -They will keep him but ask him to restructure. A Woodson like move to Safety may be in his future
    Clark - Has changed my opinion of him. He is glue for the secondary
    Foote - I agree tough call. He isn't as good as we need but we have no replacement and a rookie won't play. Vet minimum to stay.
    Mendenhall - I also think they will keep him. He will thrive under Haley and the market for RBs with a previous knee injury isn't big
    Colon - I said all along Colon could be a start at Guard. Looks like he is past his dumbass phase and starting to excel. Keep him and try to restructure.
    Wallace-I'd love to keep him but if he wants more than $9M per year then he is gone
    Lewis-IMO he is earning his next contract every game. They will not let him leave even if it means sacrificing Wallace. WRs are easier to replace than good CBs.
    "My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"

  7. #7
    Pro Bowler

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    Polamalu-- Retires on his own
    Harrison - Bye
    Hampton - Hampton is a Free Agent, but gone. Hence why they kept Ta'amu
    Keisel - Stays, he would have a Job in a heartbeat in Baltimore or Indianapolis.
    Taylor - Stays
    Clark - Has changed my opinion of him. He is glue for the secondary
    Foote - He is a Free Agent. IMHO he will be back at vet mininum.
    Mendenhall - Free Agent. Gone
    Colon - Stays
    Wallace- Gone. They made their decision by signing Brown.
    Lewis- Stays most likely with a nice contract.

  8. #8
    Legend

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    I'm surprised how many are writing off Troy. Injuries happen. It's not like he lost a step. Just last year, he was the fastest guy in pads I've ever seen play a game. And he was as effective as he's ever been.

    I'm also willing to give Harrison time to recover and get ready for next year.

    Healthy Ben + Troy + Harrison = competing for SuperBowl. Those guys are potentially worth the mega salaries.

    What's interesting is if you go down the list in order, it's like the players are ordered by how important they are in terms of helping us win championships.

  9. #9
    Starter

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    Maybe its just me but I feel like we have a ton of Free Agents next year….

    Foote -- vet minimum or gone
    Starks -- cant hate on him, he is solid and comes cheap, but maybe it is time he goes
    Sanders -- hopefully back, much cheaper than Wallace
    Foster -- not sure he will probably shop around, would like to see him stay as our T/G backup
    Legursky -- would like to see him stay as our C/G backup
    Hampton -- depending on the Ta'amu fallout maybe a vet minimum if he will do it
    Wallace -- probably gone. I would like to franchise him then trade him for something like a 2nd rounder
    Lewis -- new contract, so far has earned it
    Will Allen -- depnds on Troy honestly if he comes for cheap I like what he has shown
    Mundy -- can’t leave fast enough
    David Johnson -- gone
    Dwyer -- most likely back cheaper than Mendenhall
    Redman -- again most likely back cheaper than Mendenhall
    Mendenhall -- depending on Dwyer/Redman. Most likely gone unless he wants to stay for cheap
    McLendon -- back, maybe they aren’t playing him so he won’t ask for more money
    Sylvester -- not really sure, hasn’t shown much. Most likely gone depending on the draft
    ------------
    As for the others….

    Polamalu -- We will see how he does when he returns, because of who he is I would let him decide when to hang them up
    Harrison -- at this point I’d say offer him a big pay cut, if he doesn’t take it then bye bye
    Keisel -- keep the beard at least another year
    Taylor -- keep him
    Clark -- keep him, more important than Troy at this point, and we need him to mentor our 2 top draft picks next year……
    Colon -- keep him, work out an extension

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