A Worild of Difference

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

Harrison-Cut before June 1st. (5 mil savings in 2013)

Hampton-gone (No current contract for 2013)

Polamalu-When healthy, still plays at high level. He will be one who retructures his base to bonus to free up money. (Pos. 2-3 mil in 2013)

Mendy- If he is smart, he signs a 1 year with the Steelers to increase his value for his next contract or Steelers will get him at a bargain long term. The way that Dwyer is coming on & Mendy in the dog house....I think he is gone.

Taylor- Good canidate to retructure his base to bonus to free up money to lock up Lewis long term. His injury could really open up options as Allen, Brown, & DVD see the field. They may find out they can move on without him. Restructure and gone after 2013. (Pos. 2-3 mil for 2013)

Keisel- 2013 is his last contract year at 4.5 mil. Still playing well.

Foote-No contract for 2013. May be brought back at 1 year vet min & may not make it through camp.

Just in cutting Harrison & restructure the above you could create 9-11 mil.



Other possibilties?

Roethlisberger-BB cap hit in 2013 is 20.5 mil. He is signed through 2015. I expect something to happen to his contract. For example, convert 6 mil of his base in 2013 to bonus and spread over 3 years. That will free up 4 mil for 2013 and put his avg over the last three years at 16.5, 17.8, & 17.4. Puts the Steelers in a pretty good situation after the 2013 season with options on BB.

Miller-Signed through 2014 with a 7.9 mil cap hit each year. Could be a canidate for 1 year extension or converting base. He proved his value.

Woodley & Timmons-One of them will convert base to bonus for 2013. I would assume it will be Woodley in 2013. There is 4-6 mil savings for 2013.


I know people don't like the "dead money" issue but Khan's dealing still creates net cap savings off of cuts while creating dead money. As long as BB is here, they will "mortgage" what they have to into future years to continue to keep people in place. Don't think of it as a bad evaluation of talent & wasted money....It is just a loan on a future cap space to keep players together. The business side of the NFL is a double edge sword. If you draft well you may have to pay many players in a short period to continue to get a return on the investment. It is very clear this league is built on QBs. When you are sitting on a franchise guy you make your run. Does it all catch up to you? It can if you don't continue to draft well. There will come a time here over the next 5 years where the Steelers "torch" will be passed and that $$$$$ that is set aside for the QB & core and money that was "borrowed" on future caps will have to wash each other out. The question is...DO the Steelers draft well and have young players in place to stay competitive during the transition? Looking good at most positions but I see a QB here in the up coming years being the Key to creating that bridge.