You are the GM...which of these is likely to happen?

[papillon]

I'd try to get Ike and Troy to take pay cuts, if not, then release them and eat the money. Woodley would stay, but as of right now, he'd be moved to ROLB and I'd re-sign Worilds. I'd do everything I could to sign both Velasco and Pouncey and then do everything I could within reason to move up in the draft and select a top notch LT.

I'd also release Clark and Kiesel at this point based on performance and injury this year. Hopefully, with Ike and Troy taking less and releasing Kiesel and Clark there would be enough dollars to sign the other guys. I'd also look into extending Ben through the end of his career.

Pappy

[feltdizz]

Velasco's injury does make him easier to re-sign. If he played the entire year the way he was playing and did not get injured, he would have commanded starter's dollars in free agency that we would not have been able to afford. Now, coming off a major injury, he'll likely be more amenable to signing a modest short term deal. That way, Velasco would have a year to prove that he's back from injury and Pouncey would have the last year of his rookie deal to prove that he's back from injury. See how they both play coming off injury, and make the ultimate decision after next year.

No doubt it makes it easier.... but some are talking like Velasco isn't even injured. The chances of him coming back on day 1 are slim IMO.

[Shawn]

Really hard to do without knowing outcome of season. So lets insert that into scenario.

The Steelers make playoffs as 6th seed.

Troy - He would have to take 3-4 mil pay cut or be released. Being that Harrison's refusal cost him over 3 mil..I actually think Troy will take the cut.
Ike - Same a Troy. I think he will take a cut too.
Worilds - Absolutely retain him. Year 1 could be structured where he will only count 2 mil or less.
Woodley - Wow. Woodley stays for '14. Jones needs Off-seasoning. Having Woodley, Worilds, & Jones for '14 is the best route. You draft an OLB in '14 draft. If Jones takes the leap in '14, you release/trade trade Woodley in '15.
Velasco - Retain him as back-up. With his injury this is more likely.
Pouncey - Wow again. How about approach Pouncey in the offseason & see if you could get him cheaper now. If he is looking for Mangold money...See what he looks like in '14 before you cross that bridge.
Roethlisberger - Won't even acknowledge the trade. You approach him about an extension. If he is a man of his word you get the deal done & free up a little space. Trading your franchise QB would be like cutting off your d!ck because if was too big & you are tired of trying to get it to stay in your boxers.
Moving up - No to moving up for any position. The Steelers made a significant investment on the OL & I don't think the Steelers are ready to give up on it & gamble again. Drafting a LT in the 20's or end of 1st in this scenario wouldn't be answering any questions heading into camp. They should go out & sign a LT like Anthony Collins from the Bengals or Charles Brown from the Saints "IF" they let him hit the Streets. Maybe the Steelers view Levi Brown as "insurance" in '14...I just don't think you could coming off injury.

In the draft, assuming Evans & Watkins are gone. I'm looking at TE & WR early. Maybe best in this scenario would be trade down in 1st & take Seferian-Jenkins in 1st & Kelvin Benjamin (If he comes out) in the 2nd.



The Steelers don't make playoffs.

Troy - He would have to take 3-4 mil pay cut or be released.
Ike - Cut Ike. Sign Alterraun Verner in FA.
Worilds - Retain him. Same as above.
Woodley - Woodley stays for '14. Same as above.
Velasco - Retain him as back-up.
Pouncey - Same as above
Roethlisberger - Same as above.
Moving up - No to moving up for any position.

If the Steelers are sitting in a position to draft Matthews, Kouandjio, Erving, or Lewan...You would have to consider it. I also think if Watkins & Evans are there they would have to be in the conversation.

I agree with all of the above except your thoughts on LT. I think the Steelers know they do not have the LT of the future on this team. I think they will have a shot at Kouandjio or Lewan. If not, I could see them rolling with a DB.

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

I agree with all of the above except your thoughts on LT. I think the Steelers know they do not have the LT of the future on this team. I think they will have a shot at

Kouandjio or Lewan. If not, I could see them rolling with a DB.

If the have a shot at Kouandjio or Lewan you have to make that pick. That would mean they miss the playoffs & picking Top 12...Maybe Top 15. You & I went around on the LT debate. That will be a wait & see approach. If the Steelers do make the playoffs they will be picking 21st back. At that point you are in the same position with question marks & the Steelers can't go into '14 without having that one answered. If they are in that 21-32, I'm signing a 2nd tier FA who you know can hold down that spot & see if your previous investments can materialize. There are many in the Steelers media that feel they aren't ready to give up the players they drafted...But if they are positioned in the draft for a franchise LT...You have to make that pick.

I agree 100% they need a CB. When the year started I would have put Troy ahead of Ike on the chopping block but I have it reversed now. Honestly, I don't like any of the Top CB as Top 20 1st rounders right now. I don't see that shutdown 1st round lock. There may be some going in the 20's. There really is only one 2nd or late 1st CB that has the "Potential Ceiling" to be a game changer/shutdown guy imo & that would be Bradley Roby. I think Olomu, Dennard, Gilbert, & Verrett are solid & more tech sound right now but I would rather take a chance on Roby's ceiling.

This may be another draft with 22-24 real 1st round talents & then the rest. This seems to be a talent rich draft in the 2nd-3rd. The draft alone isn't going to fix the Steelers for '14 & I expect them to make one or two "Farrior" type of signings to plug A hole OR TWO. I think the positions may be decided on what the draft offers & how fast that position can see the field. Kiesel & Clark won't be brought back...They will let Sanders walk...Troy, Ike, & L Brown will have to take big pay cuts or be cut...Extend Miller to lower his cap hit...There is some money if you extend BB. This will be the year where the "low" & "highs" when FA start will be felt.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

A lot of difficult decisions to be made here. We are all watching Troy have a good season this year, but can we forget the fact that he has not had back-to-back 16 game seasons since 2004-2005, and that he is working towards only his second 16 game season since 2008? At 32 can we now expect him to suddenly be healthy moving forward?

Ike was looking to have another solid year covering #1s to start the year. That fell apart half way through the season, and he has not been doing the same, effective job. He has gone through stretches like this in the past, but like Troy, at 33 there has to come a point when he can't recover again.

Woodley is a huge pill to swallow, and I can't see ownership signing off on it. One more year and then they dump a more manageable cap hit IMO.

I've been on the Velasco has performed as well as Pouncey bandwagon for some time. Maybe this stretch has coincided with the improvement in DD, and Velasco has benefited from that while Pouncey never had that. That being said, and assuming that return from injury is not an issue, I take Velasco and the savings.

I did not even consider trading Ben, but put it on the poll to satisfy the noise we have heard on this board, and in the media. I also did not (nor did anybody it seems) consider the WR jump in the draft. I would like to see one drafted, but I can't see them moving up to grab one. However, I do see the value in jumping up for a LT. There are some good prospects coming out, and this is a position that must be looked at. The line has protected much better thanks to the up tempo offense, but there is nothing like the security that comes from knowing that the QBs blind side is shut down.

[RuthlessBurgher]

I do see the value in jumping up for a LT. There are some good prospects coming out, and this is a position that must be looked at. The line has protected much better thanks to the up tempo offense, but there is nothing like the security that comes from knowing that the QBs blind side is shut down.

I would love to be able to get a franchise left tackle as much as anyone, but I highly doubt we trade up for one. We already traded away our regular 3rd round pick, and although most of us assume that we'll get a 3rd round comp pick for Wallace (assuming Goodell doesn't go overboard and decide not to grant us comp picks as punishment for Sidelinegate), comp picks are untradeable anyway.

Say we ended up with a .500 record and therefore were drafting in the middle of the first round. If we wanted to move up into the latter portion of the top 10, that would cost us our mid-second round pick. Even for a coveted LT prospect, I highly doubt that they make that move, with our next pick being at the end of round 3 (once again, assuming that we get the highest level comp pick).

We have many other needs (for example, if we cut Ike to save his $7 million base salary against the cap, we are left with William Gay and Cortez Allen to start, special teamer Curtis Brown who still is not able to see the field on defense to any extent, and borderline practice squad guys like Isaiah Green and Antwan Blake). Even though a franchise LT would be a huge get, I doubt they move up to the top 10 for one and just hope beyond hope that a legit CB falls into our lap when we'd pick again in the late-90's (right about where we picked Curtis Brown in the first place, and we know what we are getting from him 3 years later).

[pfelix73]

Shawn- I'm leaning the other way. I think the Steelers believe they DO have their future LT on the roster..... I'd like to see them continue the youth movement on defense.

[feltdizz]

Shawn- I'm leaning the other way. I think the Steelers believe they DO have their future LT on the roster..... I'd like to see them continue the youth movement on defense.

I agree. Not sure why people think we will invest in an LT when we have 3 young guys who can hopefully fill in for a fraction of the cost.

[Slapstick]

Resigning Worilds will be a priority....assuming the Steelers stick with the 3-4 defense...

If the Steelers miss the playoffs for a second straight year and LeBeau retires, I would imagine that everything schematically would be on the table...

[SteelCrazy]

I would cut Woodley, re-sign Worilds and re-sign Velasco without releasing Pouncey. I would also tryto make Ike and Troy take pay-cuts or cut Troy.