Watt to sign contract making him highest paid defensive player

[Oviedo]

Per Dulac...will sign after Carolina game

[BURGH86STEEL]

It will be interesting to see how the contract is structured

[Buzz]

Glad to keep T.J. on board

but

we'd better make our championship run in the next year or two, because if we make TJ the highest paid defensive player in the league, and then sign Minkah for market value, it might be too hard (financially) to keep a top-notch roster together

[Oviedo]

Glad to keep T.J. on board

but

we'd better make our championship run in the next year or two, because if we make TJ the highest paid defensive player in the league, and then sign Minkah for market value, it might be too hard (financially) to keep a top-notch roster together

Now is the time to do it because for at least the next 4-5 years we aren't going to be paying a QB $30M+.

[Buzz]

Now is the time to do it because for at least the next 4-5 years we aren't going to be paying a QB $30M+.

I'm not so sure about that

[Northern_Blitz]

This is the expected result.

Big contract. Signed just before the season starts.

Just like Cam.

Just like Troy.

etc.

He won't outperform this contract, but will hopefully live up to it for the duration.

[feltdizz]

I’m sorry to be that guy but we are going to regret this contract if we don’t win a SB this year.

[Oviedo]

I’m sorry to be that guy but we are going to regret this contract if we don’t win a SB this year.

I really don't understand this line of thinking...please explain

[Northern_Blitz]

I’m sorry to be that guy but we are going to regret this contract if we don’t win a SB this year.

Hope you're wrong.

My guess is that we have enough experience kicking cans down the road with Ben that we won't get hurt by the contract as long as Watt has elite performance.

We really only got in trouble with Ben when he signed a short deal where it was much harder to manipulate the hot from the SB.

[papillon]

This almost guarantees that Ben is done after this year, doesn't it? 30 million for TJ, 15 million for Minkah and, if Ben were to come back for another year at 20-25 million, that's 65 - 70 million per year for 3 players out of a 210 million dollar cap. Can you even sign 49 other players with 145 million? I know contract structure has a lot to do with it but it would seem that Ben would be a tough fit under these circumstances and that may not be a bad thing, unless, of course, he balls out this year and the Steelers are very successful.

Pappy

[Buzz]

This almost guarantees that Ben is done after this year, doesn't it? 30 million for TJ, 15 million for Minkah and, if Ben were to come back for another year at 20-25 million, that's 65 - 70 million per year for 3 players out of a 210 million dollar cap. Can you even sign 49 other players with 145 million? I know contract structure has a lot to do with it but it would seem that Ben would be a tough fit under these circumstances and that may not be a bad thing, unless, of course, he balls out this year and the Steelers are very successful.

Pappy

I don't think $15 million/yr will get Minkah resigned; not after the contract Jamal Adams got

[papillon]

I don't think $15 million/yr will get Minkah resigned; not after the contract Jamal Adams got

That will make the situation even worse.

Pappy

["BuzzNuter"]

This almost guarantees that Ben is done after this year, doesn't it? 30 million for TJ, 15 million for Minkah and, if Ben were to come back for another year at 20-25 million, that's 65 - 70 million per year for 3 players out of a 210 million dollar cap. Can you even sign 49 other players with 145 million? I know contract structure has a lot to do with it but it would seem that Ben would be a tough fit under these circumstances and that may not be a bad thing, unless, of course, he balls out this year and the Steelers are very successful.

Pappy

After Ben leaves we will wander in the QB desert until we go 5-12 or worse and draft our next QB. You can have all the 30M$ men you want but if you don't have a QB you won't win anything.
I believe the Rooney's want to keep Ben for at least 2022. Rudolph is just a backup and they don't have faith yet in Haskins.

[feltdizz]

Hope you're wrong.

My guess is that we have enough experience kicking cans down the road with Ben that we won't get hurt by the contract as long as Watt has elite performance.

We really only got in trouble with Ben when he signed a short deal where it was much harder to manipulate the hot from the SB.

I hope I’m wrong too.

I wanted us to move on from Ben and invest in skill positions while having a QB on the cheap but I wasn’t thinking QB numbers for an edge rusher.

I honestly don’t see how we get a legit ROI if Watt is the highest plaid defender in the league.

[papillon]

I hope I’m wrong too.

I wanted us to move on from Ben and invest in skill positions while having a QB on the cheap but I wasn’t thinking QB numbers for an edge rusher.

I honestly don’t see how we get a legit ROI if Watt is the highest plaid defender in the league.

I think you can make the case that TJ has nearly as many splash plays as Ben. If you count TJ's sacks, TFL, FF and INTs you get somewhere in the neighborhood of 40 splash plays. If you count Ben's TD passes, 3rd/4th down conversions to extend drives and subtract INTs and fumbles lost, I think you'd be in the neighborhood of 40 splash plays as well, probably a little higher due to 3rd/4th down conversions but in the neighborhood. That being said, I'm with you, 30 million/year is a huge slice of the cap space and I don't know how that works out with a Minkah contract coming due as well.

Pappy