Steelers are projected to have the most salary cap space in 2022

[Joel Buchsbaum]

Reminder they only have 34 players signed for 2022. That includes at least 8 practice squadders and another half dozen backups. The cap space people are speaking of will get eaten up fast. Watt, JuJu, DeCastro, Edmunds, Haden (resign as a safety?), Chuks, Washington, all need new contracts. Let's say the avg salary among them is $9M/yr. That's $63M right there. Now add FAs. Not the bank people are implying.

Spend some time on over the cap.

Every team pretty much has roughly 46 men signed for 2022. We have 44 by the way. The Steelers are in fine shape with the most money.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cap/2022/

[flippy]

Reminder they only have 34 players signed for 2022. That includes at least 8 practice squadders and another half dozen backups. The cap space people are speaking of will get eaten up fast. Watt, JuJu, DeCastro, Edmunds, Haden (resign as a safety?), Chuks, Washington, all need new contracts. Let's say the avg salary among them is $9M/yr. That's $63M right there. Now add FAs. Not the bank people are implying.

I agree there’s not going to be massive money available. I think we end up spending the money on Watt, Minkah, and Haden. Not sure yet what we have in Chuks, but I’d say extend him now if we think he’s got potential. Washington won’t cost a lot.

I don’t see Juju and DD as necessities. We’ll have the luxury to spend on another player or 2. Could be a CB, OLB, or even a QB.

We’ll have to see how this season transpires, but I’d bet right now, we’re going to be a QB and CB away from being a legit contender next season.

[Steel Maniac]

CB is the position we will ( and I don’t mind) spending on. Good to great CB’s are worth their weight in gold. I don’t think any of us would have a problem with that.

[NorthCoast]

All true, but the silver lining is we will HAVE the cap to keep who we want and get some pieces versus being forced to let players go we would liked to have kept.

This is true, and maybe an unfamiliar feeling for the GM. It would also be great if they could bank ~$10M or so for 2023. Depending on how the QB situation shakes out, maybe go after a FA QB. While a rookie QB salary is great, the Steelers have a limited opportunity with key guys on defense.

[Captain Lemming]

Here are the projected salary caps for the 2022 NFL season. #Packers all the way at the bottom; #Steelers all the way at the top.

Oh, to be TJs agent right now.

[Captain Lemming]

CB is the position we will ( and I don’t mind) spending on. Good to great CB’s are worth their weight in gold. I don’t think any of us would have a problem with that.

100 percent here. Lock up TJ & Minkah and do some cornerback shopping.

Move up (whatever it takes) to get your QB of the future.

[feltdizz]

That's because our QB has been a legitimate NFL thrower for most of his career

not sure what that means..

I think the Ravens believe they have a legitimate QB in LJ and will throw a ton of cash at him.

My point though is the Ravens letting a good player walk after their first contract isn’t anything special. We have done similar.

It also hasn’t really translated to a wide gap in success between the Ravens and Steelers so I’m not sure why its being used like its a better model.

[feltdizz]

100 percent here. Lock up TJ & Minkah and do some cornerback shopping.

Move up (whatever it takes) to get your QB of the future.

Hell no.. move up to draft a position like QB.

I do not trust Colbert, Tomlin and Butler to pick a good CB early.

[Northern_Blitz]

100 percent here. Lock up TJ & Minkah and do some cornerback shopping.

Move up (whatever it takes) to get your QB of the future.

If there's a guy we love and we have a shot at getting, I'd be really excited to get a QB.

But if we don't see someone we love, I won't mind if we wait a year to clear out the dead money we have. A year of Rudolph / Haskins will probably give us a better draft position too.

[Black&Gold]

Hell no.. move up to draft a position like QB.

I do not trust Colbert, Tomlin and Butler to pick a good CB early.

yes move up to draft a QB

no draft a CB. only sign free agent ones like Haden and Nelson

[phillyesq]

Reminder they only have 34 players signed for 2022. That includes at least 8 practice squadders and another half dozen backups. The cap space people are speaking of will get eaten up fast. Watt, JuJu, DeCastro, Edmunds, Haden (resign as a safety?), Chuks, Washington, all need new contracts. Let's say the avg salary among them is $9M/yr. That's $63M right there. Now add FAs. Not the bank people are implying.

They'll have guys to re-sign, but the contracts are almost always backloaded. And that makes sense because unused space rolls over. So even signing those guys at that average will not cost that much.

I think the Steelers will bring back Watt and Minkah and probably strike a deal with Edmunds. No idea about Haden and DeCastro because of age - DD is about the same age as Faneca was when the Steelers let him walk. No idea what to expect with JuJu.

I could see the Steelers spending on a free agent corner and also an offensive lineman. They've made starter-quality signings on the offensive line in the past (Hartings, Will Wolford, Wayne Gandy) and had some success there.

[Captain Lemming]

I said:

Move up (whatever it takes) to get your QB of the future.

To which you replied:

Hell no.. move up to draft a position like QB.

I do not trust Colbert, Tomlin and Butler to pick a good CB early.

Lesson for all.
How to be correct when debating Captain Lemming?

Say a stern "NO".
Then repeat exactly what he just said.

[Black&Gold]

They'll have guys to re-sign, but the contracts are almost always backloaded. And that makes sense because unused space rolls over. So even signing those guys at that average will not cost that much.

I think the Steelers will bring back Watt and Minkah and probably strike a deal with Edmunds. No idea about Haden and DeCastro because of age - DD is about the same age as Faneca was when the Steelers let him walk. No idea what to expect with JuJu.

I could see the Steelers spending on a free agent corner and also an offensive lineman. They've made starter-quality signings on the offensive line in the past (Hartings, Will Wolford, Wayne Gandy) and had some success there.

great post

i couldnt have said it better

[Ernie]

I wouldnt put much stock into the whole cap space thing..
TJ, Minkah, etc will suck that up like a vacuum.

[Joel Buchsbaum]

I wouldnt put much stock into the whole cap space thing..
TJ, Minkah, etc will suck that up like a vacuum.

So what? Both of them are in their prime and worth it. Let them take 25 million a year in a pie offering 75+ million The Steelers need one of their rookies to become as good at their position as TJ Watt
is at his, preferable on offense.