Connor, DeCastro, and AV

[Chucktownsteeler]

Heyward finishes his career here, no way he goes anywhere else.

[WindyCitySteel]

Same thing could be said for guys like Watt, Fitzpatrick. Etc. They could very easily be past their prime by the time this team is ready to contend.

If the Steelers are bottom feeders in 2025, it's something to think about. They're young enough to be part of the rebuild now.

[Captain Lemming]

Some of you need to get over the past. Hopefully the Steelers are. No way they should go after any of these guys and they should let Haden walk, too. I'd call teams about Heyward, too.

Watch Troy's HOF speech about the players upholding what it means to be a Steeler.

Heyward is vital as the last vocal leader who needs to instill that tradition in the new generation.

No other player basically shut down Claypools "more music" idiocy.

Troy's speech spoke of the leadership of PLAYERS being key. Ben publicly said Cam is gonna need to carry that torch forward.

We need Cam the leader almost as much as we need Cam the player.

[feltdizz]

We aren’t getting rid of Heyward unless he wants out which I doubt he does.

He still has something left. Fans need to accept that we are rebuilding.

I’m hopeful these last few years have been are dark days and next year is when we start seeing the payoff.

I think a lot of the decisions to throw short were due to Ben’s age and preservation and not the first option on most plays.

[WindyCitySteel]

Agree with the first part, disagree about Heyward for several reasons.

- No cap benefit in '22 to let Heyward go.
- Young guys still need a professional to look up to and learn from. Can't think of many better than Heyward.
- If the plan is to completely tank for a couple of years to compete for the #1 pick, that is a slippery slope. Once the stench of losing gets on an organization it can be difficult to shake off. It's one thing to not be competitive for a couple of years and drop to the top half, top 10 pick area, quite another to become the worst team in the league.
- You don't want other players - either players on the team or pending free agents - see you treating such a highly respected player this way. I believe that players leaguewide saw and appreciated the way that Ben was sent off. Only the Patriots get away with dismissing players the way they do, and that will come back to haunt them one day.

The cap hit is the best reason. I keep hearing what a great leader Cam if he has to continually say the same things every other week, it appears that nobody seems to be following. Not his fault, I just don't see that as a compelling reason to keep him if we could get a high pick.

What is treating Cam "this way"? The Steelers are likely going to blow next year, if they sent him to the Rams or Niners or Cowboys and gave him a legit shot at a ring they'd be doing him a solid.

[Chucktownsteeler]

The cap hit is the best reason. I keep hearing what a great leader Cam if he has to continually say the same things every other week, it appears that nobody seems to be following. Not his fault, I just don't see that as a compelling reason to keep him if we could get a high pick.

What is treating Cam "this way"? The Steelers are likely going to blow next year, if they sent him to the Rams or Niners or Cowboys and gave him a legit shot at a ring they'd be doing him a solid.

I can't speak for Cam, but I don't think he would want it that way. He is a true "Steeler" and I see him finishing his career here. OJ, Franco, Webster all tried this route with no success.

[Northern_Blitz]

The cap hit is the best reason. I keep hearing what a great leader Cam if he has to continually say the same things every other week, it appears that nobody seems to be following. Not his fault, I just don't see that as a compelling reason to keep him if we could get a high pick.

What is treating Cam "this way"? The Steelers are likely going to blow next year, if they sent him to the Rams or Niners or Cowboys and gave him a legit shot at a ring they'd be doing him a solid.

I don't think we'll blow.

I think we'll be about what we were this year. Might not get the breaks we did to get into the playoffs. But I think the D will still be OK to good (maybe even better with DL healthy / upgraded). And it's certainly possible that the O will score more points (we only scored like 2 ppg more than the Mason/Duck year).

And we probably end up with a better strength of schedule next year...although that's always hard to judge in the offseason / at the beginning of the year.

I don't think we'll get as "lucky" as we did with the Ravens' injuries though. If things go the way they probably should, I think we'll be 3rd or 4th in the division. Maybe on the bubble for the 7th seed. But that's what I've thought for the last 2 seasons too.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

What’s the odds any of these three (or all) are back next season.

Logically I think Connor makes the most sense and I doubt the other 2.

Najee and Connor would make a great 1-2 punch.

I've been saying all along that not giving connor a new contract last year was a mistake... He would have been a great compliment to Naj and shoulda been a PS4L

[feltdizz]

The cap hit is the best reason. I keep hearing what a great leader Cam if he has to continually say the same things every other week, it appears that nobody seems to be following. Not his fault, I just don't see that as a compelling reason to keep him if we could get a high pick.

What is treating Cam "this way"? The Steelers are likely going to blow next year, if they sent him to the Rams or Niners or Cowboys and gave him a legit shot at a ring they'd be doing him a solid.

why treat him this way?

Don’t act like you have Cam’s best interest at heart. You don’t care about him getting a ring, you just want to trade him for value.. lol.

[feltdizz]

I've been saying all along that not giving connor a new contract last year was a mistake... He would have been a great compliment to Naj and shoulda been a PS4L

no it wasn’t. What did he do once they really needed him? He missed games down the stretch.

Conner is a feel good story but he would be on the sidelines and the FO would have to hear fans whine about how we would be champions if Conner got more touches.

Why would he want to come back and wait for Najee to come out twice a game?

[Chucktownsteeler]

Why would he want to come back and wait for Najee to come out twice a game?

He a good kid and story, I agree but I think he would come with his ties to the area (Erie - hometown, played at Pitt).

[WindyCitySteel]

why treat him this way?

Don’t act like you have Cam’s best interest at heart. You don’t care about him getting a ring, you just want to trade him for value.. lol.

Again, what does "this way" mean? Freeing him from holding pressers every other week to explain the crappy performance because his supporting cast sucks? Allowing him a better shot to win a Super Bowl?

You sound like the selfish one, calling for him to be forced to remain in this bad situation that will inevitably lead with him getting cut when he's used up, his fingers still ringless.

[Steel Maniac]

Again, what does "this way" mean? Freeing him from holding pressers every other week to explain the crappy performance because his supporting cast sucks? Allowing him a better shot to win a Super Bowl?

You sound like the selfish one, calling for him to be forced to remain in this bad situation that will inevitably lead with him getting cut when he's used up, his fingers still ringless.

The thought of Cam never getting a ring upsets me. I too wish he could make his way to a team with a real franchise qb so he could get his ring. If we could trade him to do that then it’s a win/ win for all but if we flat out released him and took the cap hit then I’d still feel just as passionate about him getting his chance for a ring.

[SteelerOfDeVille]

no it wasn’t. What did he do once they really needed him? He missed games down the stretch.

Conner is a feel good story but he would be on the sidelines and the FO would have to hear fans whine about how we would be champions if Conner got more touches.

Why would he want to come back and wait for Najee to come out twice a game?

Except in a complimentary role, he has less likelihood of being injured.

DeAngelo Williams came in as a guy who had a reputation for injury - but he was amazing as the safety valve behind LevBell..

[feltdizz]

Again, what does "this way" mean? Freeing him from holding pressers every other week to explain the crappy performance because his supporting cast sucks? Allowing him a better shot to win a Super Bowl?

You sound like the selfish one, calling for him to be forced to remain in this bad situation that will inevitably lead with him getting cut when he's used up, his fingers still ringless.

He’s only forced if he wants out and we refuse.

and there is no guarantee the team we moved him to will make a SB. Countless players try to chase rings and it rarely works out.

then he will be tossed away because the nee team will treat him as expendable since they didn’t win a ring.

the chances of going somewhere else and not winning a ring is high as hell in todays NFL.