TJ and other big $ players

[whisper]

https://www.steelers.com/news/asked-and-answered-jan-31-x2871

SCOTT DAVES FROM BESSEMER CITY, NC: How much will T.J. Watt's salary cost us in 2023 when it comes to the salary cap? How does it compare to other top players on other teams?
ANSWER: T.J. Watt is due to count $29.37 million against the Steelers 2023 salary cap, but I can almost guarantee you that will be restructured this offseason in a way where Watt loses no money, and the team gets some cap relief. According to Spotrac.com, Watt's cap hit of $29.37 million is No. 19 among all players for the 2023 season. Here are the players, and their cap hits, ranked above him. Cleveland's Deshaun Watson $54.99 million; Dak Prescott $49.1 million; Patrick Mahomes $46.8 million; Josh Allen $39.77 million; Ryan Tannehill $36.6 million; Kirk Cousins $36.3 million; Jake Matthews $35.4 million; Laremy Tunsil $35.2 million; Matt Ryan $35.2 million; Tom Brady $35.1 million; Derek Carr $34.9 million; Leonard Williams $32.3 million; Aaron Rodgers $31.6 million; Tyreek Hill $31.5 million; Frank Clark $31.1 million; Joey Bosa $31 million; DeAndre Hopkins $30.8 million; and Jared Goff $30.7 million.

TJ comes in at just under $30 mill in 2023, and it says he will most definitely redo his deal to give cap relief for this year. My question is: why the f--k do they bother? Why constantly kick the can down the road and have to pay dead cap $? What would be wrong with just paying the deal as it was written? What is up with all of these cap games? I don't get why Pgh always does this.

[flippy]

I legit think they’re swinging for the fences every year and doing everything they can do to get to the confetti game.

Probably makes sense to go all in when you have your best shot at winning a SuperBowl and then being less aggressive most of the time so you aren’t always hamstringing your future.

Could also make the case that now is the time to go all in with a young QB on his rookie deal where the guy has shown some promise on some comebacks.

[Northern_Blitz]

They avoided restricting Watt last year (i.e. not max restructure) to eat more of the cap hit last season. I'd argue that was one of the few things we did to signal that we were rebuilding.

I think there are 2 reasons we'd restructure guys now:
1) We want to have as much talent per cap dollar on the field while KP is in his rookie contract.
2) The cap will go up (many are expecting it to go up for a lot), so the value of a cap dollar is less in the future than it is today. This is the same as the idea of using a fixed rate mortgage as a hedge against inflation. The payments on your mortgage are set in a fixed rate mortgage (for a whopping 30 years in the US!!!!). If you get a larger than expected amount of inflation, you end up paying the same number of dollars in the future as you did in the past, but those dollars are worth less than they were when you signed the deal.

[Northern_Blitz]

I legit think they’re swinging for the fences every year and doing everything they can do to get to the confetti game.

Probably makes sense to go all in when you have your best shot at winning a SuperBowl and then being less aggressive most of the time so you aren’t always hamstringing your future.

Could also make the case that now is the time to go all in with a young QB on his rookie deal where the guy has shown some promise on some comebacks.

This is probably semantics, but I'd say that they are consistently trying to get on base (get into the playoffs). And hoping that by doing that, they eventually get a bunch of runs (SBs). Basically, trying to maximize on base percentage or something.

I would call what the Rams did "swinging for the fences". Because you usually get out. So it works in the short term, but not necessarily a great long term strategy.

[Edited to add] I think many fans want their teams to go the Rams model every offseason. And while it's satisfying over the long offseason, I think it usually fails AND leads to significant down years where you are waiting for your cap situation to heal up.

[WindyCitySteel]

Don't most teams restructure contracts?

At least TJ earns his, production falls way off for the other highly paid defenders when he's not in the lineup.

[Northern_Blitz]

Don't most teams restructure contracts?

At least TJ earns his, production falls way off for the other highly paid defenders when he's not in the lineup.

This is why Edge rushers are the 2nd highest paid position.

They aren't the force multipliers that QBs are. But they elevate the defense.

Also...I think it's nice that we got to see that Highsmith could produce without TJ. That's a big reason I want to extend him.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

2) The cap will go up (many are expecting it to go up for a lot), so the value of a cap dollar is less in the future than it is today.

I think that this makes the most sense. It is similar to signing a player to a long-term deal that looks like a massive overpay, and within a couple of years, after other deals are signed, it looks like a bargain.

[Steel Maniac]

I legit think they’re swinging for the fences every year and doing everything they can do to get to the confetti game.

Probably makes sense to go all in when you have your best shot at winning a SuperBowl and then being less aggressive most of the time so you aren’t always hamstringing your future.

Could also make the case that now is the time to go all in with a young QB on his rookie deal where the guy has shown some promise on some comebacks.

Your right Flippy; I think that's exactly what they do in their "swing for the fence" mentality every year. Let's hope a little more common sense comes into play with Khan running things now.

[hawaiiansteel]

https://www.steelers.com/news/asked-...d-jan-31-x2871


TJ comes in at just under $30 mill in 2023, and it says he will most definitely redo his deal to give cap relief for this year. My question is: why the f--k do they bother? Why constantly kick the can down the road and have to pay dead cap $? What would be wrong with just paying the deal as it was written? What is up with all of these cap games? I don't get why Pgh always does this.

Restructuring TJ's deal might allow the Steelers to re-sign guys like Highsmith, Ogunjobi, Edmunds. Kazee, etc

[BURGH86STEEL]

Every team in the league seems to kick the can down the road in different ways or at some.point. some teams cut players before contracts expire due to injuries, less effective play, believing in a less expensive option ect.

Some teams restructure contracts in an attempt to improve other areas of the team or to resign or sign other players.

[whisper]

Restructuring TJ's deal might allow the Steelers to re-sign guys like Highsmith, Ogunjobi, Edmunds. Kazee, etc

Highsmith is gonna take $20 mill, easy. Pgh ain't signing him.

[feltdizz]

https://www.steelers.com/news/asked-...d-jan-31-x2871


TJ comes in at just under $30 mill in 2023, and it says he will most definitely redo his deal to give cap relief for this year. My question is: why the f--k do they bother? Why constantly kick the can down the road and have to pay dead cap $? What would be wrong with just paying the deal as it was written? What is up with all of these cap games? I don't get why Pgh always does this.

most teams do this.

its usually the same amount of money just getting it bundled in different ways.

Some players refuse because they know that last year with the most money ain’t happening.

But if a team came to me and said they wanted to pay me some of my contract up front to help the team then sure.. as long as I didn’t feel like I was losing money.

[NJ-STEELER]

19th already? With new contracts coming soon, that might push him to 25th or later.
that’s a nice bargain compared to sone of those in front of him

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

Highsmith is gonna take $20 mill, easy. Pgh ain't signing him.

Sportrac pegs his value at $13.9M - 4 years, $55M+. I don't know if that works, but I can't see him getting to $20M on an extension.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsburgh-steelers/alex-highsmith-47697/market-value/

[Northern_Blitz]

Sportrac pegs his value at $13.9M - 4 years, $55M+. I don't know if that works, but I can't see him getting to $20M on an extension.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/pittsbur.../market-value/

I hope that Sportrac is right. And that we can do it this offseason when we have more leverage because we still own his rights for one year (and then could tag him up to 2x).