Miller locked up until 2014

[True Fan]

Re: Miller locked up until 2014

seems like alot of money tp spend on a position that is so easy to replace, especially this offense

[stlrz d]

Re: Miller locked up until 2014

seems like alot of money tp spend on a position that is so easy to replace, especially this offense

Care to elaborate?

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Miller locked up until 2014

We've all been speculating on the terms of the contract. I have question for the resident capologists. Since, next year is going to be uncapped would it make sense and is it legal (in an NFL way) to pay Heath the majority of this contract next year to ease the burden on the cap over the final 4 years?

Pappy

I believe that there is a rule in place now where a base salary cannot go up more than 30% from one year to the next (or something to that effect) in order to prevent such things.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Miller locked up until 2014

seems like alot of money tp spend on a position that is so easy to replace, especially this offense

Can Hines or Santonio be considered a top 5 WR in the league? No.
Can Willie or Rashard be considered a top 5 RB in the league? No.
Can Starks or Colon be considered a top 5 tackle in the league? No.
Can Kemo or Stapleton be considered a top 5 guard in the league? No.
Can Hartwig be considered a top 5 center in the league? No.

The only players on our offense that you can consider that could be in the top 5 in the league at their position on offense is Ben and Heath. And now they are both paid as such. I have no problem with that. Just like I have no problem that Troy and Harrison are paid like a top 5 safety or outside linebacker in the league, because they both are.

[phillyesq]

Re: Miller locked up until 2014

We've all been speculating on the terms of the contract. I have question for the resident capologists. Since, next year is going to be uncapped would it make sense and is it legal (in an NFL way) to pay Heath the majority of this contract next year to ease the burden on the cap over the final 4 years?

Pappy

I am nowhere even close to a capologist (whatever happened to steelerssalarycap.com and the guy who ran the site -- he had great info), but as I understand it, there is some rule governing the amount that a salary can fluctuate going into the uncapped year. I think that Jason Brown's first deal with the Rams was nullified by the league because it was non-compliant, but I may be completely wrong about that.

[phillyesq]

Re: Miller locked up until 2014

seems like alot of money tp spend on a position that is so easy to replace, especially this offense

I'd disagree that a TE like Heath is easy to replace in the Steelers offense. If you look at the top 5, or even the top 25 TEs in the league, there are very few multi-dimensional TEs like Heath. Most are over-sized WRs (Gonzalez, Witten, Clark, Winslow, et. al) with no blocking ability.

Heath is a legit threat as a receiving option, and an effective blocker. When was the last time the Steelers had that at the TE position? Tuman was an effective blocker, but never developing into a receiving threat. Bruener was a great blocker, but after his rookie season, he never topped 20 catches. I think you would have to go back to Eric Green in the early 90s to find a Steelers TE who performed well as both a blocker and receiver.

[feltdizz]

Re: Miller locked up until 2014

seems like alot of money tp spend on a position that is so easy to replace, especially this offense

I'd disagree that a TE like Heath is easy to replace in the Steelers offense. If you look at the top 5, or even the top 25 TEs in the league, there are very few multi-dimensional TEs like Heath. Most are over-sized WRs (Gonzalez, Witten, Clark, Winslow, et. al) with no blocking ability.

Heath is a legit threat as a receiving option, and an effective blocker. When was the last time the Steelers had that at the TE position? Tuman was an effective blocker, but never developing into a receiving threat. Bruener was a great blocker, but after his rookie season, he never topped 20 catches. I think you would have to go back to Eric Green in the early 90s to find a Steelers TE who performed well as both a blocker and receiver.

Spaeth needs to work on his blocking but he can catch like Heath and when Miller was hurt we didn't miss Heath at all...

I like to keep vets who know the system but if Miller left we wouldn't suffer a big drop off.

[phillyesq]

Re: Miller locked up until 2014

Spaeth needs to work on his blocking but he can catch like Heath and when Miller was hurt we didn't miss Heath at all...

I like to keep vets who know the system but if Miller left we wouldn't suffer a big drop off.

I agree that Spaeth did a fine job catching the ball when he subbed for Heath, but he is a huge downgrade from Heath as a blocker.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Miller locked up until 2014

seems like alot of money tp spend on a position that is so easy to replace, especially this offense

I'd disagree that a TE like Heath is easy to replace in the Steelers offense. If you look at the top 5, or even the top 25 TEs in the league, there are very few multi-dimensional TEs like Heath. Most are over-sized WRs (Gonzalez, Witten, Clark, Winslow, et. al) with no blocking ability.

Heath is a legit threat as a receiving option, and an effective blocker. When was the last time the Steelers had that at the TE position? Tuman was an effective blocker, but never developing into a receiving threat. Bruener was a great blocker, but after his rookie season, he never topped 20 catches. I think you would have to go back to Eric Green in the early 90s to find a Steelers TE who performed well as both a blocker and receiver.

Spaeth needs to work on his blocking but he can catch like Heath and when Miller was hurt we didn't miss Heath at all...

I like to keep vets who know the system but if Miller left we wouldn't suffer a big drop off.

The two games that Heath missed were a loss to the Colts 24-20 followed by a 11-10 squeaker win over the Chargers. Perhaps if Heath were active, he might have been the difference against the Colts (since even though Spaeth caught 6 balls, we all know he can't block worth a lick) and he may have helped the game against the Chargers to not be close enough to have to come down to the final play (the weird Troy non-TD-interception-return thing).

[frankthetank1]

Re: Miller locked up until 2014

seems like alot of money tp spend on a position that is so easy to replace, especially this offense

I'd disagree that a TE like Heath is easy to replace in the Steelers offense. If you look at the top 5, or even the top 25 TEs in the league, there are very few multi-dimensional TEs like Heath. Most are over-sized WRs (Gonzalez, Witten, Clark, Winslow, et. al) with no blocking ability.

Heath is a legit threat as a receiving option, and an effective blocker. When was the last time the Steelers had that at the TE position? Tuman was an effective blocker, but never developing into a receiving threat. Bruener was a great blocker, but after his rookie season, he never topped 20 catches. I think you would have to go back to Eric Green in the early 90s to find a Steelers TE who performed well as both a blocker and receiver.

Spaeth needs to work on his blocking but he can catch like Heath and when Miller was hurt we didn't miss Heath at all...

I like to keep vets who know the system but if Miller left we wouldn't suffer a big drop off.

i beg to differ. spaeth's blocking needs work i will say that his hands are very good but spaeth isnt half the te heath is once he catches the ball. miller has a lot more speed and is a lot more agile than spaeth will ever be. i doubt there are a whole lot of te's in the league that could out run heath or is as agile as he is. man this is excellent news!!!

[Slapstick]

Re: Miller locked up until 2014

The Steelers have won 2 SBs since drafting Miller...the year before he was drafted, the Steelers went 15-1 but lost in the playoffs...

There are things that Miller does that do not show up on stat sheets...

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Miller locked up until 2014

seems like alot of money tp spend on a position that is so easy to replace, especially this offense

I'd disagree that a TE like Heath is easy to replace in the Steelers offense. If you look at the top 5, or even the top 25 TEs in the league, there are very few multi-dimensional TEs like Heath. Most are over-sized WRs (Gonzalez, Witten, Clark, Winslow, et. al) with no blocking ability.

Heath is a legit threat as a receiving option, and an effective blocker. When was the last time the Steelers had that at the TE position? Tuman was an effective blocker, but never developing into a receiving threat. Bruener was a great blocker, but after his rookie season, he never topped 20 catches. I think you would have to go back to Eric Green in the early 90s to find a Steelers TE who performed well as both a blocker and receiver.

Spaeth needs to work on his blocking but he can catch like Heath and when Miller was hurt we didn't miss Heath at all...

I like to keep vets who know the system but if Miller left we wouldn't suffer a big drop off.

i beg to differ. spaeth's blocking needs work i will say that his hands are very good but spaeth isnt half the te heath is once he catches the ball. miller has a lot more speed and is a lot more agile than spaeth will ever be. i doubt there are a whole lot of te's in the league that could out run heath or is as agile as he is. man this is excellent news!!!

Another good point. Even though Spaeth can catch the ball, he always seems to go down easily upon first contact. Heath, however, is one tough mother to bring down. He'll be happy to run over you or drag you along for the ride.