Official 2021 Off-Season News/Rumors Thread

[sflegend89]

All they would have to do is cut or trade Ben and Haden and they'd be able to make any of those trades. Pouncey is retiring which opens up another $8 million. Any team can find the space if they need to. That's why the Saints who are in the worst cap shape in the NFL are still in the Wilson discussion

Definitely not. Ben has a dead cap of 22M in 2021. They're completely shoehorned into keeping him for one final year and riding things out and being thankful he's willing to give them some degree of cap relief via re-structure.

They have no mobility away from Ben until 2022 unless he retires which he's stated he will not. They would gut themselves of their entire UFA class to take on a premium QB contract as well as a boat load of high draft capital loss. It's just not realistic for them.

[Ortizer]

This is not complicated. Firstly, when have I ever made something up? Didn’t we go through this exact same thing with Jeremy Maclin. People accused me of not watching games, making things up, provided stats as evidence and even went so far as to argue that he fixed his drop issues after joining KC. He didn’t he just saw more targets, because they had no one else. The year before he joined they didn’t even have a single WR catch a touchdown.

Did some here not watch Tennessee’s last game of the season? He had 2-3 drops in that game alone.

The one against us? Did he even get three targets?

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[The Excellector]

The one against us? Did he even get three targets?

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I meant the regular season. I will edit for clarity.

[GOTA]

Definitely not. Ben has a dead cap of 22M in 2021. They're completely shoehorned into keeping him for one final year and riding things out and being thankful he's willing to give them some degree of cap relief via re-structure.

They have no mobility away from Ben until 2022 unless he retires which he's stated he will not. They would gut themselves of their entire UFA class to take on a premium QB contract as well as a boat load of high draft capital loss. It's just not realistic for them.

Ben has dead money of $22.25 million. That's not the same as a cap cost if he's moved like you saw with Wentz. Cutting or trading him saves $19 million against the cap. That's why Ben is so willing to negotiate because he knows he has no leverage. Dead money does not impact your current year cap because it's already spent in prior years. If they keep Ben his cap cost is $41.25. If they cut or trade Ben his cap cost is $22.25. That $19 million savings could go into Wilson or Watson or anyone else. It sounds like the owner wants to keep Ben with some sort pay cut so it's not going to happen but it could if the Steelers were interested.

Below is the over the cap link for the Steelers

https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/pittsburgh-steelers/

[stevez51]

Ben has dead money of $22.25 million. That's not the same as a cap cost if he's moved like you saw with Wentz. Cutting or trading him saves $19 million against the cap. That's why Ben is so willing to negotiate because he knows he has no leverage. Dead money does not impact your current year cap because it's already spent in prior years. If they keep Ben his cap cost is $41.25. If they cut or trade Ben his cap cost is $22.25. That $19 million savings could go into Wilson or Watson or anyone else. It sounds like the owner wants to keep Ben with some sort pay cut so it's not going to happen but it could if the Steelers were interested.

Below is the over the cap link for the Steelers NJ

https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/pittsburgh-steelers/

Restructuring his contract brings down his cap number. Instead of 41 it becomes 24. Then 20-22 gets dumped into next season. The Steelers have no one else to give them a playoff chance. Their current cap will not allow them to retain many of their FA's. But never count out their front office. They will cobble together a decent O line and be very competitive.

[Ravenswintitle]

Pitt is handling their cap the way they always handle it and it works out fine. The difference is this year the cap is lower so it's tougher on teams but they can make moves and clear up space.

[Shas]

Ben has dead money of $22.25 million. That's not the same as a cap cost if he's moved like you saw with Wentz. Cutting or trading him saves $19 million against the cap. That's why Ben is so willing to negotiate because he knows he has no leverage. Dead money does not impact your current year cap because it's already spent in prior years. If they keep Ben his cap cost is $41.25. If they cut or trade Ben his cap cost is $22.25. That $19 million savings could go into Wilson or Watson or anyone else. It sounds like the owner wants to keep Ben with some sort pay cut so it's not going to happen but it could if the Steelers were interested.

Below is the over the cap link for the Steelers

https://overthecap.com/salary-cap/pittsburgh-steelers/

The way I look at it is that in 2019 he signed a two year extension that takes him through the end of this year.

The extension included a $37.5M signing bonus. That's money in the bank for Ben, and nothing can change how it spreads out as a $12.5 yearly cap hit through this year.

Except the Steelers were cap-strapped last year so the restructured that 2019 contract to take the $19MM that would have been paid to him last year in salary and roster bonus and converted it into a restructure bonus, spread over the remaining to years at $9.5M per. That $9.M they pushed into this year represented cap savings last year. By pushing all that bonus charges into this year, they were able to get his salary down to $1.5M last year

So, that pushed $9.5M in bonus money together with the remaining $12.5M prorated signing bonus from the original deal, amounts to $22M in cap charges for 2021 they can't escape.

This year he's slated for a $4M salary (not guaranteed) and a $15M roster bonus due on the third day of the new league year.

The Steelers can waive him and they avoid the $19M hit on top of the $22M hit from the money money (Bringing the $41M hit back down to $22M). Or then can again restructure to get him on another $1.5M salary and presumably some small restructure bonus that spreads across a couple years with non-guaranteed salary in future years, leaving them only with dead money if this ends up being his last year.

Let's say it's a total of $10M in 2021 salary and restructure bonus spread over two years with a non-guarteed $4M salary and $15M roster bonus in 2022. Ben can accept and put another $10M in the bank. Or he can reject it and he gets nothing...unless he can go find another team willing to pay him that or more. A team that may actually make him practice, for instance.

[GOTA]

The way I look at it is that in 2019 he signed a two year extension that takes him through the end of this year.

The extension included a $37.5M signing bonus. That's money in the bank for Ben, and nothing can change how it spreads out as a $12.5 yearly cap hit through this year.

Except the Steelers were cap-strapped last year so the restructured that 2019 contract to take the $19MM that would have been paid to him last year in salary and roster bonus and converted it into a restructure bonus, spread over the remaining to years at $9.5M per. That $9.M they pushed into this year represented cap savings last year. By pushing all that bonus charges into this year, they were able to get his salary down to $1.5M last year

So, that pushed $9.5M in bonus money together with the remaining $12.5M prorated signing bonus from the original deal, amounts to $22M in cap charges for 2021 they can't escape.

This year he's slated for a $4M salary (not guaranteed) and a $15M roster bonus due on the third day of the new league year.

The Steelers can waive him and they avoid the $19M hit on top of the $22M hit from the money money (Bringing the $41M hit back down to $22M). Or then can again restructure to get him on another $1.5M salary and presumably some small restructure bonus that spreads across a couple years with non-guaranteed salary in future years, leaving them only with dead money if this ends up being his last year.

Let's say it's a total of $10M in 2021 salary and restructure bonus spread over two years with a non-guarteed $4M salary and $15M roster bonus in 2022. Ben can accept and put another $10M in the bank. Or he can reject it and he gets nothing...unless he can go find another team willing to pay him that or more. A team that may actually make him practice, for instance.

That's the situation. The question I was addressing was whether the Steelers could go after one of these other veteran QBs who are available and the answer is yes. If they want to try and trade for Wilson or Watson they can find the space. That's starts with getting rid of Ben. The idea that the Steelers are locked into Ben this year is false.

Based on what the owner is saying it sounds like they do want him back but if Ben isn't willing to negotiate that could change. Honestly I do think that both sides will work this out and Ben will get his final year as the Steelers starting QB.

[Shas]

The question I was addressing was whether the Steelers could go after one of these other veteran QBs who are available and the answer is yes. If they want to try and trade for Wilson or Watson they can find the space. That's starts with getting rid of Ben. The idea that the Steelers are locked into Ben this year is false.

Yes. They are $10M or $15M over the cap right now. They can waive Ben and be $5M-$9M under the cap and use that cap room (along with any other maneuvers) to sign another QB.

Ben isn't stopping them. The money that Ben would further eat up if he were to stay could instead go to a new QB, that's true.

Trade affordability, not contract affordability, is probably what makes this kind of move unlikely.

They have to rebuild their offensive line, find a running back and replace Smith-Shuster. That's hard to imagine doing if they ship off a slew of high draft picks for Watson, Carr, Wilson or whomever. If I'm them, I want to bring Ben back to kick the can down the road for another year while I rebuild the offense around him. Maybe that means losing for a year so I can go draft a QB next year.

[WNCRavensFan]

OTC has it at 11.7 mil over the cap after Pouncey officially comes off the books.

Any of Joe Haden, Steven Nelson, David DeCastro, Stephon Tuitt, Eric Ebron and Vince Williams could still be on the chopping block.

Bringing the Neanderthal back is the worst thing the Steelers can do right now, and that makes me happy.

[HotInHere]

Pitt is handling their cap the way they always handle it and it works out fine. The difference is this year the cap is lower so it's tougher on teams but they can make moves and clear up space.

Not so sure about that. They've kicked the can down the road with Ben for awhile now, and the bill has come due. Also, they have a bunch of FAs that they aren't going to be able to keep. When do you ever remember the Steelers being in that situation?

[xiao_ke]

OTC has it at 11.7 mil over the cap after Pouncey officially comes off the books.

Any of Joe Haden, Steven Nelson, David DeCastro, Stephon Tuitt, Eric Ebron and Vince Williams could still be on the chopping block.

Bringing the Neanderthal back is the worst thing the Steelers can do right now, and that makes me happy.

Ben's contract is blowing up in the Steelers face. He has a $41M cap number for 2021 and it's $22M in dead money if they cut him. If the Steelers were smart they would take their medicine now and just release him. Ben looks old, out of shape and he won't be playing at a high level into his mid forties like Tom Brady.