Gerry: Steelers tight against the cap again

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Tuesday, 13 March 2012 14:23 Written by Gerry Dulac
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]



Good day everyone.

Today is the start of free agency – at 4 p.m., that is – but don’t expect any activity at the Steelers office, not right away.

Oh, the team will bring in a few free agents to look at, but, after tendering offers to six of their own restricted free agents, that puts the Steelers close to the $120 million cap again. .

The total of their six offers was just over $9 million, including slightly more than $2.7 million for Mike Wallace, leaving them approximately $1.5 million under the cap.

Team president Art Rooney II has said the Steelers are more interested in re-signing their own free agents, and, with so little money to spend, it certainly appears that will be the case.

But, what I want to know is, what happens if Larry Foote gets injured in training camp or the preseason? The only true backup is Stevenson Sylvester, who is a nice young player but not someone who is going to fill the breach?

Do the Steelers try to bring back James Farrior, if he hasn’t signed with another team by then?

That’s why I’m convinced the focus of the draft, at least with the No. 1 pick and, if not, most assuredly with the second-round pick, is an inside linebacker.

1. If I’m the Arizona Cardinals, I sign Farrior immediately. Ray Horton, their defensive coordinator, need someone to help with the development of their 3-4 defense, and he knows nobody can set the defense and the players better than Farrior. He probably has another year left in him, provided they pace his reps, and he will bring more to their defense than Joey Porter or Clark Haggans did.
   
2. Don’t fret too much about another team making an offer to Wallace and trying to pry him from the Steelers. There are too many big-play receivers on the free-agent market who might be more attractive to other teams, like Vincent Jackson, Brandon Lloyd and Mario Manningham. And they don’t come with a No. 1 draft pick in return. A bigger issue is whether Wallace will want to sign a new contract with the Steelers or accept his one-year tender and become an unrestricted free agent in 2013.
   
3. The Steelers were really in no financial position to offer anything more than the original (or lowest) tender to guards Doug Legursky and Ramon Foster. To offer them the highest tender would have meant an additional $1.5 million for 2012 for each player. Still, as of right now, they are the starting guards heading into the 2012 season. And they were starters on a 12-4 team. That makes them attractive to another NFL team.
   

Vincent Jackson, Brandon Lloyd and Mario Manningham, Jackson and Lloyd yes, Manningham no freaking way unless you are looking for a backup/slot receiver. Now if you are looking for a receiver and have the cap space and drafting in the bottom half of the draft I would give up that #1 pick in a heartbeat for Wallace, I would love for the Browns to go after him if it wouldnt cost them the 4th overall pick.

wyckedheart8 wrote:Vincent Jackson, Brandon Lloyd and Mario Manningham, Jackson and Lloyd yes, Manningham no freaking way unless you are looking for a backup/slot receiver. Now if you are looking for a receiver and have the cap space and drafting in the bottom half of the draft I would give up that #1 pick in a heartbeat for Wallace, I would love for the Browns to go after him if it wouldnt cost them the 4th overall pick.

Here's a question, if a team has more than one first rounder, can they choose which one to offer, or does it have to be their highest?

cafealamo wrote:

wyckedheart8 wrote:Vincent Jackson, Brandon Lloyd and Mario Manningham, Jackson and Lloyd yes, Manningham no freaking way unless you are looking for a backup/slot receiver. Now if you are looking for a receiver and have the cap space and drafting in the bottom half of the draft I would give up that #1 pick in a heartbeat for Wallace, I would love for the Browns to go after him if it wouldnt cost them the 4th overall pick.

Here's a question, if a team has more than one first rounder, can they choose which one to offer, or does it have to be their highest?

I think it would be up to them since they own both of those draft picks. The only time a team doesn't have an option is if they get a suppliemental pick. Then they have to use that pick and aren't allowed to give it away.

cafealamo wrote:

wyckedheart8 wrote:Vincent Jackson, Brandon Lloyd and Mario Manningham, Jackson and Lloyd yes, Manningham no freaking way unless you are looking for a backup/slot receiver. Now if you are looking for a receiver and have the cap space and drafting in the bottom half of the draft I would give up that #1 pick in a heartbeat for Wallace, I would love for the Browns to go after him if it wouldnt cost them the 4th overall pick.

Here's a question, if a team has more than one first rounder, can they choose which one to offer, or does it have to be their highest?

No, it has to be that teams draft pick, not a pick from a trade, Cleveland has a 4th and a 22nd in this years draft, the 22nd pick is because Atlanta traded that pick last year to Cleveland, so if Cleveland went after say Wallace they would have to give up the 4th overall pick and not their 22nd that would have been Atlanta.

wyckedheart8 wrote:

cafealamo wrote:

wyckedheart8 wrote:Vincent Jackson, Brandon Lloyd and Mario Manningham, Jackson and Lloyd yes, Manningham no freaking way unless you are looking for a backup/slot receiver. Now if you are looking for a receiver and have the cap space and drafting in the bottom half of the draft I would give up that #1 pick in a heartbeat for Wallace, I would love for the Browns to go after him if it wouldnt cost them the 4th overall pick.

Here's a question, if a team has more than one first rounder, can they choose which one to offer, or does it have to be their highest?

No, it has to be that teams draft pick, not a pick from a trade, Cleveland has a 4th and a 22nd in this years draft, the 22nd pick is because Atlanta traded that pick last year to Cleveland, so if Cleveland went after say Wallace they would have to give up the 4th overall pick and not their 22nd that would have been Atlanta.

Oh, that's right. Thanks Wyc for clearing that up. I forgot about that.

1. If I’m the Arizona Cardinals, I sign Farrior immediately. ^^^^^^^^Disagree, strongly, would be a dumb move for a team that need to develop a defense. It's not like defensive leadership makes them a contender...they need more talent., and a LB that can actually supply pass coverage.
   

1. Don’t
   fret too much about another team making an offer to Wallace and trying
   to pry him from the Steelers. ^^^^^Disagree again...The only problem with this, if I am the Cincy FO, I give up the first rounder in a heart beat, to weaken a divisional opponent and give me young franchise QB two of the best deep threats in the NFL.
   

1. The
   Steelers were really in no financial position to offer anything more
   than the original (or lowest) tender to guards Doug Legursky and Ramon
   Foster.^^^^^^^^^Disagree again, they could have insured second round compensation...S Allen, RB Mendy, NT Hampton...they'll all give the Steelers nothing in 2012. They also have restructuring options with Troy, Clark, Colon, etc.
   

Aside from that, I have no problem with the opinions.

If a team has two first rounders, they give up the pick that was originally slated on them, based on their 2011 finish in the standings. It can't be the other pick in the first round...