Pittsburgh Steelers Thread

OOnegative · 12-01-2021 6:12pm

Think a new OC wouldn’t go a miss either, the dog on the street knew Fichtner’s schemes come the end of the season. Could Ben restructure his contract to free up cap space? Pouncey always said he’d continue as long as Ben was the QB playing.

Read a fair few saying that this is Big Al’s last season but Feiler is a ready made replacement and probably an upgrade, as much as I admire and love Big Al. Rudolph isn’t a positive future but he may well be the future.

The_Honeybadger · 12-01-2021 6:52pm

Looking at the cap 2020 was a bit of an ‘all in’ year, with big money pushed in to 2021 to keep a veteran roster together for a championship run. It was always a long shot and it didn’t work out after a pretty good start as we all know.

I’ve no idea who stays or goes but they are going to be a much weaker roster next year, regardless of whether Ben stays or not, I’m not quite sure what he’d be coming back for, he must know it’s over. If he is coming back they can extend and restructure him to get nearly $10m off the books but I definitely wouldn’t be giving him any new money.

Agree on the OC, albeit I do think Fictner was limited to what Ben could / would run, he didn’t want to play under center by all accounts which made running the ball or using PA very difficult. They have a ready replacement on staff already in Matt Canada

Kirk Van Houten · 14-01-2021 5:09pm

Fitchners contract not being renewed. Presume Canada may step up.

OOnegative · 14-01-2021 5:18pm

Kirk Van Houten wrote: »

Fitchners contract not being renewed. Presume Canada may step up.

Sarrett gone as OL coach to.

The_Honeybadger · 14-01-2021 5:38pm

If Fictner is leaving that pretty much confirms Ben is retiring I would think? No way he is learning a new offence at this stage of his career, especially given his physical limitations.

Sarrett had to go too, OLine was getting pushed around all year and the run blocking in particular was hopeless

Kirk Van Houten · 14-01-2021 8:55pm

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

If Fictner is leaving that pretty much confirms Ben is retiring I would think? No way he is learning a new offence at this stage of his career, especially given his physical limitations.

Sarrett had to go too, OLine was getting pushed around all year and the run blocking in particular was hopeless

Did I hear or read that Ben took the least sacks/hits this season? The O line was there to let him throw not run the ball.

Kirk Van Houten · 14-01-2021 8:58pm

Fitchner, O Line, Secondary and TE coaches all gone.

The_Honeybadger · 14-01-2021 9:18pm

Kirk Van Houten wrote: »

Did I hear or read that Ben took the least sacks/hits this season? The O line was there to let him throw not run the ball.

I’m not so sure they were actually that good at doing either. I think Ben getting rid of the ball so quick was a necessity, and it masked a lot of issues with the line. Big changes coming there anyway, doubt any of Pouncey, Villanueva or Feiler are back so a good time to change coaches if they were not happy with Sarrett, which they clearly weren’t.

Looks like they are cleaning house on the coaching side. Retirements and cuts on the playing side next.

dfx- · 15-01-2021 12:49am

Kirk Van Houten wrote: »

Did I hear or read that Ben took the least sacks/hits this season? The O line was there to let him throw not run the ball.

That's with Ben getting the ball out from the shotgun in three seconds. I think at some point it was a case of that's what they're able to do. Even with Bell, there were not many explosive runs or big holes created.

If Ben was injured and lacked movement, the easiest thing to do is get him to hand off the ball every time. If it doesn't work, he has to throw it..

Kirk Van Houten · 15-01-2021 8:31am

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2021/01/14/pittsburgh-steelers-mike-tomlin-Randy-Fichtner-Shaun-Sarrett/stories/202101140125

Seems there might be more coaching changes coming. Canada being interviewed by the Dolphins.

I do think it's looking less and less likely that Ben will be coming back.

The_Honeybadger · 15-01-2021 8:58am

Kirk Van Houten wrote: »

https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2021/01/14/pittsburgh-steelers-mike-tomlin-Randy-Fichtner-Shaun-Sarrett/stories/202101140125

Seems there might be more coaching changes coming. Canada being interviewed by the Dolphins.

I do think it's looking less and less likely that Ben will be coming back.

Teryl Austin is interviewing with the Titans for their DC position as well. I thought Keith Butler might retire and Austin take over but it seems KB is staying on a year to year basis.

The_Honeybadger · 21-01-2021 8:40pm

Was not expecting this.

https://twitter.com/albertbreer/status/1352326482543177734?s=21

Kirk Van Houten · 21-01-2021 8:52pm

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

Was not expecting this.

https://twitter.com/albertbreer/status/1352326482543177734?s=21

Very much out of the blue but a good signing. He's on little money and has a lot to prove. Low risk with potential for high reward for the Steelers.
I know there's the possibility he's a liability in the locker room but if anyone can manage that type of personality well it's Tomlin.

The_Honeybadger · 21-01-2021 9:19pm

Kirk Van Houten wrote: »

Very much out of the blue but a good signing. He's on little money and has a lot to prove. Low risk with potential for high reward for the Steelers.
I know there's the possibility he's a liability in the locker room but if anyone can manage that type of personality well it's Tomlin.

Yeah and I suppose we shouldn’t be that surprised given they only have thirty something players signed and are already in cap trouble, so they need cheap guys to backfill the roster. With Ben and Rudolph both going in to their final years it could be an opportunity for Haskins if he works to turn things around. It’s only a futures contract in any case, he may not even make the team.

OOnegative · 22-01-2021 3:31pm

Vance has retired, solid player since he was signed. Will always remember that STIFF ARM!!!

The_Honeybadger · 22-01-2021 4:03pm

OOnegative wrote: »

Vance has retired, solid player since he was signed. Will always remember that STIFF ARM!!!

Thought he had another year in the tank but they were probably going to have to cut him anyway for money reasons. Solid player for sure, should have been more involved this year. Best of luck to him in retirement.

Pouncey is also likely to retire by all accounts, maybe Ben and Decastro too.

OOnegative · 22-01-2021 4:19pm

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

Thought he had another year in the tank but they were probably going to have to cut him anyway for money reasons. Solid player for sure, should have been more involved this year. Best of luck to him in retirement.

Pouncey is also likely to retire by all accounts, maybe Ben and Decastro too.

Strong rumours Big Al will retire to, that’s some amount of quality to replace on the OL. Granted this year was none of their best, but all 3 were super players in their pomp.

dfx- · 28-01-2021 11:07pm

Hodges signed by the Rams. Rooney interview saying the cap is tough and to paraphrase on Ben's return, the contract is hard to swallow as it is and may need work..

The_Honeybadger · 29-01-2021 12:19am

Going to be an interesting off season for sure. By all accounts the cap is going to be in the region of $180m. That is going to be a big problem for the Steelers among other teams.

They’ll never say it publicly but you’d have to wonder whether the team is secretly hoping he retires. Getting rid of Fictner looks like a bit of a nudge towards the exit door to me. I was reading up on Matt Canada’s career, no way in hell Ben is going to want to run that type of offence.

Kirk Van Houten · 29-01-2021 12:21am

Canada confirmed as OC.
Ben says he's willing to work Steelers to rework cap numbers.

The_Honeybadger · 29-01-2021 1:03am

Kirk Van Houten wrote: »

Canada confirmed as OC.
Ben says he's willing to work Steelers to rework cap numbers.

I’ve mixed feelings about him coming back tbh. Working with the team to solve the cap issue is code for extending him again and pushing the problem down the road. It also probably means Pouncey stays as well. There is a legitimate argument that that money would be better spent keeping some of these free agents they’re losing and starting a bit of a reboot.

themiddleman · 11-02-2021 8:41pm

Big Ben was great through his whole career. The last few years, he just doesn't look himself. May be time to start moving on.

The_Honeybadger · 12-02-2021 11:02am

themiddleman wrote: »

Big Ben was great through his whole career. The last few years, he just doesn't look himself. May be time to start moving on.

Probably, but they don’t have a credible successor and they pick at 24 so I’d say he will be back, although it would not shock me if he retires.

If he goes the offence will be in full rebuild mode, Pouncey, AV, Feiler, Vance & Juju will all be gone as well for various reasons, six starters on one side of the ball! They need a good draft more than ever

The_Honeybadger · 12-02-2021 3:13pm

Maurkise and his brother both retiring officially.

https://twitter.com/ramonfoster/status/1360228006384566278?s=21

The_Honeybadger · 17-02-2021 11:12pm

Colbert was very non committal today with media in relation to Ben coming back. He could have killed all speculation and stated both sides want that and are working on it but he didn’t. Rooney was kind of lukewarm on it a few weeks ago too.

Decent chance he ‘retires’ by the looks of it.

Kirk Van Houten · 17-02-2021 11:18pm

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

Colbert was very non committal today with media in relation to Ben coming back. He could have killed all speculation and stated they are working on it but he didn’t. Rooney was kind of lukewarm on it a few weeks ago too.

Decent chance he ‘retires’ by the looks of it.

There's very little difference really in cap terms whether he stays or goes. I think it comes down to the question whether the Steelers think he's actually fit or able to play to the level required next season.

The_Honeybadger · 17-02-2021 11:28pm

Kirk Van Houten wrote: »

There's very little difference really in cap terms whether he stays or goes. I think it comes down to the question whether the Steelers think he's actually fit or able to play to the level required next season.

They save $19m if he retires. That’s significant but they’d probably have to sign a veteran to come in and compete with Rudolph as they don’t have the draft position to get anybody. I’m thinking Tyrod Taylor, Brissett, Winston etc. You’d have a lot of change from $19m there

All of Ben’s close friends on the team are now gone and the team have brought in a new OC that will have a drastically different approach than what he is used to, so retirement must be on his mind anyway. He seemingly does want to come back though. Will see what happens in the next few weeks.

Kirk Van Houten · 17-02-2021 11:59pm

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

They save $19m if he retires. That’s significant but they’d probably have to sign a veteran to come in and compete with Rudolph as they don’t have the draft position to get anybody. I’m thinking Tyrod Taylor, Brissett, Winston etc. You’d have a lot of change from $19m there

All of Ben’s close friends on the team are now gone and the team have brought in a new OC that will have a drastically different approach than what he is used to, so retirement must be on his mind anyway. He seemingly does want to come back though. Will see what happens in the next few weeks.

What I meant was there's little difference in cap terms if he goes 18/19m and if he stays and restructures his contract to allow for extra cap room, estimated at 14/15m.

The_Honeybadger · 16-03-2021 11:46pm

Rough couple of days, that special defence from the last couple of seasons is getting stripped for parts, Bud gone to Titans, Alualu to the Jags, Hilton gone to Cinci and Vince cut for cap reasons. They managed to re-sign Sutton

Offence Feiler also gone to the Chargers. Juju and Villanueva will presumably sign somewhere later in the week. With the WR market so soft it wouldn’t surprise me if Juju circles back to the Steelers on a modest deal, PFF had him down for $15m ish money, no chance of that now I’d say.

They better have a good draft with a couple of immediate starters or they could be looking at a long long season in 2021.

Dufflecoat Fanny · 17-03-2021 1:07am

The_Honeybadger wrote: »

Rough couple of days, that special defence from the last couple of seasons is getting stripped for parts, Bud gone to Titans, Alualu to the Jags, Hilton gone to Cinci and Vince cut for cap reasons. They managed to re-sign Sutton

Offence Feiler also gone to the Chargers. Juju and Villanueva will presumably sign somewhere later in the week. With the WR market so soft it wouldn’t surprise me if Juju circles back to the Steelers on a modest deal, PFF had him down for $15m ish money, no chance of that now I’d say.

They better have a good draft with a couple of immediate starters or they could be looking at a long long season in 2021.

No chance of Ju Ju back unless he wants 2.5M this year. Steelers cap is depleted now to near that

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