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2017 Steeler free agents

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This is a little dated (June); some of these players listed have been re-signed (DeCastro).

http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.co...agents-in-2017-and-potential-replacements-for

But a quick glance gives me these thoughts.

QB. All I can say is if they resign Jones, we need to hold an intervention; that would mean they won't even attempt to upgrade the backup QB spot.

RB

The obvious giant decision will be Bell. I have a feeling they will refuse to make him the highest paid back in the league, and Bell may refuse anything but. If Bell stays healthy and productive for the rest of the season, some team will offer that $15 mill per season and he will be gone. Would Baltimore just love to snag him - they got crap at RB now.

And do not resign the 34-year old D Will. His productivity will drop off a cliff. Do NOT resign him. Get younger.

WR

Wheaton picked a bad time to have an invisible season. But even if he didn't, we don't resign him. We are too deep at WR and he has shown to be unreliable.

Demarcus Ayers, 21
Antonio Brown, 27
Martavis Bryant, 24
Sammie Coates, 23
Darrius Heyward-Bey, 29
Eli Rogers, 23
Canaan Severin, 23
Marcus Tucker, 23

That's probably the deepest WR unit in the NFL, withOUT Wheaton.

OL

I'd like to see Hubbard brought back. But the big decision will be on re-signing Big Al. Probably a good idea.

TE

James and Green already signed, maybe sign Grimble if cheap.

DT

Hargraves and McCuller signed. Add some young guys.

DE

Best guys under contract.

LB

Let Timmons, Jones and Harrison walk. Add some young guys.

CB

Scary thin there once again. Only CB under contract are Burns, Gay and Golson, who has yet to see the field, in his 2nd year. Cockrell might be worth signing. We will be signing at least one FA CB and drafting at least one more if not 2.

S

Thin too. Don't care if we sign ANY of the free agents tho. They all pretty much suck.
 
I like Wheaton and has flashed some. You are right, though, bad time for him to nit be playin and solidifying his spot.

I'd offer Timmons $4-5m, but that is about it.

Definitely, would be wary of making bell highest paid RB. I think he is the best RB in the league, but the two suspension's have to worry you.

Hubbard, I think, has earned a contract for his play the last couple of games. In this NFL, you can never forget that some teams will over pay a player based on some short term results. I doubt that happens with a RT, though.
 
If they don't think they can sign him long term, or don't want to, they should franchise and try to trade him.
 
Stoney said:
If they don't think they can sign him long term, or don't want to, they should franchise and try to trade him.
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**** it, trade him now..........the season is over as we lost to the CHEATRIOTS and have no chance of us getting home field advantage so we would have to go to patsy-land. DOOMED I tell yaz,,....


Salute the nation
 
Hubbard shouldn't command big bucks, I think he will be back.

Bell isn't going anywhere, ditto Antonio.

That free agency doesn't concern me, other than needing a SS and a OLBer. If we can bring 1 upgrade in of the two I will consider it a win.
 
Ya, if Bell won't sign a good deal, I can see them franchising him at least once and maybe twice. That keeps him here at least while Ben is still playing well. After another year or two, who knows how Ben will be playing. The biggest signing this off-season will be AB. They have to get that done. I'd love to see them sign AB and Bell but Bell may be franchised. If Bell gets busted again, he's gone, period.
 
Steelerfan81 said:
Gilbert is under contract.

Steelers will franchise Bell.
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Bells status depends on his health and ability to pass an nfl drug test.

I'd rather spend 12-13 million on a stud pass rusher or playmaking corner.

If the goal is to win another lowB repuS with Ben, the defense which has zero pass rush, zero interceptions among the Db's and a very soft nickel run defense must be fixed.

If not the steelers are a great fantasy football team winning some by blow out and losing with lots of garbage yards when down.
 
POP said:
WR

Wheaton picked a bad time to have an invisible season. But even if he didn't, we don't resign him. We are too deep at WR and he has shown to be unreliable.

Demarcus Ayers, 21
Antonio Brown, 27
Martavis Bryant, 24
Sammie Coates, 23
Darrius Heyward-Bey, 29
Eli Rogers, 23
Canaan Severin, 23
Marcus Tucker, 23

That's probably the deepest WR unit in the NFL, withOUT Wheaton.


TE

James and Green already signed, maybe sign Grimble if cheap.
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Deep at WR position without Wheaton? Lets look at this....

Demarcus Ayers, 21 (second year player, limited NFL snaps, but could be a stud once integrated to offense)
Antonio Brown, 27 (will be resigned, deservingly so)
Martavis Bryant, 24 (one failed test from year suspension again....No guarantees he will be available)
Sammie Coates, 23 (promising player, probably will replace Bryant on roster in 2018 if not sooner)
Darrius Heyward-Bey, 29 (Role player, nice resurgence to career, but 30 year old receivers can be replaced)
Eli Rogers, 23 (pegged as starting slot this year. Has produced solidly when in game)
Canaan Severin, 23 (camp player on IR with no NFL game experience - prospect)
Marcus Tucker, 23 (camp player on IR with no NFL game experience - prospect)

Cobi Hamilton, He looks promising now he's playing, but lets see his rapport with Ben first.

Wheaton, has picked a wrong time for the injury bug. But IMO, he would be a solid resigning at a relatively friendly cap deal because of injury. He knows all three positions, can return kicks and has produced. Just not this year.

Is see 4 given players (one a rookie this year). Bryant is a unknown (refer Josh Gordon). DHB could be brought back, but he will be 30 and Hamilton may be a good replacement. Camp players are prospects, so how they can be entered in the equation is beyond me.

Grimble will be a RFA, so he will still be eligible for the roster, if he learns to catch with consistency.

No doubt, a WR will be picked in the draft, maybe two. Wheaton would be another Manny Sanders without the young money attitude that left because of his ego. He would be a valuable resigning.
 
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The other option with Bell is to give him a signing bonus of $15 million, league minimum salary each year, and $10 million (or whatever) roster bonus' each year.

Any team would be crazy to give him a huge signing bonus.
 
Ninjaskrzypek said:
Isn't CB Gilbert under contract next year?
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slashsteel said:
Hubbard shouldn't command big bucks, I think he will be back.

Bell isn't going anywhere, ditto Antonio.

That free agency doesn't concern me, other than needing a SS and a OLBer. If we can bring 1 upgrade in of the two I will consider it a win.
Click to expand...

Yes, this article was written in June, so some of it is outdated.
 
Ike Kelly said:
Deep at WR position without Wheaton? Lets look at this....

Demarcus Ayers, 21 (second year player, limited NFL snaps, but could be a stud once integrated to offense)
Antonio Brown, 27 (will be resigned, deservingly so)
Martavis Bryant, 24 (one failed test from year suspension again....No guarantees he will be available)
Sammie Coates, 23 (promising player, probably will replace Bryant on roster in 2018 if not sooner)
Darrius Heyward-Bey, 29 (Role player, nice resurgence to career, but 30 year old receivers can be replaced)
Eli Rogers, 23 (pegged as starting slot this year. Has produced solidly when in game)
Canaan Severin, 23 (camp player on IR with no NFL game experience - prospect)
Marcus Tucker, 23 (camp player on IR with no NFL game experience - prospect)

Cobi Hamilton, He looks promising now he's playing, but lets see his rapport with Ben first.

Wheaton, has picked a wrong time for the injury bug. But IMO, he would be a solid resigning at a relatively friendly cap deal because of injury. He knows all three positions, can return kicks and has produced. Just not this year.

Is see 4 given players (one a rookie this year). Bryant is a unknown (refer Josh Gordon). DHB could be brought back, but he will be 30 and Hamilton may be a good replacement. Camp players are prospects, so how they can be entered in the equation is beyond me.

Grimble will be a RFA, so he will still be eligible for the roster, if he learns to catch with consistency.

No doubt, a WR will be picked in the draft, maybe two. Wheaton would be another Manny Sanders without the young money attitude that left because of his ego. He would be a valuable resigning.
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I don't see it. First of all, Wheaton is fast-becoming a Shazier type player: always hurt these days.

And, how many WRs do you need?

First of all, only 2 start to begin with. AB, Bryant, Coates, Rogers, Hey-Bey will have us covered, and toss in a rookie or two. Wheaton is, at best, a 3rd WR. He has never shown he is a legit #2. We have too many deeper needs to re-sign him. We are going to be paper thin at OLB, CB and S.
 
POP said:
I don't see it. First of all, Wheaton is fast-becoming a Shazier type player: always hurt these days.

And, how many WRs do you need?

First of all, only 2 start to begin with. AB, Bryant, Coates, Rogers, Hey-Bey will have us covered, and toss in a rookie or two. Wheaton is, at best, a 3rd WR. He has never shown he is a legit #2. We have too many deeper needs to re-sign him. We are going to be paper thin at OLB, CB and S.
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Very curious to know as to what you are looking at. Wheaton always hurt? Becoming like Shazier? Until this season, Wheaton has played since his 2013 rookie year, 47 of 51 games (including playoffs). He has started 22 of those 47, so how he compares to Shazier injury wise escapes me. Please enthrall as to how that is ascertained.

As for WR''s, 5 is the standard. 4 usually active, unless the 5 player is a ST contributor as well. If you take last year.......AB, Wheaton, Bryant, DHB and Coates.

You are so solidified that Bryant will be back, for the 2017 season? Pretty arrogant speculation, based upon his history. DHB will be 30, that means, he could be replaced. He's a solid vet, but replacable. His game last Sunday, outside of those two catches that counted (TD/and first down) was not commiserate with the amount of snaps he played. He had almost the same snaps as AB.

The past two years Wheaton has almost 1400 yards on 90+ catches with avg around 14.3 YPC and 7 TDs. Solid numbers. Not Hines Ward/Plaxico Burress numbers but solid, plus Bryant was the Z receiver and Wheaton filled in the slot. You say at best he is a 3rd, yet started as the X receiver, Y and Z receiver. This is the first year he has any injury problems, thus impacting his production.

As for resigning him, I opined that signing him to a cap friendly modest deal would be a good investment, to guard with Bryant. I didn't say break the bank. As for needs, the draft will be used to fill those needs unless a Farrior player type signing occurs.
 
Even without Wheaton (if not resigned) or Bryant I would put AB, Coates, Rogers, DHB and Hamilton as a legit 5 with Ayers waiting in the wings. Anything from Bryant is a bonus. But with the 5 we have without Wheaton/Bryant would be more than capable and still put WR as one of our stronger positions. Anything more than a late round flyer for some ps grooming seems like overkill given our other needs.
 
DHB is what he is. This could be his last hurrah.

Rogers
Hamilton
Ayers

are just guys until proven otherwise

Wheaton will be gone..


Bryant is a unknown and Steelers will probably treat him as that a unknown.


I think the Steelers will draft one WR, perhaps not in 1 or 2.... But I could see a 3rd rounder if one tops their board.


As the Steelers have 3 significant needs OLB/ILB/SS. If they bring one in free agency, that clears up the third and beyond for BPA.


Sure 1 and 2 will be BPA, but BPA at positions of need.............
 
I'm with you Slash, I see the steelers picking up a WR in rounds 4-7. They will be looking for a quick twitch slot guy, hopefully with returning ability.

That is, unless Ayers shows he can be on a roster, then we have that position locked up.
 
slashsteel said:
DHB is what he is. This could be his last hurrah.

Rogers
Hamilton
Ayers

are just guys until proven otherwise

Wheaton will be gone..


Bryant is a unknown and Steelers will probably treat him as that a unknown.


I think the Steelers will draft one WR, perhaps not in 1 or 2.... But I could see a 3rd rounder if one tops their board.


As the Steelers have 3 significant needs OLB/ILB/SS. If they bring one in free agency, that clears up the third and beyond for BPA.


Sure 1 and 2 will be BPA, but BPA at positions of need.............
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with VInce and Shazier I think CB is more of a need position than ILB. We have Burns, Cockrell and an aging William Gay. That's it, a nickel CB is a must unless somehow Golson miraculously heals.
 
When you have the best player in the league at RB you do everything you need to do to keep him. Bell has ladanian Tomlinson like potential, Vision, hands, cuts, and power. you don't cheap out on guys like that.
Steelers have a long history of great running backs,. As far as superbowls are concerned, after Ben, Bell is the most crucial component. Look what happened last year after he went down.
 
With ya Slash and Cope. Hope we bring in a proven commodity at LB, S or CB so we can address the other 2 needs early. I would be for another DL early and add the WR in the 4-7 range. If Butler is going to continue as our DC we need more DL depth.
 
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