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Vance McDonald’s Future with the Pittsburgh Steelers

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By Matt Papiernik, @Matt_Papiernik on Twitter SteelerNation.com   In case you didn’t see my previous article, I am going to be publishing several articles breaking down the contracts, performance, and likelihood that certain players will be members of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2020. Now that the off-season is in full view of the team, there […]

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We've had a string of below the line TEs since Heath retired. Jesse caught it.

Time to go back to the draft and get us a young TE. Vannett I would bring back. McDonald I let walk, too injury prone and not enough production.
 
Unless they have a free agent target, McDonald will be the starting TE. It's a poor draft class for TE's and they likely won't be able to retain Vannett who is a decent #2 TE.
 
If Ben appears to be healthy, I'd look at possible keeping Vance in 2020. I think a big part of him not doing much is the QB play. If we cut Vance that leaves us with Vannett who is basically a blocking TE, and the rookie we drafted last year who is a project. I'm not sure we find a plug and play TE in round 2. I have looked at the free agents list yet.
 
Again, Nice write up Matt and I like this series you have established.


Vance is definately made by Ben Roethlisberger. We need way more outtA the $$$$dollars spent in him. Like the article says 15% chance he is back due to cap casulties along the way.




Salute the nation
 
Coryea said:
If Ben appears to be healthy, I'd look at possible keeping Vance in 2020. I think a big part of him not doing much is the QB play. If we cut Vance that leaves us with Vannett who is basically a blocking TE, and the rookie we drafted last year who is a project. I'm not sure we find a plug and play TE in round 2. I have looked at the free agents list yet.
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Henry and Hooper are available...
 
He can't keep himself on the field, even when Ben was playing. I see no reason to bring him back with his potential to put up numbers with Ben when his health can not be depended on.
 
Hines57 said:
He can't keep himself on the field, even when Ben was playing. I see no reason to bring him back with his potential to put up numbers with Ben when his health can not be depended on.
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He missed 2 games this season, and 1 last season.
If we had someone behind him, I'd be more willing to let him go, but I think Vannett is a free agent as well, and he's not good, Gentry the draft pick is a project and not ready. It's highly unlikely we get a guy to just step in and play from the draft.
 
I saw one game he missed. Maybe got injured in one and sat the next. You want production out of him,,? Throw him the ball. By your logic we should dump Tuit while were at it. he missed 2 games in 16, 4 games in 2017, 2 games in 2018 and 10 games this year.
 
Normally I laugh at these things, but he is an over 5 million dollar savings pre June 1st cut. however, he creates a hole at the position. Its different if you have a guy in the wings. They don't so, I'd be more than surprised if he is gone. You cannot secure a starting TE for 5 million.
 
Coryea said:
He missed 2 games this season, and 1 last season.
If we had someone behind him, I'd be more willing to let him go, but I think Vannett is a free agent as well, and he's not good, Gentry the draft pick is a project and not ready. It's highly unlikely we get a guy to just step in and play from the draft.
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Got knocked out of the SF game. Got knocked out of the Cardinals game. Did he also get knocked out of the Chargers game? Guy isn't reliable with the injuries.
 
We will know the decision on McDonald and Vannett prior to the draft, which will tell us a lot about how important draft a TE with our 2nd round or 4th round picks will be (I'm lumping the late 3rd round compensatory in this group).

I don't know what to do. The free agent tight end market is very poor. Hunter Henry, despite his injury past, will get $7-8 million/year. Eric Ebron will get $6-7 million/year. Both with decent guarantees. After that its Tyler Eifert (age 29) and a bunch of washed up 30+ year olds (which are certainly options just as a bandaid)

I honestly would really like us to look into trying to pry a young TE on the outs somewhere else with a 2021 draft pick (not 1st or 2nd rounder). Baltimore is deep at TE. I think David Njoku might be available. Same with O.J. Howard. Jake Butt could be available cheap (6th or 7th rounder) now that Denver has Noah Fant. Even Jesse James might get released and be an option again at the right price.

Problem is there just aren't enough TE's to go around the NFL when most want two good ones and carry three on their rosters.

Could we renegotiate with McDonald maybe? Turn the 2-year, $11.9 million option years into something more guaranteed, long term and better against the cap? I mean, if McDonald is released during camp, he loses $5.5 million in salary and probably won't see that type of money so late in the off-season (although he would get his $900k in bonuses and still count 2.35 million against the cap in dead money).

Maybe he would turn those 2-years into a 3-year, $15 million with $1 million base salary and $5 million SB? That changes his salary cap charge from $7.13 million to $4.13 million, saving us $3 million in cap room and pushing off the dead money.

It's a hard problem to solve, that position this off-season. It wasn't good last year.
 
Jesse James got $22,600,000 over 4 years from the Lions, an average of $5,650,000 per season and caught 16 passes in 2019.
With where the salary cap is, 5 million is peanuts. If the salary cap is near 200 mil, 5 mil is 2.5%.
 
Why do we continue to find excuses for these type players. He is injured more than catches, let him go
 
I really like Vance as a weapon but I heard he carries a $7 million cap hit next season. That seems steep for a guy who is barely more durable than James Conner.
 
slashsteel said:
Yep both TEs have put up yearly impressive stats. I think on the medical front both are less of a risk than McDonald.

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That's good to hear on the medical front because I'd NOT want to exchange a medical problem for another medical problem. This will be a tough position and I've read the draft is soft on TEs this year.




Salute the nation
 
With Vance being hurt a lot and the fact that even with us not using him much this past season, he really wasn't beating the 1 on 1's he had. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see us resign Vannett and cut Vance. Then we will obviously need to draft a TE with our 1st pick in the coming draft. The TE from Purdue should be there. He was great last season but this past season, they didn't use him much. He is athletic, can catch and can even block decent.
 
TDX27 said:
With Vance being hurt a lot and the fact that even with us not using him much this past season, he really wasn't beating the 1 on 1's he had. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see us resign Vannett and cut Vance. Then we will obviously need to draft a TE with our 1st pick in the coming draft. The TE from Purdue should be there. He was great last season but this past season, they didn't use him much. He is athletic, can catch and can even block decent.
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The way we used a TE this year we might as well draft a long snapper.


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TDX27 said:
With Vance being hurt a lot and the fact that even with us not using him much this past season, he really wasn't beating the 1 on 1's he had. I wouldn't be surprised at all to see us resign Vannett and cut Vance. Then we will obviously need to draft a TE with our 1st pick in the coming draft. The TE from Purdue should be there. He was great last season but this past season, they didn't use him much. He is athletic, can catch and can even block decent.
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TE is going to be a tough find in the draft this year. NO WAY I waste a 2nd rounder on a dribble drabble TE...perhaps trading a pick for OJ Howard or David Njoku (that conditional 3rd round pick) would be a better option???
 
Black & Gold Bleeder said:
How do I save this thread so I can pull a coach during next season,, and say neener neener, neener, you're a bunch of dumbasses.
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In order to be "coach" effective you must first state your perfectly clear stand on this. We don't want to come back and question "head size" with-in your future staement.




Salute the nation
 
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