Steelers To Sign Stefen Wisniewski
The Steelers have agreed to a two-year deal with offensive lineman Stefen Wisniewski, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL.com (Twitter link).
Pittsburgh had been searching for a new face at left guard, where Ramon Foster had been a linchpin since the 2009 campaign. Foster retired from the NFL earlier this week, leaving a massive hole along the Steelers’ front five. Now, Wisniewski will likely line up at guard in between left takcle Alejandro Villanueva and center Maurkice Pouncey.
Wisniewski, who turns 31 years old later this week, has played in 134 games since entering the NFL as a second-round Raiders draft pick in 2011. The Penn State alum appeared in 46 games with the Eagles from 2016-18 and won a Super Bowl, then joined the Chiefs last October for another Super Bowl run. Wisniewski started the final two games of the regular season for Kansas City before starting every game during the playoffs.
The Jets, whose interest in Wisniewski was reported earlier this week, made an “earnest effort” to sign the veteran guard, tweets Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News. But Wisniewski, a Pittsburgh native, ultimately decided on a homecoming.
Steelers OL Maurkice Pouncey Restructures Contract
Another hour, another Steelers veteran restructuring their contract. This time, it’s offensive lineman Maurkice Pouncey, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN (via Twitter).
As the reporter points out, Pouncey was due a $5MM base salary in 2020, plus a $3MM roster bonus and a $3MM pro-rated bonus this year. Last offseason, Pouncey signed a two-year extension worth $22MM, setting him up to be the highest-paid center in the NFL (from an average annual value perspective).
The 30-year-old has spent his entire career with the Steelers, earning eight Pro Bowl nods and a pair of first-time All-Pro honors. Pouncey started all 13 of his games in 2019, and he missed a pair of games following the fallout from the Myles Garrett/Mason Rudolph brawl.
Pouncey joins a growing list of Steelers who have restructured their contracts in recent days. As Dulac points out, that list includes the likes quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, tight end Vance McDonald, cornerbacks Joe Haden and Steven Nelson and kicker Chris Boswell. When also accounting for the team’s released players, the organization has already opened up around $35MM in cap space.
Contract Details: Nassib, Alonso, Jefferson
Some more contract details from around the league:
- DE Carl Nassib, Raiders: signed. Three-year, $25MM deal with $17MM guaranteed, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). The deal has a max value of $28MM.
- LB Kiko Alonso, Saints: restructured contract. Base salary reduced from $6.4MM to $1.7MM, $4.7MM available in incentives. Already has $1.45MM roster bonus, meaning he can still hit his previous $7.85MM total via playing-time bonuses. All notes via ESPN’s Mike Triplett on Twitter.
- DE Quinton Jefferson, Bills: two-year deal. Contract worth $13.5MM total, according to ESPN’s Dan Graziano on Twitter.
- FB Derek Watt, Steelers: signed. Three-year deal worth $9.75MM, according to ESPN’s Brooke Pryor on Twitter.
- LB Kamu Grugier-Hill, Dolphins: one-year deal. Contract worth $3MM, including $2MM signing bonus, according to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo on Twitter. Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle tweets that there’s up to $500K in playing time incentives.
Steelers Place Second-Round Tender On OT Matt Feiler
The Steelers have placed a second-round tender on offensive tackle Matt Feiler, reports NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter).
Besides a brief stint with the Texans, Feiler has spent most of his career with Pittsburgh. The lineman has earned more responsibility each season, leading to him starting a career-high 16 games this past season.
In total, the 27-year-old has appeared in 32 career games (27 starts).
The Steelers have been busy with their impending restricted free agents. Earlier this evening, the organization placed a second-round tender on cornerback Mike Hilton.
Steelers Place Second-Round Tender On CB Mike Hilton
The Steelers have slapped cornerback Mike Hilton with a second-round tender, reports ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter).
The move ensures that if any team signs Hilton to an offer sheet and the Steelers decline to match, they’d get that team’s second-round pick in return. If the organization has their way, they’d probably prefer that Hilton just sticks around Pittsburgh.
The 2016 undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss bounced between the Jaguars and Patriots before landing with the Steelers. After spending much of the 2016 campaign unsigned, Hilton emerged to appear in all 16 games during the 2017 season.
The cornerback has taken on a larger role during each of his seasons in Pittsburgh, culminating in a 2019 season where he appeared in 16 games (eight starts) and compiled 65 tackles, 1.5 sacks, 11 passes defended, one interception, and one forced fumble.
Minor NFL Transactions: 3/17/20
We don’t dance now; we make minor moves.
Detroit Lions
- Waived: QB Kyle Sloter
Jacksonville Jaguars
- Released: TE Geoff Swaim
New England Patriots
- Re-signed: LB Keionta Davis
Philadelphia Eagles
- Re-signed: DT Hassan Ridgeway
Pittsburgh Steelers
- Re-signed: LS Kameron Canaday
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Signed: TE Antony Auclair
North Notes: Steelers, Ravens, Hurst
Steelers tight end Vance McDonald has restructured his contract, reports SiriusXM’s Adam Caplan (via Twitter). The veteran will see his $5.5MM base salary converted into a signing bonus.
The 29-year-old joined the Steelers back in 2017, and he’s turned into a solid receiving threat in Pittsburgh. After finishing with a 50/610/4 receiving line in 2018, he followed that up with 38 receptions for 273 yards and three scores this past year.
McDonald joins a number of Steelers veterans who have reworked their deals to provide the organization with more cap space. That grouping includes quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who restructured his deal earlier today. With all of the Steelers moves (including cut players), they’ve opened up an estimated $35MM in cap space.
Let’s check out some more notes from the league’s northern divisions:
- Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic looks at the who the Ravens could turn to as they look to replace retired lineman Marshal Yanda. While the team is rostering several internal options, the writer dives into the potential options in the draft and free agency. Zrebiec notes that the organization has had some luck finding starting linemen on Day 2 of the draft, and he passes along that general manager Eric DeCosta “all but guaranteed” that the organization will draft at least a pair of linemen.
- The fourth-rounder that the Ravens sent the Falcons in the Hayden Hurst deal is their compensatory pick, tweets Jason La Canfora. Baltimore ended up receiving a second- and fifth-round pick in the deal. The Ravens drafted Hurst in the first-round in 2018, but he immediately took a backseat behind Mark Andrews, who Baltimore took in the third round of that same draft. With Austin Hooper leaving Atlanta, the Falcons had a major need at the position.
- The Bears had interest in lineman Alex Lewis before he re-signed with the Jets, reports Caplan (via Twitter). Chicago has been looking to shake up their offense a bit, as they’re in the market for a quarterback to battle with Mitch Trubisky. The organization has also added veteran tight end Jimmy Graham.
RFA/ERFA Tender Decisions: 3/17/20
Tuesday’s restricted free agent and exclusive rights free agent tender decisions will be posted below. Deals will be updated throughout the day.
RFAs
Tendered at second-round level:
- Chargers: DB Michael Davis
Tendered at original-round level:
- Falcons: RB Brian Hill
- Raiders: OT David Sharpe
- Seahawks: C Joey Hunt, DL Branden Jackson
- Steelers: OT Zach Banner
ERFAs
Tendered:
- Chargers: DL Isaac Rochell, T Trent Scott
- Jaguars: LB Austin Calitro
- Packers: WR Jake Kumerow, WR Allen Lazard
- Panthers: OL Jordan Roos
- Rams: TE Johnny Mundt, C Coleman Shelton
- Seahawks: DT Bryan Mone, DB Ryan Neal, WR Malik Turner
Non-tendered:
Steelers To Sign FB Derek Watt
Two of the three Watt brothers will now play for the Steelers. Fullback Derek Watt agreed to terms with Pittsburgh, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (on Twitter).
A four-year Chargers contributor, the middle Watt brother will join T.J. Watt on the Steelers. This deal will pay Derek Watt $3.25MM per year, per Rapoport (on Twitter). T.J. is currently set to make $1.7MM this season. With the Steelers a lock to pick up T.J. Watt’s fifth-year option, it is certainly possible the two-time Pro Bowler will make less than the least accomplished of the NFL Watts this season.
Derek, 27, was a sixth-round Bolts pick in 2016 and has played special teams as well in his NFL career. Derek Watt, 27, played 123 snaps at fullback for the Bolts last season. While he only has 29 career touches, the Wisconsin product will likely be asked to play a key role on Pittsburgh’s special teams units.
The Watts will join another two-thirds brother tandem on the Steelers. The Edmundses — Terrell and Trey — are under contract with Pittsburgh for the 2020 season.
Steelers Place Ryan Shazier On Reserve/Retired List
The Steelers are shifting linebacker Ryan Shazier from the reserve/PUP list to the reserve/retired list Tuesday, the team announced in a release.
Shazier himself didn’t officially announce he’s giving up on a return to the field, but this would seem to indicate that his playing days are all but over. He spent the past two seasons on the PUP list. By keeping him on the roster the past couple of years he was able to earn a salary, which will likely end now. However, the Steelers announced in their release that this doesn’t mean Shazier won’t be sticking around.
“Ryan’s placement on the Reserve/Retired List serves as a matter of protocol to ensure his continued inclusion within our organization moving forward in his professional career,” said Steelers GM Kevin Colbert in a brief statement. Shazier has been a “fixture in the locker room” and helped mentor and develop rookie first-round linebacker Devin Bush last year, Brooke Pryor of ESPN.com noted in a tweet.
Shazier, of course, was a Pro Bowl linebacker before a devastating spinal injury cut his career short during the 2017 season. Initially feared that he wouldn’t be able to walk again, Shazier battled his way back to being able to run and train, and has been an incredible source of inspiration along the way.
The Ohio State product has never given up on the idea of playing again, and it’s likely he never will. He’ll still be around the team in 2020, and it sounds like coaching could be in his future.