- The Steelers recently reached out to safety J.J. Wilcox to express interest in a return for 2018, a source tells Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Steelers can save $3.125MM by cutting Wilcox with just $675K in dead money, but the Steelers have some interest in retaining him, perhaps under a reduced figure. The Steelers will also have to make a decision regarding fellow safety Mike Mitchell, who is slated to carry a $5MM cap hit.
Here’s the latest out of Pittsburgh:
- Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert says the team is not interested in trading wide receiver Martavis Bryant (Twitter link via Dale Lolley of DKPittsburghSports.com). Colbert indicated that he received calls on Bryant from other teams based on media reports, but he intends to keep the 26-year-old. Bryant, of course, is one of the more dynamic wideouts in the NFL, but Pittsburgh could conceivably be growing tired of his off-field antics. The Bills, for one, reportedly attempted to trade for Bryant last season, but it sounds as if the former fourth-round pick will return to the Steelers in 2017. He’s under contract for one more year at a base salary of $705K.
- Veteran cornerback Joe Haden is not in danger of being released despite his relatively high 2018 cap charge, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com. Haden, who was excellent during his first season in Pittsburgh, is due a $9MM base salary next season and will count for nearly $12MM on the Steelers’ cap. Given that the Steelers are pressed for cap space, Haden had been speculatively mentioned as a candidate for release. Instead, Pittsburgh could approach Haden about reworking his contract down the line, but no machinations of that kind are underway at present.
- The Steelers have already started “doing their draft due diligence” on Boise State linebacker Leighton Vander Esch, Fowler tweets. In some mock drafts, analysts have the Steelers targeting the athletic tackle machine at No. 28 overall. Vander Esch is now expected to come off the board earlier than many project, and has even been compared to 2018 Hall of Famer Brian Urlacher. He’s reportedly been running the 40-yard dash in under 4.65 seconds, and could officially beat that number at this week’s combine.
Linebacker Ryan Shazier will not play football in 2018, Steelers GM Kevin Colbert told reporters at the NFL combine. Colbert stressed that Shazier will continue to be a valuable member of the team and noted that he is “covered” contractually. 
Shazier suffered a scary spinal injury while making a tackle against the Bengals on Dec. 4. The news on Shazier’s overall recovery has been promising, but it’s still unclear as to whether he’ll be able to return to football at some point. For his part, Shazier says he wants to play again.
“I got to get back,” Shazier said recently. “Right now I’m reading a book and it’s basically saying trust the process. I’m really trusting the process. I know the end goal. So I’m taking every step of the way, I’m giving everything I got. The therapists are like, ‘Man this is crazy; I’ve never seen anyone work this hard.’ They almost see progression every day.”
Shazier, 25, tallied 68 tackles and 11 pass defenses before the injury and earned a Pro Bowl selection despite playing in only 12 games. Prior to that, he logged 55 tackles in each of the previous two seasons.
This week, the NFLPA updated its salary cap report to include the rollover amounts for all 32 teams in the NFL. The Browns, as expected, lead the league in $58.9MM in cap space rolled over from the previous season. Here is the full rundown of each team’s rollover amounts:
After the Browns, the 49ers ($56MM), Titans ($30.3MM), Jaguars ($27.8MM), and Jets ($17.3MM) boast the highest rollover amounts in the league. The Dolphins ($69K), Saints ($287K), Giants ($365K), Eagles ($514K), and the Seahawks ($547K) have the least amount of rollover. In total, teams carried over nearly $340MM from last season, good for an average of $10.6MM per club.
Although the Bills ultimately acquired wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin at the 2017 trade deadline, they were also targeting another pass-catcher last season. Buffalo attempted to “get involved” in talks for Steelers wideout Martavis Bryant, according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com.
Given their level of interest last year, it’s conceivable the Bills could circle back and try to initiate talks with the Steelers again this year. However, it’s unclear whether Pittsburgh has any intention of trading Bryant, who is entering the final year of his rookie contract. While Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com recently reported the Steelers aren’t shopping Bryant, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com indicated Pittsburgh is listening to offers and will likely discuss the 26-year-old pass-catcher at the combine.
Bryant has caused conflicting reports in the past, especially when it comes to his trade value and availability: last year, for example, Bryant may or may not have requested a Pittsburgh exit. But after the season, Bryant said he wanted to return to the Steelers in 2018.
Buffalo, meanwhile, still boasts one of the NFL’s least inspiring wide receiver units even after picking up Benjamin last season. Benjamin isn’t guaranteed his 2017 salary and could still be released, but if he returns, he’ll join last year’s second-round pick, Zay Jones, as the Bills’ top two wideouts. Buffalo also has five pass-catchers — including Deonte Thompson and Jordan Matthews — scheduled to hit free agency next month.
Last year, Bryant matched a career-high with 50 receptions, although he only managed 12.1 yards per reception (he’d posted 17.3 yards per catch during his first two years with the Steelers). Bryant was above-average in terms of efficiency, however, as Football Outsiders ranked him 37th among 86 qualifiers in DVOA, which measures value on a per-play basis.
While the Steelers are not believed to be making calls about Martavis Bryant, they are expected to discuss the wide receiver with teams at the Combine, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports (video link). Rapoport does, in fact, note the Steelers are open to listening to offers for Bryant but don’t appear to be too aggressive about that at this juncture. However, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes Bryant has expressed desire to be a No. 1 receiver, and that’s not going to happen with likely Hall of Fame candidate Antonio Brown on the Steelers. This helps explain why the sides have not discussed a long-term extension or bridge contract. Bryant is entering his contract year, and the Steelers like their trio of wideouts. But Fowler writes the franchise doesn’t want Bryant causing any problems this season, which would make a trade logical. Fowler writes it would not be a surprise for Bryant to skip offseason workouts to display his frustration with his status.
As presently constructed, the Steelers boast a high-powered array of weaponry at wide receiver. And as teams prepare to convene at the Combine, Pittsburgh intends on keeping its status quo at wideout.
The Steelers are not shopping Martavis Bryant, who was involved in trade rumors at the 2017 deadline, with Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reporting (on Twitter) the team isn’t calling teams about unloading the mercurial pass-catcher while also not fielding offers for him.
Bryant enjoyed an eventful 2017, being reinstated then returning to a team that now had an emerging No. 2 wide receiver in JuJu Smith-Schuster. Antonio Brown‘s previous top sidekick, when available, was involved in rampant trade rumors — ones that may or may not have included him requesting a Pittsburgh exit — and mentioned Smith-Schuster in a social media spat. But after the season, Bryant said he wanted to return to the Steelers in 2018.
One year remains on Bryant’s rookie contract, thanks to it tolling because of his 2016 suspension. While the Steelers aren’t taking calls on him, they are not discussing an extension, either, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). The Steelers became resolute at the October deadline, insisting they weren’t trading Bryant. That stance became clear to Bryant when the Steelers deemed his talent too valuable compared to what would come back to them in a trade, Fowler reports.
Bryant matched his career high with 50 receptions last season, only those came in a career-high 15 games after he’d snared 50 passes (for a career-best 765 yards) in 11 games in 2015. Bryant averaged a career-low 12.3 yards per catch in 2017, a season that saw Brown stay on his stratospheric pace and Smith-Schuster produce the best receiving season in his rookie class. The trio may well have another chance to work together in 2018.
Steelers linebacker Ryan Shazier said in a podcast hosted by Steelers fullback Roosevelt Nix (Twitter link) that he intends to play football again and still has Hall of Fame aspirations after sustaining a spinal injury while making a tackle against the Bengals on Dec. 4.
- Martavis Bryant was identified as a potential trade candidate this offseason as Gregg Rosenthal of NFL.com went over some of the players most likely to move via trade. The emergence of JuJu Smith-Schuster coupled with the fact that Bryant requested a trade in a trade in October make him a prime candidate. Bryant did tell reporters in January, though, that he’d like to return to the Steelers next season and would be ready for OTAs. Bryant had a career-low three touchdown catches last season despite playing in a career-high 15 games.
Starting today, NFL teams will be able to place franchise and transition tags on potential free agents for the first time. While the window for franchise tags is open, most clubs won’t actually tag any players right away.
As our list of important dates for the 2018 offseason shows, the deadline for teams to assign those tags doesn’t come until Tuesday, March 6. Usually, when it comes to NFL contract discussions, deadlines spur action, so teams will wait until that deadline approaches to officially use franchise tags, once it becomes clear that they won’t be able to strike a longer-term deal yet with their respective free-agents-to-be.
Even though the action might not heat up for a couple more weeks, it’s worth taking a closer look at what to expect during 2018’s franchise tag period. The NFL hasn’t officially announced the salary cap figure for 2017, but OverTheCap.com recently projected the 2018 franchise tag salaries based on a presumed $178MM cap. Here are the expected non-exclusive franchise tag amounts:
- Quarterback: $23.09MM
- Running back: $11.72MM
- Wide receiver: $16.23MM
- Tight end: $10.36MM
- Offensive line: $14.54MM
- Defensive end: $17.52MM
- Defensive tackle: $14.53MM
- Linebacker: $15.47MM
- Cornerback: $14.88MM
- Safety: $11.08MM
- Punter/kicker: $5.06MM
(For a refresher on the characteristics of the exclusive and non-exclusive franchise tags, as well as the transition tag, be sure to check out PFR’s glossary entry on the subject.)
Here’s our look at the most likely candidates to be tagged, along with several more outside possibilities:
Virtual Locks:
- Le’Veon Bell, RB, Steelers: Last offseason, things got pretty weird between the Steelers and Bell. Just before the deadline to extend franchise tagged players, the Steelers believed that they had agreed on a five-year offer worth roughly $60MM. Ultimately, Bell backed out because he did not find the guarantees and cash flow to be to his liking. Soon after, friend and former teammate Ike Taylor said that Bell wanted a contract that reflects his performance as both a No. 1 back and a No. 2 receiver – something in the neighborhood of $15MM per year.
This year, Bell topped his 75 catch total with 85 grabs, so one has to imagine that his position hasn’t changed. Despite some retirement threats in January, Bell has indicated that talks are going better this time around. Here’s where things get interesting – the Steelers say that today (Feb. 20) is the “deadline” for a long-term deal to get signed. If not, they’ll go ahead and franchise tag him for a second consecutive season, leaving Bell with a one-year, $14.5MM pact when factoring in the 20% increase. Will Bell buckle and sign a deal that isn’t quite to his satisfaction? In theory, the running back could abstain from offseason activities and even reboot retirement talk in an effort to get the Steelers to cave and abide by the real extension deadline on July 16. - Demarcus Lawrence, DE, Cowboys: It has already been reported that the Cowboys will go ahead and tag Lawrence to prevent him from reaching free agency. Once that happens, you can expect the cash-strapped Cowboys to get to work on an extension that will smooth out the $17.5MM cap hit for defensive ends. There won’t be much drama as to whether the Cowboys will or won’t tag Lawrence, but the subsequent multi-year negotiations will be interesting to watch. Lawrence had a rocky first three seasons in the NFL, but he stepped up big in his contract year with 14.5 sacks. The Cowboys must be willing to pay Lawrence like a top DE, but they may insist on protections like an easy escape hatch or heavy roster bonuses in the event that he is injured or suspended.
Strong Candidates:
- Sammy Watkins, WR, Rams: As our own Micah Powell explained on Sunday, Watkins is a candidate for the tag with mutual interest on both sides in continuing their union. Committing major dollars to Watkins is dicey, however, given his injury history and his somewhat disappointing stat line in 2017. If the Rams let Watkins hit the open market, they’ll risk losing him to other teams with more wiggle room under the salary cap. In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. And in a weak crop of free agent wide receivers, Watkins could clean up and leave the Rams without an obvious replacement.
- Allen Robinson, WR, Jaguars: Tagging Watkins will be a tough call for the Rams and the Jaguars have a similarly difficult decision to make when it comes to Robinson. Robinson played only three snaps in 2017 before going down with a torn ACL and he didn’t set the world on fire in 2016. However, his 2015 performance – 80 catches, 1,400 yards, and a league-leading 14 touchdowns – makes it hard for Jacksonville to let him walk. In theory, the Jaguars could re-sign fellow free agent Marqise Lee and let Robinson go, but Robinson is clearly the more talented of the two and one could argue that Lee’s late-season emergence was fueled by advantageous matchups. It’ll be pricey, but the Jaguars are suddenly in position to win and they can’t afford to let one of their best weapons bolt.
Toss Up:
- Kyle Fuller, CB, Bears: Frankly, I’m conflicted on this one. I’m sure Bears GM Ryan Pace can relate. Fuller turned in a strong rookie campaign and an excellent contract year, but he was a victim of the sophomore jinx and an unfortunate knee injury which cost him his entire season as an NFL junior. Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com hears that Fuller will not be with the Bears this year. But, considering that Fuller graded out as Pro Football Focus’ No. 22 ranked cornerback and the position is already a major area of need for the team, the Bears have to at least think about tagging him for $14.88MM.
- Ezekiel Ansah, DE, Lions: Ansah has performed pretty well over the last two seasons, despite playing through some serious pain. The Lions probably aren’t thrilled about extending a one-year, $17.5MM tender to Ansah, but pressure generating edge rushers like him are at a premium. Consider this: Ansah tallied 12 sacks last year despite knee, ankle, and back ailments. Only seven players topped that total: Chandler Jones, Calais Campbell, DeMarcus Lawrence, Everson Griffen, Cam Jordan, Ryan Kerrigan, and Joey Bosa.
- Case Keenum, QB, Vikings: Is one year as an elite quarterback enough to justify the franchise tag? Maybe, but the Vikings have options at their disposal, including two other pending free agents already on the roster. If the Vikings can’t retain Keenum or Bradford or Bridgewater with a reasonable multi-year deal between now and free agency, they can use their mountain of cap space to get involved in the Cousins sweepstakes.
- Sheldon Richardson, DT, Seahawks: The Jets had both Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson under contract, but they could only afford to pay one of the two defensive linemen. Clearly, they chose wrong. For all of the headaches that Richardson gave the team, the five-year, $86MM deal given to Wilkerson wound up being a monumental mistake and will continue to be an albatross for the Jets even after they cut him this offseason. The Seahawks gave up a second-round choice and wide receiver Jermaine Kearse to get Richardson – will they make the same mistake and let him get away? Perhaps not, but it would also be a major gamble to tag him at $14.5MM with limited cap space and other holes to address. The best course of action here may be to try and work out a fresh deal without the franchise tag as a floor for Richardson’s camp. If that fails and the two sides can’t come to terms, the Seahawks can at least collect a 2019 compensatory pick.
- The devastating injury to Ryan Shazier will not impact the way the Steelers approach their decision-making with respect to fifth-year options, as Florio writes.