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Pittsburgh Steelers News & Rumors

AFC Notes: Steelers, Welker, Pats, Dolphins

June 6th, 2015 at 8:30pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Steelers have invested a significant amount of money in their offensive line over the year, reaching extensions with both center Maurkice Pouncey and Marcus Gilbert. But as Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune writes, the left side of the club’s offensive line could be in flux, as both left tackle Kelvin Beachum and left guard Ramon Foster are eligible for free agency after the season. Per Kaboly, the Steelers have a policy of ending negotiations once the seasons gets underway, so the team has about three months during which to knock out long-term deals.

As much of the nation celebrates American Pharaoh becoming the first Triple Crown winner in 37 years, let’s look at some more notes from the AFC…

  • Responding to readers’ questions in his latest chat, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com opines that the Patriots are unlikely to be interested in a reunion with free agent receiver Wes Welker, calling the situation a “non-story” barring unforeseen injuries. Welker, 34, said last week he wouldn’t be opposed to retuning to New England.
  • On the topic of Patriots reunions, Reiss adds that he doesn’t expect the club to bring back offensive lineman Dan Connolly despite what looks to be a somewhat thin New England front five. Connolly, who started 13 games for the Pats last season, drew some early free agent interest but still hasn’t found a landing spot.
  • Though many in the Dolphins organization seem optimistic about the health status of left tackle Branden Albert, James Walker of ESPN.com believes Albert looked “far from ready” during the club’s OTA session. Albert tore his ACL and MCL during Week 10 of last season, so it’s certainly in question whether he’ll be ready for opening kickoff. Miami would presumably move Ja’Wuan James — who was excellent on the right side as a rookie last year — to left tackle, where he struggled mightily while filling in for Albert.

AFC Rumors: McCourty, Browns, Jaguars

June 6th, 2015 at 4:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

The free agency defections of Darrelle Revis and Brandon Browner, coupled with the release of Kyle Arrington, have the Patriots with a thin cornerback crop. One solution thrown around is moving Devin McCourty back to corner from the safety spot where he’s become an impact talent, but the recently re-signed McCourty has little interest in moving back outside, per the Boston Globe’s Steve Silva.

“I want to play safety, but it’s out of my control so whatever the coaches decide is what it will have to be,” McCourty said to reporters after an OTA session Friday.

Relocating McCourty would leave New England thin on its back line as well, although Tavon Wilson and Nate Ebner are entering their fourth seasons with the team — profiles that generally depict starting-capable players in the era of four-year rookie deals. The 2012 draft picks have combined for just four starts, however. Doubting the Patriots’ ability to make a patchwork secondary productive would be foolhardy at this point, though, given their track record.

Let’s look at some additional points from around the AFC.

  • The Browns‘ special teams makeover now includes punter, kicker and long snapper, after acquiring Andy Lee, cutting Billy Cundiff and Garrett Hartley and releasing snapper Christian Yount, notes Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. 2014 rookies Travis Coons and Carey Spear are vying to take over at kicker in Cleveland, and rookie Duke Johnson is expected to become the team’s new kick returner, though Justin Gilbert will likely be given a chance to do so as well, Cabot reports.
  • Fourth-round free safety James Sample will miss at least part of training camp after fracturing his arm in a Jaguars OTA session Thursday, reports Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union. Sample underwent surgery on Friday. Expected to battle Sergio Brown for a starting position, Sample joins Dante Fowler Jr. as Jags rookies who’ve sustained serious injuries before shoulder pads enter the equation.
  • Steelers veteran nose tackle Steve McLendon said he played through a significant shoulder injury last season and after an offseason surgery is in better position to help out and push for a third contract with the team, reports Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The third-year starter is one of three Steelers starting defenders, along with Cameron Heyward and William Gay, entering a contract season. The 29-year-old who has missed six games the past two years is in the final year of a three-year, $7.25MM deal that represents the eighth-highest pact among nose tackles.
  • Third-round rookie John Miller is the frontrunner to start at left guard for the Bills this season, offers Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. Chris Williams, who started three games last year for the Bills, hasn’t shown up to minicamp yet, and Rex Ryan told Maiorana he hasn’t spoken to the absent veteran. The Bills scribe doesn’t expect the former Bears flameout to be on the team much longer, especially if he doesn’t appear at mandatory minicamp next month.
  • Titans rookie Dorial Green-Beckham is seeking to trim down to 225 pounds by the time training camp begins. The mercurial specimen who hasn’t played in a game since 2013 is hovering in the high 230s now, notes The Tennessean’s Jim Wyatt.
  • Speaking of weight fluctuations, Melvin Ingram has slashed 20 pounds off his frame and sits at 245 this summer as he makes an attempt at a healthy campaign entering his fourth season with the Chargers, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune’s Michael Gehlken. Ingram hasn’t played in more than nine games since his rookie campaign in 2012.

 

Lawrence Timmons Willing To Renegotiate Deal

June 4th, 2015 at 4:54pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Steelers have an unusual amount of draft capital tied up at linebacker, with four homegrown first-round picks at the position. Their most accomplished performer there, Lawrence Timmons, is due to be paid more than any inside linebacker in football the next two seasons, which complicates matters for his future in Pittsburgh.

But the 29-year-old Timmons told ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler he’s “of course” willing to work with the Steelers about a potential renegotiation to remain with the team for the rest of his career, be it on a restructured or extended contract.

Modest cap numbers of $3.95MM and $5.82MM accompanied the one-time Pro Bowler in the first two years of the five-year, $47.8MM extension he signed in 2011, but Timmons earned $11.82MM last season and has the Steelers on the hook for $12.56MM and $11.82MM cap figures in 2015 and 2016, respectively. He’s set to be the second-highest-paid player on the team this season, behind the newly extended Ben Roethlisberger. But Timmons, who rated 11th among ILBs last season on Pro Football Focus’ scale, doesn’t have the leverage Roethlisberger does.

“I’ve been here for nine years; I’ve got a house here; I’d like to keep that house,” said Timmons, 29, according to Fowler. “I’ve got a family here that loves it.”

The Steelers added first-round backers in each of the past three drafts — Jarvis Jones, Ryan Shazier and Bud Dupree — but Timmons remains the team’s premier second-level player, collecting 28 sacks despite lining up inside. For a linebacking corps that lost Jason Worilds to retirement, Timmons’ presence will be vital this season, which is set to be his seventh as a full-time starter.

 

Details On Cam Newton, Cam Jordan Contracts

June 3rd, 2015 at 9:48am CST by Luke Adams

More details are trickling in on Cam Newton‘s massive $103.8MM extension with the Panthers, as well as Cameron Jordan‘s new five-year extension with the Saints. We’ll round up the latest on the two NFC South mega-deals right here:

Newton:

  • According to Joel Corry of CBSSports.com (Twitter link), the cap numbers on Newton’s new deal are as follows: $13MM (2015), $19.5MM (2016), $20.166MM (2017), $21.5MM (2018), $23.2MM (2019), and $21.1MM (2020). Corry notes (via Twitter) that the deal includes a $10MM option bonus in 2016, with a $10MM non-exercise fee. The non-exercise fee is the amount that must be paid out if a player is kept on the roster without his option being picked up.
  • There have been varying reports on the amount of the full guarantee in the contract. Albert Breer of the NFL Network suggests (via Twitter) that only $31MM is fully guaranteed. That would be the $22.5MM signing bonus, the $7.5MM roster bonus due later this week, and the $1MM base salary for 2015.
  • As we passed along earlier today, however, Corry says the full guarantee works out to $41MM, which also seems to include his $10MM option bonus for 2016. Meanwhile, Jason Cole of Bleacher Report tweets that $54MM is fully guaranteed, which would be the aforementioned amounts, plus Newton’s $13MM base salary for ’16.
  • While we may have to wait for further clarification, my guess is that – while it’s possible only $31MM is fully guaranteed at the time of the signing – Corry’s $41MM figure is probably accurate. That $10MM second-year option may not be fully guaranteed at this point, but as Corry wrote in a piece last year, sometimes teams will guarantee future base salary, with that guarantee voiding or reducing after an option has been picked up — that approach minimizes or eliminates the risk of a player being cut before the option exercise period ends.
  • One detail that everyone agrees on, which was reported at the time of the initial agreement yesterday, is that the total amount of guaranteed money – including injury-only guarantees – is $60MM.
  • Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap breaks down what Newton’s extension looks like in chart form, and also compares the deal to other notable quarterback extensions signed recently.

Jordan:

  • While Jordan’s five-year, $55MM extension includes $33MM guaranteed for injury, just $23.96MM is fully guaranteed, writes Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (Facebook link). Jordan’s previous $6.969MM salary for 2015 had already been fully guaranteed, so that’s $17MM in new fully guaranteed money.
  • When the agreement was first reported yesterday, it was noted that $5MM was available for Jordan in incentives — those are sack-related, according to La Canfora, though he doesn’t have details on the specific requirements.
  • If Jordan’s play slips, the Saints could comfortably move on from this contract after two seasons, says La Canfora. In his view, the deal won’t be a point of reference when star lineman like Marcell Dareus and Muhammad Wilkerson are negotiating new contracts, though it may make a good comparable for a player like Cameron Heyward of the Steelers.

AFC North Notes: Ravens, Manziel, Steelers

May 31st, 2015 at 4:09pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Despite losing Pernell McPhee to the Bears in free agency, the Ravens probably won’t look to sign a veteran replacement at pass rusher, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Instead of adding someone like Dwight Freeney or Osi Umenyiora, per Hensley, Baltimore will likely turn to internal options — such as Courtney Upshaw or rookie Za’Darius Smith — to fill the void left by McPhee. Of course, if Terrell Suggs or Elvis Dumervil were to suffer an injury, the club could very well turn to the open market to search for help.

Here’s more from the AFC North:

  • Browns quarterback Johnny Manziel was involved in an incident at a PGA event on Saturday, but the episode seems relatively minor, and no charges or arrests will be filed, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. Per Ulrich, Manziel reportedly threw an water bottle at a fan who had been harassing him for an autograph. Jeremy Fowler of ESPN (Twitter links) adds a bit more clarity, saying that the fan had been consistently grabbing at and heckling Manziel.
  • As team activities get under way, it’s clear that the Steelers roster is getting younger, writes Scott Brown of ESPN.com. The club is fielding just 11 players over the age of 30, and following the departure of defensive stalwarts Troy Polamalu, Ike Taylor, and Brett Keisel, it seems that Pittsburgh is making a concerted effort to undertake a youth movement.
  • Jeremy Hill expects the Bengals backfield split to be a bit more balanced this year, as he explains to Coley Harvey of ESPN.com. Following Giovani Bernard‘s injury in Week 9, Hill dominated backfield snaps, even when Hill returned, but the latter expects those responsibilities to distributed a bit more evenly in 2015.

Minor Moves: Saturday

May 30th, 2015 at 10:58am CST by Ben Levine

Here are Saturday’s minor transactions from around the NFL, including the latest mid-to-late-round draft pick signings:

  • The Steelers have signed seventh-round draft pick Gerod Holliman, the team announced on Twitter. With the signing of the safety, the organization has officially inked all of their draft picks. The Louisville product finished last season with 14 interceptions.
  • The Browns have signed defensive tackle Christian Tupou and wideout Josh Lenz, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter). Tupou, an undrafted free agent in 2012, has spent time with Colts, Bears, 49ers, Cardinals and Browns. He’s apparently found a home in Cleveland, where he’s spent time on the team’s practice squad over the past two seasons. Lenz, an underrated free agent in 2013, has spent time with the Bears, Seahawks and Colts. He was cut by Indianapolis earlier this month.

Extra Points: Moore, Kerrigan, Chiefs

May 29th, 2015 at 7:56pm CST by Luke Adams

We heard near the start of the offseason that veteran wide receiver Lance Moore asked the Steelers to release him, and the team eventually obliged. Having landed with the Lions, Moore opened up to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press about his desire to move on from Pittsburgh.

“I knew the day after the playoff loss that we had, I knew that I didn’t want to be there anymore,” Moore said. “They made me inactive. And I knew at that point that the writing is on the wall. I could see what their future plans were for me; it was the first time in my career that I was a healthy inactive.

“People always ask me what happened or what didn’t go right, or why did it go so wrong?” Moore continued. “I really don’t know, other than I was hurt early in the year, it never quite clicked for Ben and I, and young guys played well. I guess that’s (it).”

As Moore looks to earn a roster spot in Detroit, let’s round up a few more odds and ends from across the NFL…

  • Speaking to reporters today, including Tarik El-Bashir of CSNWashington.com (Twitter link), Washington pass rusher Ryan Kerrigan said there’s no update on his contract negotiations. However, Kerrigan also acknowledged that his agent is handling all those talks, so he may not be up to date on the latest developments.
  • Discussing the team’s stadium situation, Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune writes that the Chargers have an obligation to try everything they can to make it work in San Diego before deciding to move to Los Angeles.
  • The Chiefs announced five front office promotions today, with the most notable being Chris Ballard‘s elevation from director of player personnel to director of football operations. Ballard spoke to the Bears about their general manager job this past winter, and also drew interest from the Jets and Eagles.
  • The man who beat out Ballard for the GM job in Chicago, Ryan Pace, discussed his latest additions to the Bears organization, as Larry Mayer of ChicagoBears.com outlines.
  • In an effort to identify the most player-friendly contracts among veteran quarterbacks, Mike Sando of ESPN.com (Insider-only link) ranks Joe Flacco‘s deal atop the list, with Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers close behind.

Minor Moves: Tuesday Night

May 26th, 2015 at 7:26pm CST by Zachary Links

Earlier today, we rounded up the day’s smaller transactions. Here are the latest minor moves..

  • The Seahawks announced they have signed draft picks Frank Clark and Tyler Lockett to their rookie contracts, Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times tweets. Seattle now has all of its picks under contract.
  • The Cowboys officially signed third-round offensive lineman Chaz Green, Aaron Wilson of The Baltimore Sun tweets. With Green in the fold, only two picks remain unsigned for Dallas: cornerback Byron Jones and linebacker Damien Wilson.
  • The Steelers removed wide receiver L’Damian Washington from injured reserve with an injury settlement, according to Wilson (on Twitter).
  • The Browns have signed offensive lineman Eric Olsen and linebacker Mike Reilly, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal (on Twitter). Olsen, a four-year NFL vet, has appeared in 23 games with four starts over the course of his career. Reilly was a participant in Cleveland’s rookie minicamp.
  • The Raiders have signed seventh-round cornerback Dexter McDonald. McDonald was selected 242nd overall by the Raiders in the 2015 NFL Draft. He played three seasons at Kansas, starting 24-of-31 games at cornerback.

AFC North Notes: Brown, Mack, Rice

May 26th, 2015 at 6:24pm CST by Zachary Links

Despite rumors that he might not show up for offseason workouts, Steelers receiver Antonio Brown joined his teammates on Tuesday, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com writes. Brown may be pushing for a new deal, but he’s not pouting in public over it. “This is a community that I love,” Brown said Tuesday. “My kids go to school here. I want to keep a good reputation. Obviously money’s not important to me. I’ve got enough. The organization has extremely blessed me. I’m ready to play football.” When asked directly whether he’s looking for a new deal, Brown said that’s “not my business to discuss” and directed questions to agent Drew Rosenhaus. More from the AFC North..

  • Browns center Alex Mack said “absolutely not” when asked if he has decided whether he’ll opt out of contract after 2015 season, Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon-Journal tweets. Mack is in line for a fully guaranteed salary of $8MM in 2015 and he can opt in for the same amount in 2016. If Mack opts out after the 2015 season, the Browns would be unable to use the franchise or transition tag on him, since the deadline for his decision comes after the deadline for those tags to be applied.
  • Two team executives say that clubs won’t give former Ravens running back Ray Rice a chance after Ray McDonald‘s latest arrest, according to Jason Cole of Bleacher Report (video link). Some in football are also wondering if there will be penalties imposed against teams that take chances on guys like McDonald in the event of a repeat offense.
  • The Steelers (on Twitter) announced that they have named Steve Meyer a coaching assistant. Meyer served as the team’s scouting intern in 2013 and 2014.

Extra Points: Roethlisberger, McDonald, Lions

May 25th, 2015 at 8:27pm CST by Zachary Links

A quick look around the NFL..

  • Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger has to succeed in a few areas of his game in order to justify his hefty $99MM deal, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler writes. For starters, he’ll have to improve his turnover numbers in the playoffs as he has a career 21-to-19 TD to INT ratio. He’ll also have to build on his continuity with Todd Haley and help to make the team’s younger players better. Martavis Bryant, Markus Wheaton, and Sammie Coates are all believed to possess serious upside and it’s up to Big Ben to ensure that they reach their potential.
  • The fault lies with Ray McDonald, not the people in the Bears organization who gave him one more chance, John Mullin of CSNChicago.com writes. In fact, Mullin credits owner George McCaskey for sending out a strong accountability message to his players by dropping McDonald after his most recent arrest.
  • Undrafted linebacker Kevin Snyder could be an intriguing prospect for the Lions, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com writes. Snyder showed promise while he was at Rutgers, but he didn’t shine in 2014 as he played through a painful turf toe injury. Rutgers position coach Bob Fraser convinced Lions linebackers coach Bill Sheridan to take a chance on the youngster. “I said, ‘Bill, look, I really think if the guy is going to make your squad, he’s going to be a good special teams guy because he can run, he’s big and people don’t understand he had this turf toe which slowed him down,’” Fraser said. “He couldn’t push off. So sometimes he couldn’t hit people. He couldn’t plant off it and push, and that’s hard to do out there. That’s not the easiest thing for a linebacker, you know.”
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