AFC North Notes: Pouncey, Worilds, Ngata
The Steelers have not hammered out a restructuring of center Maurkice Pouncey‘s deal just yet, but an agreement is close and is expected to be finalized by next week, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. Pouncey’s current deal takes him through the 2019 season with a $8.1MM cap number in 2015. A full restructure of his deal would save the Steelers $3.8MM in cap space in 2015. Here’s more from the AFC North..
- The Steelers have no plans of using a transition tag on Jason Worilds and will let him hit free agency on March 10th, a league source told Scott Brown of ESPN.com. The Steelers paid the outside linebacker $9.754MM in 2014 after they used a transition tag on him. Right now, Jarvis Jones is the only outside linebacker on the roster who is signed for 2015 and has NFL experience. Worilds, 27, has recorded 122 tackles and 15.5 sacks in the last two seasons for Pittsburgh.
- Ed Werder of ESPN.com (on Twitter) gets the sense that Haloti Ngata believes he can play at a high level for three more seasons. He would prefer to remain with the Ravens for that time but he’s also prepared to move on if necessary.
- Jarret Johnson probably falls short in seeing his name placed into the Ravens‘ Ring of Honor, but that doesn’t mean the gritty linebacker didn’t leave a mark on the franchise, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com writes. “In 38 years of coaching, he may be the most physical, toughest football player that I’ve ever been around,” former Ravens defensive coordinator Greg Mattison said. Johnson, who was with the Chargers from 2012 through 2014, announced his retirement on Tuesday.
Steelers Rework Deals For Gilbert, Mitchell
2:27pm: The Steelers have also restructured the contract for safety Mike Mitchell, reports Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via Twitter). According to Bouchette, the two moves create a total of nearly $6.2MM in cap space, so it sounds like Mitchell’s was a simple restructure as well, converting a portion of his base salary and his entire $2MM roster bonus into a signing bonus. That would reduce his 2015 cap hit by about $2.44MM, creating total cap savings of $6,165,250 when combined with Gilbert’s restructure.
8:16am: Offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert, who signed a five-year, $30MM contract extension with the Steelers last August, has already seen that deal modified, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter links), who reports that the team has restructured Gilbert’s contract to free up a little cap space for 2015.
According to Yates, the Steelers have taken Gilbert’s $3.5MM roster bonus, which would have been paid out on the fifth day of the 2015 league year, along with $1.155MM of his $1.9MM base salary, and turned that $4.655MM into a signing bonus. Gilbert will receive that chunk of money immediately, but for cap purposes, it’s prorated over the next five seasons, at a rate of $931K per year.
While the move ensures that Gilbert’s cap hits for 2016 through 2019 all increase by $931K, it reduces his 2015 cap number by $3.724MM, taking it from $6.98MM down to $3.256MM. As Over The Cap’s data shows, the Steelers had been under the projected $143MM cap by less than $1MM prior to reworking Gilbert’s contract. The move should give the team a little breathing room, though I imagine further transactions are coming to create additional flexibility.
La Canfora On Manning, Suh, McCown, Saints
Weighing in on two of the biggest offseason stories, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com leads off his latest piece by looking at the Peyton Manning and Ndamukong Suh situations. In La Canfora’s view, Manning will ultimately return to the Broncos after the two sides tweak his contract a little. As for Suh, the CBSSports.com scribe doesn’t have any updates on the Lions‘ talks with the defensive star, but says he thinks the Jaguars and Raiders will be major players. For those teams to be involved in the Suh derby, he’d have to reach the open market, which would mean no long-term deal or franchise tag from Detroit.
La Canfora also passes along plenty more tidbits related to free agency, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights….
- When it comes to the market’s top pass rushers, La Canfora thinks Pernell McPhee can reach $10MM per year, with Jerry Hughes in the $9MM range, and Brandon Graham and Jason Worilds around $7.5MM. La Canfora also believes that all four of those players will join new teams next month.
- Free agent quarterback Josh McCown is expected to decide on his new team later this week or early next week, and could land another deal worth $5MM annually. The Bills and Browns look like the best bets for McCown, according to La Canfora.
- The Saints are working through contract issues with about a half-dozen players on their roster, sources tell La Canfora. If things work out the way the team hopes, Marques Colston, Jahri Evans, and Curtis Lofton would likely stick around on reduced salaries, while Ben Grubbs, Brodrick Bunkley, and David Hawthorne could be let go. As for Junior Galette, La Canfora is hearing that head coach Sean Payton has “expressed a desire” to part ways with him, following his January arrest. However, Galette’s contract still contains a sizeable chunk of guaranteed money, and the team likely can’t void those guarantees.
- Percy Harvin probably won’t accept a pay cut from the Jets, which means the team will likely cut him. La Canfora expects the wideout to gamble himself in free agency, signing a one-year deal with a team that has a good quarterback in place.
- The Jaguars will be seeking a top pass catcher, and La Canfora wouldn’t be surprised if the team lands a player like Randall Cobb or Julius Thomas. Per La Canfora, the Packers recognize Cobb’s market could get out of hand, and may focus on re-signing other key free agents, like Bryan Bulaga and Letroy Guion.
- Chiefs center Rodney Hudson came very close to signing a four-year extension worth $6MM per year during the season. He’s a good bet to exceed that amount in free agency, and the Raiders are one viable suitor.
- La Canfora anticipates the Ravens will work out a restructured deal with Lardarius Webb, but isn’t as certain about Haloti Ngata, who may play for a new team in 2015.
- The Jets would have interest in Ryan Mallett if he reaches the open market. However, the Texans have made their interest in the quarterback clear, and Mallett himself said today that he’d like to return to Houston (Twitter link via John McClain of the Houston Chronicle).
Offseason Outlook: Pittsburgh Steelers
Pending free agents:
- Will Allen, S
- Antwon Blake, CB (restricted)
- Clifton Geathers, DL
- Robert Golden, S (restricted)
- James Harrison, OLB
- Darrius Heyward-Bey, WR
- Will Johnson, FB (restricted)
- Brice McCain, CB
- Arthur Moats, OLB
- Michael Palmer, TE
- Matt Spaeth, TE
- Ben Tate, RB
- Ike Taylor, CB
- Jason Worilds, OLB
Top 10 2015 cap hits:
- Ben Roethlisberger, QB: $18,395,000
- Lawrence Timmons, LB: $12,566,250
- Antonio Brown, WR: $9,787,500
- Troy Polamalu, S: $8,250,000
- Maurkice Pouncey, C: $8,100,000
- Cortez Allen, CB: $6,981,000
- Marcus Gilbert, T: $6,980,000
- Cameron Heyward, DL: $6,969,000
- Heath Miller, TE: $5,666,666
- Mike Mitchell, S: $4,950,000
Notable coaching changes:
- Offensive coordinator: Extended Todd Haley‘s contract
- Defensive coordinator: Keith Butler replaces Dick LeBeau
Draft:
- No. 22 overall pick
- No traded picks
Other:
- Current projected cap room (via Over the Cap): $720K
- Must exercise or decline fifth-year option for 2016 for G David DeCastro.
- Top extension candidates: Ben Roethlisberger, Kelvin Beachum, Cameron Heyward, David DeCastro
Overview
By virtue of a Week 17 victory against division rival Cincinnati, the Steelers snagged the AFC North title in 2014, which is impressive enough in its own right, but especially so when considering that the division sent three teams to the playoffs last year. Much of Pittsburgh’s success was built on its tremendous offensive performance, as quarterback Ben Roethlisberger enjoyed a career year behind an offensive line that managed to keep him mostly upright, and Le’Veon Bell established himself as a premier all-purpose threat. Antonio Brown, meanwhile, proved that he is one of the league’s most prolific receivers, catching an incredible 129 passes for nearly 1,700 yards. He even added a passing touchdown and a punt return touchdown to the 13 TDs that he hauled in through the air. Combined with the strong showings of second-year wideout Markus Wheaton and rookie Martavis Bryant, the Steelers offense looks like it will be a powerhouse for the foreseeable future.
The defense, though, was a different story, and its underwhelming performance played a major role in the team’s disappointing defeat at the hands of wildcard entrant Baltimore in the first round of the playoffs. According to Pro Football Outsiders’ Defense-adjusted Value Over Average metric, Pittsburgh’s defense was the third-worst in the league in 2014, while their offense was the second-best. The secondary’s performance was especially troubling, and that unit will be a primary focal point of the team’s offseason.
Former NFL agent Joel Corry recently tabbed the Steelers as having one of the worst salary cap situations in the league, and even the inevitable extension of Roethlisberger’s contract and the departure of a few aging veterans would not bring a ton of relief. After years of so-called salary cap hell, the Steelers will once again have to make every penny count over the next few months.
Key Free Agents
There are several notable names on the Steelers’ list of pending free agents, but only one is likely to generate a great deal of discussion: Jason Worilds. Pittsburgh used the transition tag on Worilds last season, and it has not ruled out using it again in 2015. The cost for the transition tag this year, though, will likely be around $11MM, and just last week GM Kevin Colbert implied that Worilds’ time in Pittsburgh may be up.
Worilds ranked as the 11th-best 3-4 outside linebacker out of 46 qualified players according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics (subscription required), and his departure would leave a bit of a gap in the team’s pass rush, which has been among the league’s worst in each of the last two seasons. But although Worilds is a good player, he is not a great player at this point in his career, and the Steelers may be better off spending their money elsewhere. Although sack totals are by no means the best way to measure a player–particularly a player like Worilds, who has shown that he can also play well against the run–Worilds’ eight sacks suggest that his production would not be irreplaceable.
Outside of Worilds, the remainder of Pittsburgh’s free agent crop is rather underwhelming. Although Ike Taylor and James Harrison conjure fond memories for Steelers fans, their play has inevitably deteriorated in recent seasons as they reach the end of their careers. There has been talk that both players could retire or follow former defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau to Tennessee, but it is unlikely that their departure would have anything other than sentimental import for the Steelers.
Coaching Changes
Speaking of LeBeau, who served as the team’s defensive coordinator from 1995-1996 and from 2004-2014 before stepping down from his position in January, his absence from the Steelers’ sidelines will be a strange one. LeBeau enjoyed tremendous success as the leader of Pittsburgh’s defense, and although his replacement, Keith Butler, will retain LeBeau’s familiar 3-4 scheme, the overall dynamic will certainly be different.
Butler will be tasked with getting the most out of a defense that has some young talent in unproven linebackers Ryan Shazier and Jarvis Jones, both of whom suffered significant injuries in 2014, and up-and-coming defensive end Cameron Heyward. But outside of those players, there is little to be excited about on the defensive side of the ball (assuming Worilds does not, in fact, return). We learned earlier this month that the team would target pass rushers and defensive backs in free agency and the draft, and given the talent disparity between Pittsburgh’s offense and defense, it would appear that the front office is prepared to devote most of its efforts this offseason to restocking the talent in Butler’s unit.
Contract Issues
Given the way Roethlisberger performed in 2014, there is no reason to believe he cannot continue playing at an All-Pro level for the next four or five seasons. To that end, we have heard for a few months that the team was preparing to give the face of its franchise a hefty extension, with something along the lines of a six-year, $120MM deal in play. Such an extension would likely lower Roethlisberger’s cap number for this year, thereby giving the team the financial wiggle room it needs to address the defense in free agency. Contract talks are progressing, and an agreement could come within the next several weeks.
On a less pleasant note, the Steelers could choose to part ways with Troy Polamalu, who has lost much of the dynamic playmaking ability that made him one of the most-feared safeties in the league for years. Releasing Polamalu would clear about $3.7MM in cap space, and even though the internal options to replace him are less than inspiring, the team may have no other choice but to part ways with the future Hall-of-Famer.
Cortez Allen, who was rewarded with an extension in September after a solid 2013 season, was nothing short of a disaster in 2014, and the team could choose to let him go rather than risk suffering through a similar performance in 2015. Though Allen’s release would create a minimal amount of cap room, it may be more logical for the Steelers to see if he can rebound in 2015 rather than cut a player at a position of need just one year removed from a strong campaign.
The team might also choose to extend guard David DeCastro, who has established himself as one of the better interior offensive linemen in the league over the course of the last several seasons, and Heyward, whose pass-rushing skills are still developing but who has shown great promise as an edge-setter on the defensive line. At this point, an extension is more likely for Heyward, who can become an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year. With DeCastro, the Steelers can buy a little more time if they exercise his fifth-year option, which would keep him under club control for 2016.
Overall Outlook
The Steelers, traditionally known for their iconic defenses, saw a true changing of the guard in 2014. Their offense, while always solid or better under Roethlisberger’s leadership, absolutely exploded last season, propelling Pittsburgh to the AFC North crown. The defense, meanwhile, will be the Steelers’ undoing in 2015 if they cannot utilize their minimal cap room and the draft to address their needs in the secondary and in the pass rush. A team that relies so heavily on their offense is rarely a title contender, but if Butler can find some of LeBeau’s magic, and if the team can unearth a gem or two in the draft, 2015 might just yield another chance at a seventh Super Bowl title.
Information from Over The Cap was used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
AFC North Notes: Bradford, Browns, Steelers
With buzz building around Ravens linebacker Pernell McPhee, Baltimore has probably come to terms with the fact that they probably can’t re-sign him, Bo Smolka of CSNBaltimore.com writes. A number of teams have their sights set on No. 90 after he graded out as Pro Football Focus‘ (sub. req’d) No. 2 outside linebacker in a 3-4 alignment. Unfortunately for the Ravens, they don’t have a ton of cap space to work with, as our own Rory Parks recently outlined in his offseason outlook for the club. Here’s more from the AFC North..
- Addressing rumors about the Browns‘ interest in Sam Bradford, Peter King of TheMMQB.com says that the Rams would at least listen if Cleveland was serious about making a trade. However, King doesn’t believe the Browns would seriously pursue a deal unless they received some assurances about the quarterback not leaving Cleveland after a single season.
- Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com is thinking that it might be the right time for the Browns to bring Ted Ginn Jr. home. The Cleveland native once told Grossi that he’d love to finish his career with the Browns and while he never fulfilled the promise of his No. 9 selection in the 2007 draft, he is still a dangerous return specialist and would help the Browns’ 28th ranked unit.
- The Steelers will have lots of options if they want to draft a cornerback, Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes. There aren’t a ton of marquee corners at the top of the draft, but there are many viable possibilities overall. “I think there are NFL-caliber players that are going to be available through the first five rounds,” GM Kevin Colbert said. “Not everybody is going to be 6-foot-1 and [run a] 4.3. If you’re looking in that area and have a couple spots you want to fill, you better be open to the fact guys are available that can help your team.”
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
James Harrison To Play In 2015
Steelers outside linebacker James Harrison has decided that he would like to play football in 2015, according to Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (via Twitter).
Harrison had been mulling retirement, but had planned to make an announcement on his future in advance of the start of free agency on March 10.
The longtime Steeler had previously retired after a rocky year with the division rival Bengals and some flirtation with the Cardinals last offseason. Of course, he was coaxed out of retirement early in the season after the Steelers dealt with a number of injuries to their young linebacking group.
Last year, Harrison gave special consideration to the Steelers because of his history there and familiarity with the scheme. It is unclear if he would have come out of retirement to play with another team on such short notice.
As for this season, Kaboly writes that Harrison would prefer to come back with the Steelers. That would depend on what the Steelers want, with Lawrence Timmons, Jarvis Jones, and Ryan Shazier expected to make up three out of the four spots in the starting rotation for linebackers. If Jason Worilds leaves in free agency, Harrison could be a cheap alternative to provide a pass rush.
Ryan Clark To Retire As Steeler
Veteran safety Ryan Clark announced his retirement from the NFL today on ESPN NFL Live, per Scott Brown of ESPN.com (via Twitter). Although Clark spent the 2014 season in Washington, he will retire as a Steeler, having played the majority of his 13-year career in Pittsburgh. He’ll also join ESPN as an analyst, tweets Mike Jones of the Washington Post.
Clark, 35, went undrafted out of LSU, but caught on with the Giants back in 2002, and then spent time with Washington as well before finding a more permanent home in Pittsburgh. Clark was a cornerstone member of the Steelers’ defense from 2006 to 2013, starting at safety alongside Troy Polamalu. While Clark was perhaps overshadowed in the Steelers’ secondary by Polamalu, he earned a Pro Bowl berth of his own in 2011, and finished his stint in Pittsburgh with three consecutive seasons of 100+ tackles.
For his career, Clark played 177 games (152 starts), racking up 928 total tackles, 55 passes defended, and 16 interceptions. He was also a member of the 2008 Steelers team that won the Super Bowl over Kurt Warner and the Cardinals.
The last update we heard on Clark came at the end of the regular season, when it sounded as if a decision from the veteran safety on his future was imminent. Dianna Marie Russini of NBC4 suggested at the time that the longtime Steeler may just sign the necessary retirement papers rather than making a big announcement, but presumably the fact that he’s joining ESPN required him to publicly confirm his decision.
Combine Pressers: Steelers, Bucs, Broncos, 49ers
48 head coaches or general managers are scheduled to speak today, tomorrow, and Friday at the NFL’s scouting combine in Indianapolis, with the Eagles, Saints, and Patriots the only teams not represented on this year’s schedule. Those mini-pressers are already underway, so let’s round up a few of the notable comments made by the men who have spoken to the media so far. All links go to the Twitter accounts of various NFL reporters in attendance….
Steelers GM Kevin Colbert:
- Contract talks between Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers are “progressing,” according to Colbert. With Big Ben heading into the final year of his current deal, the two sides are expected to work out a new agreement at some point during the offseason, and the GM is very confident it can be done within a traditional cap structure.
- Despite the fact that LeGarrette Blount ultimately played a major role for the Super Bowl champion Patriots, Colbert said today that he and his club have no regrets about parting ways with the running back during the season.
- While Colbert said he’d love to bring back free-agent-to-be Jason Worilds, he didn’t convey a ton of confidence that something will get done, telling reporters, “Maybe he comes back, maybe he moves on.” Per Colbert, the outside linebacker may need to test the open market to gauge his value.
Buccaneers head coach Lovie Smith:
- Calling Josh McCown a “lifelong friend,” Smith said he thought it was in both the team’s and the quarterback’s interests to part ways earlier this month.
- The Buccaneers’ new coaches like Mike Glennon, so the plan right now is to move forward with Glennon at quarterback — he’s the only signal-caller on the roster at the moment, but Smith thinks he has the potential to be a solid NFL starter.
- While Glennon may be atop the Tampa Bay depth chart by default for now, Smith also addressed the idea of selecting a quarterback with the first overall pick in April. According to the head coach, the Bucs aren’t put off by Jameis Winston‘s off-field issues, and would be comfortable with the idea of making him the face of their franchise. The vetting process for both Winston and Marcus Mariota is ongoing, and Smith says the team has already “talked to a lot of people” about both prospects.
- Asked about Charles Tillman and Lance Briggs, two potential free agents whom used to play for Smith in Chicago, the head coach said he’s not sure how much interest they’ll generate, but he believes they can still be positive contributors.
Broncos head coach Gary Kubiak:
- Although Kubiak said he has received no assurances that Peyton Manning will be back with the Broncos, all indications are pointing toward him returning. The new Denver head coach talked about adjusting his offense to suit Manning’s skills, which strongly suggest he expects to be coaching the future Hall-of-Famer.
- According to Kubiak, he had a “good conversation” with Wes Welker, who says he’s feeling good and wants to play in 2015. Of course, the receiver doesn’t have a contract yet, so there’s no guarantee he’ll continue playing for the Broncos. Denver would “love to have him back” though, says Kubiak.
- Kubiak expects the transition from a 4-3 defense under Jack Del Rio to a 3-4 scheme under Wade Phillips to go fairly smoothly.
49ers GM Trent Baalke:
- Baalke intends to meet with veteran defensive end Justin Smith after the combine to determine whether or not Smith wants to return for a 15th NFL season in 2015.
- Asked about wide receiver prospects at the combine and in the draft, Baalke said, “It’s no mystery, we’re looking for guys who can run.”
- Baalke declined to comment on Jim Harbaugh‘s recent suggestion that the former head coach’s departure from the 49ers was the team’s decision and not his own. “He’s moved on and we’ve moved on,” the GM said.
- According to the Niners GM, the team’s head coaching job was offered to “one person and one person only” (Jim Tomsula), meaning the club never officially offered the position to Adam Gase. Baalke did confirm that the Niners made an effort to retain defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, but that was dependent on who became the head coach.
AFC North Notes: Manziel, Forsett, Steelers
According to the 2014 NFL rankings in offense, defense, and special teams, the Bengals begin their season by playing half of the league’s top ten teams, Geoff Hobson of Bengals.com writes. The Bengals could get a break playing four new coaching staffs on the road in the Bills, Broncos, Raiders, and 49ers, but it figures to be a tough path any way you slice it. All in all, the Bengals are estimated to have the second-toughest strength of schedule in the NFL. More from the AFC North..
- A Browns player admits to Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report that he openly wondered to a teammate what sort of shape the club would be in if Cleveland had selected Teddy Bridgewater last May instead of Johnny Manziel. Cleveland had been set to pick 26th overall before trading up to No. 22 to nab Manziel — Bridgewater eventually went 32nd overall to Minnesota.
- While Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun isn’t buying chatter about Ravens running back Justin Forsett following Gary Kubiak to the Broncos, he definitely wouldn’t be surprised if tight end Owen Daniels lands in Denver this offseason.
- The agent for Steelers linebacker James Harrison tells Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review (Twitter link) that his client will make an announcement about his future before the new league year begins on March 10. Harrison doesn’t have a contract for 2015, and could decide to call it a career — the veteran will turn 37 this May.
- In his examination of the Steelers‘ offseason, Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap says that the team will have to be “very careful” with Jason Worilds, since he can be very inconsistent and isn’t an elite pass rusher. In Fitzgerald’s view, the Steelers would be overpaying Worilds if they use the transition tag on him again.
Luke Adams contributed to this post.
AFC Links: Jets, Brady, Browns, Ravens
The Steelers have a number of impending free agents, including linebacker Jason Worilds and cornerback Ike Taylor. While some Pittsburgh fans may be pessimistic about the team retaining all of their players, general manager Kevin Colbert is actually confident.
“Almost to a man I’d be shocked if [they] didn’t want to stay,” Colbert said (via ESPN.com’s Scott Brown). “I feel they all would like the opportunity to be able to stay. It doesn’t mean they won’t field other offers or see what else is out there. In the end I think the majority of them will want to be here.”
Let’s take a look at some more notes from the AFC…
- We heard yesterday that Antonio Cromartie would be very open to a reunion with the Jets, but the cornerback cautioned that he may want to play for a contender. However, he also noted that the organization was closer to contention than their 4-12 record indicated. “I don’t think the Jets are rebuilding at all,” Cromartie told Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.
- Tom Brady is set to make $5MM today as part of the $30MM signing bonus from his 2013 extension with the Patriots, tweets ESPN’s Field Yates.
- If Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com was the Browns owner, his first move this offseason would be re-signing Brian Hoyer. However, he’d only make that move if the entire organization agreed.
- ESPN.com’s Jamison Hensley examined whether the Ravens should cut wideout Jacoby Jones, with the writer concluding that the team should hold on to the return specialist. The writer does caution that the receiver’s production may not justify his salary.