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Offseason In Review: Pittsburgh Steelers

June 25th, 2014 at 6:27pm CST by Zachary Links

Notable signings:

Notable losses:

Extensions and restructures:

Draft picks:

  • Ryan Shazier, LB, Ohio State (1.15): Signed
  • Stephon Tuitt, DE, Notre Dame (2.46): Signed
  • Dri Archer, RB, Kent State (3.97): Signed
  • Martavis Bryant, WR, Clemson (4.119): Signed
  • Shaquille Richardson, CB, Arizona (5.157): Signed
  • Wesley Johnson, OL, Vanderbilt (5.173): Signed
  • Jordan Zumwalt, OLB, UCLA (6.192): Signed
  • Daniel McCullers, DT, Tennessee (6.215): Signed
  • Rob Blanchflower, TE, Massachusetts (7.230): Signed

Other:

This offseason, the Steelers knew that they had to get younger and faster in the secondary. That’s why, just hours into free agency, Pittsburgh went out an inked safety Mike Mitchell to a five-year, $25MM deal to replace free agent Ryan Clark. Clark and All-Pro Troy Polamalu forged a strong bond through their years together, but the Steelers wanted to make a change, even after the 34-year-old had a career year with 104 tackles. After four years in Oakland, mainly as a reserve, Mitchell joined up with the Panthers on a one-year deal and racked up 52 tackles, four sacks, and an eye-popping four interceptions. Outside of the top safety on the open market this offseason, Jairus Byrd, Mitchell was one of the best available at the position. The Steelers would love it if Mitchell proves to be their answer for the next five seasons, but if he doesn’t work out, they’ll be on the hook for just $5.25MM in total.NFL: New Orleans Saints at Carolina Panthers

The Steelers have also undergone some noticeable changes on the defensive line. The club lost Ziggy Hood, a former first-round pick, to the Jaguars in free agency when he was signed to a four-year, $16MM deal. Hood started 37 games on the Steelers’ defensive line over the last three seasons, recording 39 tackles and three sacks in 2013, so it’s no small loss. Al Woods also left town, signing a two-year, $5MM deal with the Titans. The 6’4″, 307 pound lineman saw time in all 16 games last season (including two starts) and registered 2.0 sacks. On top of that, Brett Keisel‘s contract expired and his familiar bearded face is not in camp with the Steelers as of this writing.

How do you fill all of these vacancies? Well, the Steelers started off by adding defensive tackle Cam Thomas, who was brought aboard with a modest two-year, $4MM pact. In 11 starts for San Diego, Thomas logged 26 tackles and 13 quarterback pressures while playing primarily at nose tackle. Thomas, who stands at 6’3″ and 330 pounds, will presumably be asked to also spend some time at end to fill the swingman role that Woods used to fill. Whether he’ll be available to float between the two spots on the d-line will largely be up to rookie defensive end Stephon Tuitt. If Tuitt is ready to hit the ground running opposite Cameron Heyward, then the Steelers can afford to use Thomas at both positions. Otherwise, Thomas might have to spend all of his time at DE, leaving them somewhat thin in the middle. Most of Pittsburgh’s heavy lifting for this offseason is likely through, but they might want to give some thought to bringing Keisel back. In addition to his locker room leadership, he could also inject some much-needed experience back into this defensive line.

Behind Tuitt in the front seven will be first round choice Ryan Shazier. Like Tuitt, the linebacker out of Ohio State brings youth and speed to the Pittsburgh D which should help them in their effort to reload. Shazier is an adept pass rusher and can also help stuff the run and uses his agility to work around tough blocks. He also has the speed to cover tailbacks and tight ends in short coverage, which should help ease some of the burden on the secondary. Shazier, along with the transition tagged Jason Worilds, will help hold down the fort at linebacker in the wake of LaMarr Woodley‘s departure. Woodley was once one of the most feared pass rushers in the NFL but injuries have slowed him down considerably and cost him most of 2013. Now, it’s Worilds’ time to shine.

Many expected to see a shakeup in the club’s cornerback ranks, but that just didn’t happen. Whether it was because of a thin crop of cornerbacks at the top of this year’s draft or just a stronger desire for others, the Steelers waited until the fifth round to take a CB. Shaquille Richardson of Arizona is a fine prospect, but he’s not the kind of impact rookie that many expected GM Kevin Colbert to tab. Apparently, the Steelers feel just fine with Ike Taylor, Cortez Allen, William Gay, and free agent pickup Brice McCain, so there was no need to make an expensive addition on the open market or use a high draft pick for anyone else.

On the other side of the ball, the Steelers gave their running game an added punch (See what I did there?) by signing LeGarrette Blount to a two-year, $3.85MM deal. The big, bruising tailback doesn’t look quite as promising as he did in his breakout season with the Buccaneers, but he did show some flashes last season with New England. Across 16 games (seven starts), Blount ran for 772 yards and had a career-high seven rushing touchdowns. Blount will be there to complement Le’Veon Bell at halfback and diminutive rookie tailback Dri Archer will also be in the mix to balance things out.

The lack of a major move at cornerback was sort of surprising for Pittsburgh but the inaction at wide receiver probably raised even more eyebrows. The Steelers watched Emmanuel Sanders sign a three-year, $15MM deal with the Broncos and didn’t exactly replace him with a superstar. To help deflect attention away from rising star Antonio Brown, Pittsburgh signed former Saints veteran Lance Moore and ex-Raider Darrius Heyward-Bey. Offensive coordinator Todd Haley also plans to incorporate Archer into the passing game as he did with Dexter McCluster in Kansas City and sophomore Markus Wheaton will be expected to take a leap forward. Haley has spoken glowingly about the team’s receiving depth, but you can’t fault outsiders for feeling unimpressed. If the Steelers want to add some pizazz to their batch of WRs, former Steelers star Santonio Holmes is still out there on the open market and waiting for a call.

The Steelers also did some housekeeping this offseason, extending some of their veteran players and restructuring deals to give them an extra bit of breathing room. Dominant center Maurkice Pouncey, who missed the majority of the 2013 campaign after suffering a torn ACL and MCL in Week One, was signed to a five-year, ~$44MM deal. Polamalu, Brown, and tight end Heath Miller reworked their deals to give Pittsburgh additional cap space. Taylor, who has shown talent but can also make some careless penalties, took a significant pay cut to stay on.

Ultimately, the Steelers didn’t have the most exciting offseason in the NFL but in a weakened AFC North, they could very well come out on top and win the division for the first time since 2010.

Spotrac and Over The Cap were used in the creation of this post. Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Poll: Who Will Win The AFC North?

June 24th, 2014 at 8:55am CST by Luke Adams

With spring workouts behind us, we’ve still got a little ways to go until NFL training camps get underway. But the roster building and shuffling of the offseason is mostly out of the way now, meaning we can look ahead to the fall and predict with relative confidence what rosters around the league will look like once the season begins. So we’ll take the opportunity over the next few weeks to look back on the offseason moves and ahead to how those moves will affect teams for the 2014 season.

We’ll start today in the AFC North, where the Bengals finished comfortably ahead of the veteran Steelers and Ravens a year ago, compiling an 11-5 record, three games ahead of the 8-8 marks by Pittsburgh and Baltimore. Cincinnati may head into the 2014 season as the slight favorite to win the division again, but the squad took a couple notable hits this spring. Defensive end Michael Johnson and offensive lineman Anthony Collins both packed up and headed south, signing long-term deals with the Buccaneers in free agency. And while the addition of rookie cornerback Darqueze Dennard should help shore up the secondary, Cincinnati didn’t commit more than $1MM in guaranteed money to a single free agent this offseason, so there are no obvious impact players among the new additions.

The Steelers and Ravens parted with longtime mainstays of their own — LaMarr Woodley, Ziggy Hood, and Larry Foote for Pittsburgh and Arthur Jones, Corey Graham, and Michael Oher for Baltimore. But both teams did well to retain key contributors, such as Jason Worilds for the Steelers and Eugene Monroe and Daryl Smith for the Ravens. Throw in a couple intriguing new pieces (Ryan Shazier, Mike Mitchell for Pittsburgh; Steve Smith, C.J. Mosley for Baltimore) and there’s reason to believe both clubs could improve upon last year’s .500 records.

Meanwhile, the Browns are typically an afterthought in the AFC North, having yet to finish first in the division since its inception in 2002. Johnny Manziel‘s arrival will ensure that the team at least remains on the national radar all year, and whether it’s Manziel or Brian Hoyer under center, the Browns have some talent here, having re-signed Alex Mack and added Karlos Dansby, Donte Whitner, Justin Gilbert, and Ben Tate to their core. Still, with Josh Gordon potentially facing a lengthy suspension, it remains to be seen whether the Browns will put enough points on the board to be a real contender in the division this year.

What do you think? Which of the four AFC North teams will capture the division crown in 2014?

Which team will win the AFC North?
Cincinnati Bengals 35.95% (211 votes)
Pittsburgh Steelers 29.30% (172 votes)
Baltimore Ravens 21.29% (125 votes)
Cleveland Browns 13.46% (79 votes)
Total Votes: 587

AFC North Notes: Shazier, Smith, Hunt, Wilder

June 21st, 2014 at 9:02am CST by Matt Feminis

Steelers first-rounder Ryan Shazier looks like the “real deal,” according to Mike Prisuta of Steelers.com: “The Steelers knew Shazier was fast when they drafted him No. 1 from The Ohio State University. But since arriving on the South Side of Pittsburgh Shazier has gotten Maurkice Pouncey‘s attention with physicality in practice, stunned Bruce Gradkowski with leaping ability on the way to an interception and impressed Ben Roethlisberger as a potential defensive signal-caller someday. Shazier also has been running with the first-team defense since snap one of OTAs. He’ll still have to do it in pads this summer, but he created a consistent buzz this spring.”

Here’s a few more AFC North notes:

  • Ravens head coach John Harbaugh says veteran inside linebacker Daryl Smith, who re-signed for four years and $16MM, played at a high level last season, writes Garrett Downing on BaltimoreRavens.com. That means first-rounder C.J. Mosley and 2013 second-rounder Arthur Brown will compete for playing time next to Smith.
  • The Bengals have high expectations for 27-year-old, second-year Estonian defensive end Margus Hunt, writes Geoff Hobson on Bengals.com. A 2013 second-round project, Hunt is a “freakish,” 6-8, 291-pounder who might be ready to contribute at left end.
  • Bengals running back James Wilder Jr., an undrafted free agent out of Florida State, claims he broke a team conditioning record, but he’s on the outside looking in for now, says ESPN’s Coley Harvey.
  • Browns All-Pro Joe Haden is the latest to (delicately) express concern over Johnny Manziel’s partying ways (radio interview with 850 AM here), but says nothing Manziel is doing away from the team facility is negatively affecting his work. Haden merely suggests, “Just try to have fun without the whole world knowing.”

AFC Notes: Manning, Flowers, Steelers, Bills

June 20th, 2014 at 3:36pm CST by Luke Adams

When I examined Broncos wide receiver Demaryius Thomas as an extension candidate earlier today, I pointed out that the timeline for Peyton Manning‘s retirement could play a role in when Thomas signs his next contract and the amount of that deal. For now though, it doesn’t appear that retirement is in the star quarterback’s immediate plans. As Arnie Stapleton of The Associated Press writes, while the reigning MVP has considered the possibility of ending his career, Manning’s current goal is to play out his current contract, which runs through 2016.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • Brandon Flowers is reportedly visiting another team after his trip to San Diego, but that mystery club isn’t the Steelers, reports ESPN.com’s Scott Brown. Pittsburgh is one of the clubs that has been linked to the free agent cornerback, though as today’s PFR poll shows, only about 12% of you feel that Flowers will land with the Steelers.
  • Jon Bon Jovi, who is interested in buying the Bills, had a two-hour lunch with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in New York this week, write Ian Mohr and Stephanie Smith of the New York Post. The New Jersey native has joined Toronto-based investment group Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment in a bid to purchase the franchise.
  • Meanwhile, more potential bidders for the Bills – Buffalo Sabres owners Terry and Kim Pegula – have acknowledged they’re keeping tabs on the sale of the team, as Robert J. McCarthy of the Buffalo News details. The Pegulas’ statement, which came via Sabres VP of public and community relations Michael Gilbert, said that “out of respect for the process being conducted by representatives of the Wilson estate and the Bills, they will not be making any additional comments about the sale process.”
  • Although the Ravens made a flurry of moves today, signing five players that they tried out this week, cornerback Kevin Thomas didn’t receive a contract from the club. Still, according to Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun (via Twitter), Thomas is on the team’s “standby list” and could receive an offer during training camp.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

AFC Links: Goodson, Flowers, Jaguars

June 18th, 2014 at 6:50pm CST by Ben Levine

The Jets released running back Mike Goodson earlier today, but the transaction had little to do with his production on the field. Following Goodson’s failure to show up to training camp, the team announced that the player was cut with the “left squad” designation. Furthermore, he’s had zero contact with anyone within the organization, and that’s leaving some of his former teammates and coaches worried.

Offensive guard Willie Colon is one of those players (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini):

“Usually, a guy will send you a text and say, ‘I’m OK.’ Not to hear anything is scary in itself. All you can do is send out prayers to him.”

Goodson has had a bit of a troubled past. The issues began in May 2013, when he was found stopped in the middle lane of a highway by New Jersey Police. The cops say he was incoherent and had vomited, and a semiautomatic weapon and marijuana was allegedly found in his possession. Last season, he was suspended four games for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy. Wideout David Nelson briefly touched on his former teammate’s issues:

“The concern is what kind of state he might be in, where he might be and things he might be doing. Guys are trying to check in on him, making sure that stuff isn’t reoccurring and taking over.

“For somebody who has just gone MIA – nobody can get a hold of him and nobody knows where he is – that takes it to a different level and it goes beyond football. Guys aren’t reaching out to him because of football. They’re reaching out to him because they care about him. They want to know if he’s OK.

“That’s the element everybody is talking about. At this point, nobody is talking about, ‘Why isn’t he here practicing?’ I think the fear is that we haven’t heard from him. That’s not a good sign, honestly.”

Head coach Rex Ryan also addressed the matter:

“There’s no question, it concerns me. I’ve tried to reach out to him but haven’t been able to make contact with him.”

The only time we’ve heard from Goodson’s agent, Kennard McGuire, was following the player’s initial absence from camp on Tuesday:

“Mike must be accountable and responsible for his own actions and comprehend not only effective communication but simple communication.”

With that, let’s see what else is going on around the AFC…

  • Free agent cornerback Brandon Flowers isn’t negotiating with teams yet, tweets Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com. The former Chiefs notable will spend the next two days with the Chargers. The Ravens, Steelers, and Vikings are among the clubs keeping a close eye on him. According to La Canfora (via Twitter), Flowers has no other visits scheduled yet and will re-evaluate the situation and whether to take more visits after he’s done spending time in San Diego (link).
  • Count wide receiver Eddie Royal amongst the folks who want to see Flowers sign with the Chargers, writes Tom Krasovic of U-T San Diego. The two were teammates at Virginia Tech.
  • New Jaguars running back Toby Gerhart wants to be the Jacksonville’s version of Marshawn Lynch, writes Jim Corbett of USA Today Sports. The Jags gave Gerhart a three-year, $10.5MM deal in March.

Zach Links contributed to this post.

No Long-Term Offer For Jason Worilds?

June 18th, 2014 at 2:26pm CST by Luke Adams

A report over the weekend suggested that linebacker Jason Worilds had rejected a long-term extension offer from the Steelers, which remained on the table and was unlikely to be improved by the club. However, a source tells Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review that’s not the case, and that Worilds has not received a multiyear offer from the Steelers. According to Kaboly, there have been no real contract talks between the two sides since Worilds signed the club’s transition tag offer several months ago.

As Kaboly points out, it’s not unusual for there to be multiple different accounts on the status of contract negotiations while they’re in progress, and whether or not the Steelers have extended a formal offer, it’s clear that talks remain at an impasse. When Worilds first signed the one-year offer, which is worth nearly $10MM, it appeared as if the Steelers would want to reduce that cap number with a longer-term extension. Since then, however, the cap increased more than had been expected, and the club created additional savings by parting ways with LaMarr Woodley, reducing the need to get something done with Worilds.

As I pointed out back in May when we first heard that no progress was being made in negotiations between Worilds and the Steelers, the team may want to see more than one productive season as a starter out of the linebacker before committing significant years and money to him.

In 792 defensive snaps last season, his first as a regular starter, Worilds recorded eight sacks and 50 overall quarterback pressures. He graded well as both a pass rusher and a run stopper, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics, which placed him 12th overall among 3-4 outside linebackers (subscription required).

AFC Notes: CJ2K, Steelers, Yates, Titans

June 18th, 2014 at 12:55pm CST by Luke Adams

New Jets running back Chris Johnson is now five years removed from a 2009 season in which he eclipsed 2,000 rushing yards with the Titans. He’ll turn 29 this fall, and is coming off a knee injury, but Johnson still believes he has enough left in the tank to make another run at that mark, as he tells Seth Walder of the New York Daily News.

“I’d just retire and not play anymore if I didn’t feel like I was still capable of being a 2,000-yard back,” Johnson said. “I know I have the ability.”

Another run at 2,000 yards may be aiming a little high for the former Titan, but the fact that Johnson feels as if he hasn’t lost a step should be encouraging for Jets fans hoping he’ll make an impact this season. Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • The Steelers have swapped one undrafted free agent for another, announcing today (via Twitter) that they’ve signed running back Jordan Hall and waived cornerback Deion Belue. Belue signed with the Dolphins as a rookie free agent last month, then was claimed off waivers by Pittsburgh after being cut by Miami.
  • Although the Ravens have been “monitoring” T.J. Yates‘ situation for some time, there’s no guarantee that Baltimore will pursue the quarterback now that he’s been cut by the Texans, sources tell Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun.
  • Of the two linebackers who worked out for the Titans earlier this week, Quentin Groves is viewed as a better fit than Marvin Mitchell, tweets Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean.
  • Wide receiver Greg Little, who joined the Raiders after being cut by the Browns, was surprised that Cleveland waived him, since he had a “tremendous relationship” with the new coaches, he tells Vic Tafur of the San Francisco Chronicle. Of course, as Little acknowledges, the decision ultimately wasn’t in the hands of the coaching staff (Twitter links).

Steelers Sign Second-Rounder Stephon Tuitt

June 18th, 2014 at 9:34am CST by Luke Adams

The Steelers have become the latest team to lock up their entire 2014 draft class, announcing today (via Twitter) that second-round defensive lineman Stephon Tuitt has signed his rookie contract.

Tuitt, 21, played his college ball at Notre Dame, racking up 19.5 sacks in his last two seasons with the Fighting Irish. As the 46th overall pick in last month’s draft, Tuitt will receive a signing bonus worth around $1.672MM, per Jason Fitzgerald’s figures at OverTheCap.com. The overall four-year value of his contract will be about $4.609MM.

I wrote yesterday that only 13 draftees remained unsigned, and since then, five more have been locked up, meaning just eight have yet to put pen to paper. Now that the Steelers have secured all their draftees, only five teams still have picks to sign.

Extra Points: Vikings, Ravens, Rams, Polamalu

June 17th, 2014 at 10:13pm CST by Zachary Links

Vikings defensive end is very open to helping guide rookie Scott Crichton, writes Chris Tomasson of the Pioneer Press. “He’s got a good burst and he’s obviously got great size,” Robison said. “Obviously, we’re going to help him in every way we can and try to make him the best ballplayer we can. … I definitely want to help him in every way possible.” More from around the league..

  • The Ravens worked out former Arizona State wide receiver Mike Willie today, tweets Aaron Wilson of the Baltimore Sun. Willie has previously played for the Chargers.
  • With their signings this year, the Rams and Buccaneers have created a new model for contracts for draft picks, writes Jason Fitzgerald of Over The Cap. Both teams negotiated contracts with notable picks that have no offsets which will protect them in the event of an outright release.
  • The Steelers have made some major changes on defense and Troy Polamalu has taken notice, writes Scott Brown of ESPN.com. Polamalu will have to get accustomed to the switch from Ryan Clark to Mike Mitchell, but that’s not the only difference for Pittsburgh in 2014.
  • Decision day is looming for the Bears‘ group of quarterbacks, writes John Mullin of CSNChicago.com. Jimmy Clausen, Jerrod Johnson, and Jordan Palmer are jostling to back up Jay Cutler, and one of the three could be gone as early as this week. Sixth round pick David Fales is likely safe.

13 Draftees Still Unsigned

June 17th, 2014 at 2:41pm CST by Luke Adams

While a couple dozen mandatory offseason minicamps around the NFL are getting underway today, we’re still several weeks away from players reporting for training camps. That means there’s still plenty of time for members of 2014’s draft class to sign contracts with their respective teams. Still, for the most part, this year’s draftees won’t need to take those next few weeks to negotiate their deals.

After the Browns announced their agreement with Johnny Manziel and the Texans signed Xavier Su’a-Filo today, nearly 95% (243 of 256) of this year’s draft picks have been locked up by their new NFL clubs. 24 of 32 teams have totally locked up their draft classes, including the 49ers, who selected a league-high 12 players last month.

Since the new Collective Bargaining Agreement made rookie contracts so standardized, there’s little wiggle room for teams and players to push for better deals, and essentially no reason for players to hold out. Among the remaining unsigned players, five are first-round picks, six are second-rounders, and the last two are third-rounders, so in many cases the holdup can likely be attributed to haggling over offsets, guaranteed money, or the way in which that money gets paid. But as soon as a player was drafted, he essentially knew what his rookie contract would look like, based on his draft slot.

With the help of our tracker, here’s the full list of the remaining 13 unsigned draftees:

  • Blake Bortles, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars (1.3)
  • Justin Gilbert, CB, Cleveland Browns (1.8)
  • Taylor Lewan, OT, Tennessee Titans (1.11)
  • Ja’Wuan James, OT, Miami Dolphins (1.19)
  • Dominique Easley, DT, New England Patriots (1.29)
  • Demarcus Lawrence, DE/OLB, Dallas Cowboys (2.34)
  • Joel Bitonio, OT, Cleveland Browns (2.35)
  • Marqise Lee, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (2.39)
  • Stephon Tuitt, DE, Pittsburgh Steelers (2.46)
  • Bishop Sankey, RB, Tennessee Titans (2.54)
  • Allen Robinson, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars (2.61)
  • Billy Turner, OT, Miami Dolphins (3.67)
  • Dexter McDougle, CB, New York Jets (3.80)
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