Tag Archives: free agency

Will JuJu Smith-Schuster Stay with Steelers? Should He? Its a Tricky Situation

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Second contracts separate dollars from cents in today’s NFL. Sure, even undrafted free agent rookies get six figure salaries. But they’re only an injury away from losing it all. Draft picks have more security, but only a little.

  • But manage a second NFL contract wisely, and you’ll have financial security for life.

If you’re smart with your money and lucky enough to stay healthy, you’ve got a shot at integrational wealth. The Steelers are better than any other NFL team at honoring their second contract commitments, particularly for home-grown players.

Yet, when it comes to wide receivers, only Hines Ward and Antonio Brown have gotten second contracts.

A year ago, JuJu Smith-Schuster was pleading to join them. He got his wish, sort of, and now both sides need to decide whether to reup for a third dance. Will it happen?

JuJu Smith-Schuster, Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster stiff arm, Steelers vs Ravens

JuJu Smith-Schuster lays down the law. Photo Credit: Chaz Palla, Tribune-Review

Capsule Profile of JuJu Smith-Schuster’s Career with the Steelers

When the Steelers drafted JuJu Smith-Schuster in the 2nd round of the 2017 NFL Draft, a Twitter fight erupted between Martavis Bryant and Sammie Coates as to who JuJu was arriving to replace. As it turned out, JuJu pushed both men off of the team (OK, Bryant did himself no favors).

JuJu Smith-Schuster had an electrifying rookie campaign, catching 58 passes for just under 1000 yards and included game changing long catches against the Lions and what should have been a game changer against the Patriots. He followed up with 111 catches for 1426 yards in his second season, wining team MVP honors.

Those honors didn’t sit well with Brown, who threw a tantrum and well, you know the rest.

  • JuJu boldly declared, “I’m Ready.”

Alas, he might have been ready but the rest of the Steelers offense wasn’t. Ben Roethlisberger’s 2019 campaign lasted 6 quarters as Mason Rudolph and Devlin Hodges slogged out an 8-8 campaign with an offensive line in decline and a running game led by a wounded James Conner and rookie Benny Snell.

Smith-Schuster’s production dipped to 42 catches as he missed four games. He bounced back in 2020 to catch 97 passes, but didn’t get much interested in free agency. He returned to Pittsburgh on a one year deal, but got injured 5 games into the season. JuJu returned for the playoffs, but wasn’t a factor.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning JuJu Smith-Schuster

JuJu Smith-Schuster’s 2021 season only lasted 5 games but the Steelers missed him. As Mark Kaboly reminded before the playoffs, with JuJu the Steelers converted 46% of their third downs.

  • Without JuJu that number dropped by 10 percent.

Go back to 2020 when drops became a chronic issue for the Steelers receiving corps. But not for JuJu, as he easily led wideouts with a 75% catch rate.

JuJu Smith-Schuster is a gamer. He brings a physical presence as a run blocker. He is a leader. The fact that he suited up for the playoffs and risked injury tells you all you need to know about his heart.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning JuJu Smith-Schuster

JuJu Smith-Schuster’s story is a compelling one, but the Steelers can’t let sentimentally cloud their judgement. Alongside Antonio Brown, JuJu was lethal. Without him, he’s been good but not great. Second contracts for wide receivers clock in at about 12 million per year or more, often with 8 figures of guarantees.

JuJu Smith-Schuster quite simply hasn’t proven he’s worth that kind of investment.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and JuJu Smith-Schuster

A year ago, JuJu pleaded to stay in Pittsburgh. That seemed impossible. But when Smith-Schuster only got one year deals, he opted to stay with the Steelers via a home town discount and voidable years.

This year the Steelers have the cap space to consider resigning him, yet JuJu Smith-Schuster doesn’t appear interested, based on his comments about Heinz Field’s locker rooms and some social media posts. But does that mean JuJu’s as good as gone?

  • Much of this will depend on the market.

A year ago, JuJu thought he’d have more interest in his services yet got few takers. Perhaps that will happen again given how injury ravaged his 2021 season.

Realistically, that seems to be the only way he returns as a Steeler in 2022.

Follow Steelers free agency. Visit our Steelers 2022 Free Agent tracker or click here for all Steelers 2022 free agent focus articles.

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No Need to Explain Why Robert Spillane Will Get a Restricted Free Agent Tender from Steelers

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One year ago Robert Spillane was the guy who started the season that no one had even heard of and who finished the season as a critical element holding down the center of their defense. So it was a no-brainer that the Steelers would make him an Exclusive Rights Free Agent tender to keep him in Pittsburgh.

  • A year has passed, and Spillane has now added another 14 games to his tape.

He’s also eligible for restricted free agency where tenders are projected to begin at the 2.4 million mark. Has Spillane done enough to earn one? Let’s find out.

Robert Spillane, Austin Hooper, Steelers vs Browns

Robert Spillane after tackling Austin Hooper. Photo Credit: Cleveland.com via the Bradford Era

Capsule Profile of Robert Spillaine’s Career with the Steelers

Going into the 2020 season, Robert Spillane conventional wisdom held that Robert Spillane was the ONE player the Steelers could not afford to put on the field. Those fears came to fruition in the Steelers home game against the Browns when Devin Bush tore his ACL, forcing Spillane into the line up.

Spillane answered the call, and the Steelers closed out a 38-7 win. He followed the next week with a hellacious goal line stop on Derrick Henry. A week later, he snagged Lamar Jackson’s 2nd pass of the game and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown, providing crucial points in the Steelers 28-24 win.

Spillaine continued his solid steady play until he got injured in the Steeler loss to Washington, and Pittsburgh closed the season going 1-4. And while that oversimplifies things greatly to chalk that up to losing Spillaine, the Steelers defense missed him.

  • Going into training camp the hope was that Spillaine would win the starting job over Vince Williams.

When Williams retired that hope became a need. But it also became obvious that Spillane was struggling in pass coverage, leading Kevin Colbert to trade for Joe Schobert.

Robert Spillane saw plenty of playing time for the Steelers in 2021, starting 4 games while taking the field for 37% of the team’s defensive snaps. He also participated in 61% of the teams special teams snaps. All told, he made 56 tackles and was the best inside linebacker against the run.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Robert Spillane

Inside linebacker is a weakness for the Steelers and that was not something we were supposed to be able to say nearly 3 years after the Devin Bush trade.

But a weakness it is.

In two seasons worth of work, Robert Spillane has shown that while he might not be a long-term answer or a full time starter at inside linebacker, he is certainly a capable contributor. He has also proven himself to be a solid tackler and is stout against the run and this defense needs run defenders.

At 2.4 million for a season, Spillane offers and upgrade over a veteran minimum free agent and he still has some upside.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Spillane

The Steelers defense wasn’t soft in the middle. No, Pittsburgh’s defense was outright porous in the middle. Yes, Robert Spillane was better against the run, but is anyone ready to confuse him with Vince Williams circa 2015 or 2016? No.

And even if he can improve against the run, “speed is the one thing you can’t teach” and Spillane doesn’t have the speed to cover tight ends let alone wide recievers coming out of backfield. That makes him a 2 down player at best. And Jon Bostic experiment taught us if you have a starting inside linebacker who is strong against the run but can’t cover, you don’t have starting inside linebacker.

The Steelers can invest that 2.4 million elsewhere.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and Robert Spillane

If anything, this decision is more of a no-brainer in this year than it was last spring. Joe Schobert could very well be a cap casualty and, for whatever reason, Devin Bush is clearly struggling to return to his pre-ACL injury form.

  • Right now Robert Spillane isn’t Steelers best inside linebacker, but he is their most consistent one.

And Spillane is certainly their most cost-effective inside linebacker. And if the Steelers secure upgrades in both free agency and the 2022 NFL Draft, Spillane has already shown he’s a reliable presence coming off the bench.

Follow Steelers free agency. Click here for our Steelers 2022 Free Agent tracker or here for all Steelers 2022 free agent focus articles.

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Steelers Will (and Should) Keep J.C. Hassenauer, Exclusive Rights Free Agent

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A player who reaches Exclusive Rights Free Agency status in the NFL has probably already slogged a hard road, including cycling through training camps for multiple teams and stints on various practice squads. Despite that, the Exclusive Rights Free Agent is still 2 seasons away from his chance at that coveted 2nd contract.

Such is the story of Steelers center/guard J.C. Hassenauer who is an Exclusive Rights Free Agent.

J.C. Hassenauer

Steelers center J.C. Hassenauer. Photo Credit: AP

Capsule Profile of J.C. Hassenauer’s Career with the Steelers

J.C. Hassenauer came to the Steelers in the summer of 2019 after going to training camp in 2018 with the Atlanta Falcons, playing in 4 preseason games and spending time on their practice squad. And it was on the practice squad he would stay through 2019 for the Steelers, until earning a promotion to the regular season roster for the season finale in Baltimore.

Hassenauer earned a spot on the 53 man roster in 2020, appearing in 15 games and starting four at guard beginning with the Steelers Tuesday win over the Ravens. In 2021 J.C. Hassenauer appeared in 13 games, starting one at guard and closing out the season with two starts at center, including Ben Roethlisberger’s final game at Heinz Field.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning J.C. Hassenauer

J.C. Hassenauer gives the Steelers strong, experienced position flexibility at center and guard. As an Exclusive Rights Free Agent there’s no risk in bringing him back for 2022.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning J.C. Hassenauer

The Steelers fielded their worst offensive line in maybe a generation last year. They must exploit every opportunity for improvement. As Mike Tomlin says, free agency is “Free for them, free for us,” which is a polite way of saying that the team has the ability to shed itself of players who are “Below the Line.”

J.C. Hassenauer may not be terrible, if between free agency, the 2022 NFL Draft and the undrafted rookie free agent pool the Steelers can’t find a better number 4 guard and/or backup center then Art Rooney II needs to be replacing someone other than just Kevin Colbert.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and J.C. Hassenauer

While no one will ever confuse him with Dermontti Dawson, J.C. Hassenauer’s experience and ability to swing between center and guard are true assets. The Steelers line was in fact a tad bit better when Hassenauer took over for Kendrick Green to close the season.

  • Offering an Exclusive Rights Free Agent tender is really a no-brainer, no-risk move for the Steelers.

They can both bring J.C. Hassenauer back, and improve their starters and other back ups at center and guard in free agency and the draft.

Keep up with Steelers free agency. Click here for our Steelers 2022 Free Agent tracker or click here for all Steelers 2022 free agent focus articles.

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Can Steelers Free Agent Jordan Dangerfield Keep Beating the System?

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Most NFL careers are short. The fact that the NFL and NFLPA debate about just how short they are proves the point.

  • Regardless of who is right, even under the best circumstances the NFL is merely a way point on the road to “Life’s Work.”

Yet if you can stick around long enough  in the NFL to get that coveted second contract, you can typically latch on for the long term. All of which is to say that “roster bubble players” typically have a shelf life of 2 to 3 years tops. In that sense Jordan Dangerfield of the Steelers has beat the system as he’s already spent 5 years on Steelers active rosters along with stints on practice squads in two other seasons.

Will 2021 be a 6th season for Jordan Dangerfield?

Jordan Dangerfield, Steelers vs Bengals

Jordan Dangerfield in his only start for the Steelers. Photo Credit: Karl Roser, Steelers.com

Capsule Profile of Jordan Dangerfield’s Career with the Steelers

After signing with the Bills as an undrafted free agent out of Towson in 2013, Jordan Dangerfield bounced around the football world for a few years, including stints with the Steelers and some team called the Brooklyn Bolts, before finally making Pittsburgh’s active roster in 2016.

While Dangerfield is a safety by trade, it’s on special teams where’s he’s earned his keep with the Steelers. Dangerfield’s dedication to special teams was rewarded in 2020 when he was named captain of coach Danny Smith’s unit. And for good reason.

It was Jordan Dangerfield who made touchdown saving tackle for the Steelers.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Jordan Dangerfield 2021

When you find a player who is dedicated to special teams, even one who just turned 30 as Dangerfield did on Christmas Day, he’s someone worth keeping around. Also, considering Dangerfield signed a one-year deal for $825,000 to stay in Pittsburgh last year, it’s not going to take much to retain his services for another season.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Jordan Dangerfield 2021

As already stated, Dangerfield is 30 years old. Also, he doesn’t offer much in terms of safety depth, other than someone who “knows the system” and can come in and defend against the run.

  • His coverage skills are limited at best.

With depth such an important aspect in the NFL, maybe it’s best the Steelers find a younger player who is not only eager to kick butt on special teams but who also has upside at the safety position.

Curtain’s Call on Jordan Dangerfield and the Steelers 2021

Nobody worries about special teams until they jump up and bite a team. I think there’s always room on the depth chart for a player who excels at special teams and nothing else. The Steelers should bring back Jordan Dangerfield and allow him to captain the special team’s ship for 2021.

Has Steelers free agency left you scrambling? Click here for our Steelers 2021 Free Agent tracker or click here for all Steelers 2021 free agency focus articles.

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Keeping Cam Sutton in Free Agency is a Challenge Steelers Must Meet

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The “story” on the Pittsburgh Steelers since they lost to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV has been, “Can Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin rebuild the defense while Ben Roethlisberger remains in his prime?”

  • And no position has been more challenging for the Steelers than cornerback.

Keenan Lewis developed slowly and by the time he got good, he was gone. The Steelers thought they had “the answer” in Cortez Allen, until injuries and mystery conspired to sabotage his career. Joe Haden‘s arrival in 2017 changed things at cornerback for the better, but then fate dealt a mortal blow to the Steelers defensive rebuild:  Ryan Shazier suffered a career ending injury.

But on of the unmentioned ironies accompanying Ryan Shazier’s tragic injury is that the night also marked the NFL debut of another promising cornerback for Pittsburgh, Cam Sutton who is in the spot light today.

Cam Sutton, Cam Sutton onsides kick recovery, Steelers vs Chargers

Cameron Sutton recovers the onside. Photo Credit: Jake Roth, USA Today

Capsule Profile of Cam Sutton’s Career with the Steelers in 2021

As part of such a high-profile Steelers 2017 draft class that included T.J. Watt, JuJu Smith-Schuster and James Conner, Cam Sutton, a third-round pick out of Tennessee, was a bit of a forgot man, even if he did play a position — cornerback — that was still considered to be problematic for Pittsburgh.

Perhaps it would have been different had the Steelers not signed Joe Haden that summer. Furthermore, Mike Hilton, an undrafted free agent out of Ole Miss, came out of nowhere that same year and took the Steelers secondary by storm as a very productive slot corner. Sutton spent his first few seasons increasing his position flexibility at the corner position, the slot corner position and even at safety.

However, it was in 2020 that Sutton finally had a bit of a breakthrough, appearing in 16 games and starting six at cornerback. Sutton recorded one interception, eight passes defended and 30 tackles a season ago. That he did this in the final year of his rookie deal certainly makes him much more attractive in free agency.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning Cam Sutton in 2021

Again, Sutton has position flexibility, something that has always been a valuable commodity to head coach Mike Tomlin. Of course, the position the Steelers would likely need Sutton to fill in 2021 is slot corner, and that is because it seems highly unlikely that they’ll be able to retain the services of Hilton, who is considered one of the best in the business.

Mike Hilton is going to command big money on the open market. Sutton will certainly get a raise, but if the Steelers can retain him at a reasonable price, he could fill a huge void in 2021.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning Cam Sutton in 2021

Honestly, the only negative would be the fact that Sutton put himself on the map in 2020 and could really cash in on the open market. Life is all about timing, and if some team presents Cam Sutton with an offer that he simply can’t refuse, the Steelers probably wouldn’t have the cap space to compete.

Curtain’s Call on Cam Sutton in 2021

I think the Steelers should do whatever they can within reason to retain Sutton. They spent years trying to rebuild their secondary, and I can’t imagine how much weaker it could be if their top two slot corners from a year ago exited via free agency.

Has Steelers free agency left you scrambling? Click here for our Steelers 2021 Free Agent tracker or click here for all Steelers 2021 free agency focus articles.

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Streaming Moneyball + Trading Places = Steelers Chris Wormley-Javon Hargrave Swap

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First, wherever you’re reading this, it is our sincere wish that you and your family are both healthy and safe. That is far more important than anything and everything else that appears on this blog.

Clearly, the inability to make timely updates to a Steelers blog ranks pretty low when it comes to the disruptions caused by the Coronavirus. Which brings us to Chris Wormley’s addition to the Steelers defensive line.

  • And with Steelers Nation spending its time streaming while on quarantine, a little cinematic twist to the headline only seemed appropriate.

Javon Hargrave, Blake Bortles, Cam Heyward, Steelers vs Jaguars

Javon Hargrave deflects a Blake Bortles pass while Cam Heyward is blatantly held. Photo Credit: Karl Rosner, Steelers.com

To no one’s surprise, the Steelers lost Javon Hargrave in free agency. Hargrave will move to the other side of the state after having signed a $39 million contract with the Philadelphia Eagles that includes $26 million of fully guaranteed money.

The Steelers could have put together a competitive deal along those lines, but only at the expense of losing Bud Dupree.

Since Bud Dupree is on the field for 90% of the Steelers snaps and Javon Hargrave is on for only 63%, you can see why Kevin Colbert and Mike Tomlin chose Dupree over Hargrave.

Nonetheless, the move left a rather important hole in the middle of the Steelers defensive line. Hargrave had made 52 starts, recorded 10 sacks over the last two years and was clearly a peer alongside Cam Heyward and Stephon Tuitt.

The Steelers declined to stand pat with Tyson Alualu and Isaiah Buggs and traded their 5th round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft to the Baltimore Ravens for Chris Wormley.

In 3 years with the NFL, Chris Wormely has made just 15 starts and recorded just 2.5 sacks. He’s also made 9 QB hits, or one more than Javon Hargrave made in his 3rd year in the NFL.

  • Considering that both men were 3rd round draft picks, the Steelers certainly seem to come out poorer for the swap.

And if the only movie we were watching here was Trading Places, there’s no question the Steelers would come out on the short end of the stick. But Kevin Colbert is also streaming MoneyBall in tandem, and that pulls two other numbers into this equation: $3,450,000 and $2,133,000.

  • The former is Javon Hargrave’s cap number for 2020, the latter is Chris Wormley’s.

And this of course ignores the fact that the Eagles have already cut Hargrave a check for 11 million and change. Clearly, Javon Hargrave is a better defensive lineman than Chris Wormley.

  • Kevin Colbert, however, is betting that he can get more bang for his salary cap buck out from Chris Wormley than he could out of Hargrave.

Colbert makes these gambles every spring. One of the best examples came in the spring of 2013 when Colbert reasoned that dollar-for-play, he could get more out of William Gay than Keenan Lewis. (He was also expecting big things from Cortez Allen, but that’s another story.)

Lewis had budded into a pass-defending machine in his 4th year in Pittsburgh, and seemed to offer an oasis for a team starved for quality cornerback play. William Gay had gone to Arizona and, like Bryant McFadden before him, was back in Pittsburgh a year later.

  • McFadden’s 2nd stint in the Steel City barely registers on the memory-radar.

Yet, William Gay’s return to Pittsburgh heralded the days of Big Play Willie Gay, where he notched 8 interceptions and 5 pick sixes in 5 seasons. Keenan Allen got paid a lot more money in New Orleans, but only had 1 strong season before injuries derailed his career.

Of course, these MoneyBall gambles don’t always work. The Steelers essentially swapped Al Woods for Cam Thomas in 2013 and their defensive line suffered because of it.

However, if Craig Wolfley assessment of Chris Wormley is on the mark, expect Kevin Colbert to win this bet.

Has Steelers free agency left you scrambling? Click here for our Steelers 2020 Free Agent tracker or click here for all Steelers 2020 free agency focus articles.

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Steelers Shouldn’t Tender Restricted Free Agent B.J. Finney – They Should Do a Long Term Contract

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The Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line has literally been a tale of two stories during the Mike Tomlin era. From 2007 to 2013 the Steelers offensive line building philosophy could best be described as “Plug and Patch.”

Both injuries and ineffectiveness forced the Steelers to rotate offensive lineman in and out of the lineup as if they were playing musical chairs.

That began to change in 2014, in part because of the arrival of Mike Munchak and in part because the organization made a commitment to offensive line building.

The shift has seen the Steelers field strong starting offensive lines backed by impressive depth. The 2019 free agency signing period promises to test that dynamic, and the case of restricted free agent B.J. Finney serves as a perfect example.

B.J. Finney, Le'Veon Bell, Alejandro Villanueva, steelers vs bills

B.J. Finney blocks for Le’Veon Bell against the Bills in 2016. Photo Credit: Kevin Hoffman, USA Today Sports, via K-State Slate

Capsule Profile of B.J. Steelers Career

B.J. Finney joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2015 and spent the year on the practice squad.

In 2016, B.J. Finney made the active roster and saw action in relief of injured Ramon Foster against Philadelphia and started the following week against Kansas City in a game that saw Le’Veon Bell explode for 144 yards on the ground. B.J. Finney would also start against Buffalo in the game where Le’Veon Bell broke the Steelers regular season rushing record. Finney also worked at center in the season finale against Cleveland.

In 2017, B.J. Finney started again against Kansas City, Houston and in the season finale against Cleveland. In 2018, appeared in all 16 games and started the contests against the Buccaneers and the Chiefs.

The Case for the Steelers Resigning B.J. Finney

As Pittsburgh painfully learned in the early part of the Tomlin era, you can never have enough good offensive lineman.

And B.J. Finney is a good offensive lineman, who has proven himself as a solid starter at both guard and one who has the position flexibility to play at center if the need should arise. While the Steelers starting front five is arguably the NFL’s best, the unit’s collective age is creeping up.

  • At age 27, B.J. Finney offers Pittsburgh both youth and proven experience.

The wise move would not only to tender Finney so that he stays around in 2019, but to sign him to a long term contract to keep him in Pittsburgh long after that.

Because if the Steelers only offer B.J. Finney a restricted free agent tender, he’ll likely be too expensive to resign in a year’s time. The Steelers should take steps to keep B.J. Finney in Pittsburgh for what promises to be the prime of his career.

The Case Against the Steelers Resigning B.J. Finney

If it ain’t broken, don’t fix it.

Art Rooney II has said he wants to see the entire Steelers offensive line return, and that would imply the team resigning Ramon Foster. And unless Ramon Foster is disposed to offer the Steelers a generous home team discount, that means that finding money to tender B.J. Finney could be prohibitive.

In that context, a long term contract would become luxury the Steelers cannot afford.

Curtain’s Call on the Steelers and B.J. Finney

As a restricted free agent, B.J. Finney isn’t going anywhere. The Steelers most certainly will make him a qualifying tender, the only question is at what level that tender will amount to.

The Steelers have no doubt considered offering a long-term deal to Finney, but whether they proceed along those lines likely depends on what they do with Ramon Foster.

The Steelers seem intent on breaking the stream of steady bad news created by the Antonio Brown soap opera (and his subsequent pot-shots at Ben Roethlisberger) with the feel good story that would be created by resigning Ramon Foster.

Hopefully, Kevin Colbert can find a way to ensure that an either/or situation doesn’t arise between keeping Ramon Foster and B.J. Finney, but if it does the franchise should focus on signing B.J. Finney to a long term contract.

With that said, the likely outcome is an extension for Foster and a restricted free agent tender that keeps B.J. Finney in Pittsburgh for another year.

Has Steelers free agency left you scrambling? Click here for our Steelers 2019 Free Agent tracker or click here for all Steelers 2019 free agency focus articles.

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Kudos to Kevin Colbert for Bringing in Two Free Agents Who Can Start for Steelers

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I don’t know much about the NFL’s salary cap, and chances are, neither do you.

I do know the Steelers need help at both inside linebacker and safety–or at least they did–and I was wondering how they were going to find two competent pieces in free agency.

And if they did that, would they have enough money to pay star running back Le’Veon Bell $14.5 million in 2018 (unless the two sides can reach an agreement, which seems remote at this point).

Turns out, Pittsburgh was able to address both inside linebacker and safety last week, thanks to the signing of veteran linebacker Jon Bostic on Sunday, followed by the signing of veteran safety Morgan Burnett on Tuesday.

Morgan Burnett, Alejandro Villanueva, Steelers vs Packers

Morgan Burnett late in the Steelers 2017 win over the Packers. Photo Credit: Evan Seigle, via Packers.com

According to several pieces I’ve read as well as the site, spotrac.com, Burnett’s salary will eat up just  under $2.5 million in cap space this season. Considering the Morgan Burnett’s contract is worth a reported $14.3 million over three years, that’s kind of amazing–or at least means the money is back-loaded and will account for over $5 million in cap space in 2020 (the final season of Morgan Burnett’s deal).

Morgan Burnett is a consistent veteran and was one of the best pieces on the Packers’ defense the past several seasons, so much credit has to go to the Steelers for being able to bring him to town.

As for Jon Bostic, considering his contract is for $4 million over two seasons, no extensive research is needed to know he won’t eat up much cap space this year or next.

  • But who really cares about cap space, prorated bonuses and contacts? I know I prefer to focus on football.

I do know both Jon Bostic and Morgan Burnett are capable of starting for the Steelers in 2018 and, at least on paper, will make the defense stronger than it was when it was getting manhandled by the Jaguars in 45-42 loss in the divisional round of the playoffs on January 14 at Heinz Field.

They just have to make fans forget how easily the likes of Jacksonville running back Leonard Fournette tore through the defense with ease at Heinz Field in the regular season and then again in the playoffs (don’t look now, but the Jacksonville Jaguars playoff record in Pittsburgh is 2-0).

If Burnett can be a steadying back-end presence in the secondary and that always crucial last line of defense in 2018, he will be an instant upgrade over Mike Mitchell, who all too often wasn’t either of those things in 2017.

Massaging the salary cap is never an easy thing for the Steelers this time of year, but they managed to bring relief to their aching defense, and do so without wrecking the future–or so it would seem.

Maybe Burnett’s $5 million cap hit will hurt the Steelers in 2020. But, then again, maybe quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will be getting on with his life’s work by then (hopefully, with at least one more Super Bowl on his career resume), and the organization will find salary cap relief organically.

  • But I’m not worried about that right now.

I just feel like giving props to the Steelers front office–namely Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin and Omar Khan–for finding a way to get the right pieces for its defense (at least on paper) and doing so at a reasonable price.

Not an easy thing, and this is why they make the big bucks.

Has Steelers free agency left you scrambling? Click here for our Steelers 2018 Free Agent tracker or click here for all Steelers 2018 free agency focus articles.

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