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Extension season.


warfelg

Who are you keeping  

7 members have voted

  1. 1. What combo do you keep?

    • DJ/Fitz
      2
    • DJ/Boz
      1
    • Fitz/Boz
      4


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I wanted to add some fun to this discussion. We’ve got 3/4 big extensions happening this year (depends if you want to count Tuitt). All 3 are going to be in line to demand top or near top of their position pay. 
 

So let’s make a little game:

You are the GM and can only retain 2 of the 3.  No cheating and using the tag on one of them to keep all three, you can only sign two and lose the third to free agency.  Additionally, they get paid in the range I set, but you can make up the contract. 

Diontae Johnson, WR. He will sign to a deal at top 15 AAV for WR for 4 years minimum with 40% GTD. 
 

Minkah Fitzpatrick, FS. He will sign a deal at top 3 AAV for S for 3 years minimum but will take only 30% GTD. 
 

Chris Boswell, K. He will sign a deal second only to Tucker, 4 years minimum, 60% GTD. 
 

What combo are you signing?

Edited by warfelg
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16 minutes ago, warfelg said:

I wanted to add some fun to this discussion. We’ve got 3/4 big extensions happening this year (depends if you want to count Tuitt). All 3 are going to be in line to demand top or near top of their position pay. 
 

So let’s make a little game:

You are the GM and can only retain 2 of the 3.  No cheating and using the tag on one of them to keep all three, you can only sign two and lose the third to free agency.  Additionally, they get paid in the range I set, but you can make up the contract. 

Diontae Johnson, WR. He will sign to a deal at top 15 AAV for WR for 4 years minimum with 40% GTD. 
 

Minkah Fitzpatrick, FS. He will sign a deal at top 3 AAV for S for 3 years minimum but will take only 30% GTD. 
 

Chris Boswell, K. He will sign a deal second only to Tucker, 4 years minimum, 60% GTD. 
 

What combo are you signing?

I feel like it has to be Minkah and Boz. I'm probably higher on DJ than most but Minkah is at a minimum top 5 at his position and Boz is 2nd only to the best place kicker of all time. DJ maybe cracks the top 20 WR, if I'm being generous, and plays at a position that this team has long had success replacing through the draft.

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Fitz contract based on your parameters would be like 5/80…

Box would be roughly 4/$19.75 mill

I would do those 2 over DJ even though in a real life scenario the Steelers can afford all 3 going forward.

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Boz will absolutely be resigned.   Of that I have little doubt.

I worry about Fitz.    I want to keep him, but he hasnt looked like even a top 10 safety since mid 2020.      He was so mediocre in 2021.     I get he didnt have much help around him, but a top 5 player shouldnt look that bad, regardless of who is around him.   He regularly takes bad angles and isnt a very inconsistent tackler.     I think he is more hype than substance at this point.     Good player, but not great, and certainly not elite.    Maybe he can get back to being great, but again, if you need an elite defense around you to make you look great....then you probably arent THAT great.     

That being said....we will probably give him a huge contract.

Ive already made my feelings clear about DJ.    WR salaries got destroyed this offseason.    Baltimore was smart and traded a guy they knew was going to be overpaid.      We couldve likely gotten a first for DJ if Brown was able to get that for the Ravens.      Diontae is a good player and has the talent to be even more....but I dont think he has the head to put it all together.       He hasnt grown a ton over the years.     I believe he is a nice piece to have, but he is a glorified number 2 WR.     I dont see him as a dependable 1 option.   I believe if he is your one, you are going to have some issues because of how unreliable he is at times.     Again, I wouldnt mind keeping him, but not for the outlandish salary I guarantee he will be looking for.

My guess is Boz and Fitz are resigned....and DJ gets tagged next offseason unless the two rookies really show a decent bit.

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5 hours ago, 43M said:

Boz will absolutely be resigned.   Of that I have little doubt.

I worry about Fitz.    I want to keep him, but he hasnt looked like even a top 10 safety since mid 2020.      He was so mediocre in 2021.     I get he didnt have much help around him, but a top 5 player shouldnt look that bad, regardless of who is around him.   He regularly takes bad angles and isnt a very inconsistent tackler.     I think he is more hype than substance at this point.     Good player, but not great, and certainly not elite.    Maybe he can get back to being great, but again, if you need an elite defense around you to make you look great....then you probably arent THAT great.     

That being said....we will probably give him a huge contract.

Ive already made my feelings clear about DJ.    WR salaries got destroyed this offseason.    Baltimore was smart and traded a guy they knew was going to be overpaid.      We couldve likely gotten a first for DJ if Brown was able to get that for the Ravens.      Diontae is a good player and has the talent to be even more....but I dont think he has the head to put it all together.       He hasnt grown a ton over the years.     I believe he is a nice piece to have, but he is a glorified number 2 WR.     I dont see him as a dependable 1 option.   I believe if he is your one, you are going to have some issues because of how unreliable he is at times.     Again, I wouldnt mind keeping him, but not for the outlandish salary I guarantee he will be looking for.

My guess is Boz and Fitz are resigned....and DJ gets tagged next offseason unless the two rookies really show a decent bit.

A competent defense would be a nice start, particularly against the run so he's not having to put up most tackles on the team and play like a box safety.

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7 hours ago, BradfordSteeler said:

A competent defense would be a nice start, particularly against the run so he's not having to put up most tackles on the team and play like a box safety.

Okay...thats kinda my point though.   He isnt an extremely well rounded player.   He needs help to cover up flaws in his game.   I dont necessarily have an issue with that, but I do have an issue with paying that type of player top end money.   

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5 minutes ago, 43M said:

Okay...thats kinda my point though.   He isnt an extremely well rounded player.   He needs help to cover up flaws in his game.   I dont necessarily have an issue with that, but I do have an issue with paying that type of player top end money.   

He needs competence around him so he's not having to do the job of two players, that isn't the same thing as having flaws in his game. Unless you consider not being two people a flaw.

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I agree with @AFFthat they probably won't have to choose with as much cap and flexibility they will have moving forward these next few years. 

But if I had pick 2 of the 3 it would be for Boz and Minkah. 

IMO, it would be malpractice not to do everything you can to maximize the years you have with Kenny on a rookie deal. Letting DJ walk for a hardline in the sand of $18M when he wants $20M would be a mistake,  if money was the defining factor. 

Having said that, the best way to help a young QB is playing top level defense and never missing an opportunity at points when you get inside the opponents territory -- Boz and Minkah check those boxes. Minkah helps eliminate big plays and can take the football away. Boz makes getting to the 35 a money points opportunity. As much as I would want to maintain DJ for the next 2 years as Pickens and Austin get their feet wet, I think keeping 39 and 9 would have greater impact. 

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37 minutes ago, BradfordSteeler said:

He needs competence around him so he's not having to do the job of two players, that isn't the same thing as having flaws in his game. Unless you consider not being two people a flaw.

I think this sums up Minkah’s year last year pretty well. It wasn’t so much “the defense was bad so he played bad.” To my eye it seemed like he was constantly having to make up for the front 7’s mistakes. It’s never good when your deep cover safety is leading the league in tackles for a safety. Tuitt and Alualu returning combined with Myles Jack and hopefully a bounce back year for Bush will do wonders for Minkah imo.

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1 hour ago, 43M said:

Okay...thats kinda my point though.   He isnt an extremely well rounded player.   He needs help to cover up flaws in his game.   I dont necessarily have an issue with that, but I do have an issue with paying that type of player top end money.   

So does everyone not names Aaron Donald and TJ Watt. Just sayin. 

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So @AFF and @Dcash4, it’s not fun to do this when you can say “whatever, it’s funny money, they can make it work” to have these discussions. Because in reality you also go DL depth, Tuitt in a contract year, Bush in a contract year, 2 maybe 3 CBs that need replaced. Those are lower level players that, yes, may not cost as much or have a huge impact if kept; but if not will cost more to go outside the organization to replace. Therefore it’s unlikely you will want to keep all 3 highly paid guys. 

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It may not be fun, but that doesn't make it untrue. Tuitt and Bush are both likely on their way out. The CBs (outside of Sutton) are signed for 2 years and extension money wouldn't hit until year 3. Cap is back on its normal $10M+ YOY growth trajectory and has new TV money about to drop. We currently have the 4th highest cap space next year, 8th highest the year after. We signed $100M worth of contracts at a first year cap hit of 30%. Theres about $16M worth of cap savings in cuts just from dudes that are pretty redundant now. 

I do agree it's less fun to say "hey they can pay anyone", which is why we both answered the question as its a better discussion. But they 100% could sign all three with no issues whatsoever if they wanted to.

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2 hours ago, warfelg said:

So does everyone not names Aaron Donald and TJ Watt. Just sayin. 

Not really.   

Im not saying one player has to do it all, but truly elite players dont fall off like Minkah did.   

Minkah is more OJ Atogwe than Ed Reed.

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6 hours ago, warfelg said:

So @AFF and @Dcash4, it’s not fun to do this when you can say “whatever, it’s funny money, they can make it work” to have these discussions. Because in reality you also go DL depth, Tuitt in a contract year, Bush in a contract year, 2 maybe 3 CBs that need replaced. Those are lower level players that, yes, may not cost as much or have a huge impact if kept; but if not will cost more to go outside the organization to replace. Therefore it’s unlikely you will want to keep all 3 highly paid guys. 

Off of memory, I think they had $40-$45 mill to play with and signed/resigned 8 starters(pre draft)…Cole/Daniels/Chuks/edmunds//Witherspoon/Wallace/Trubisky…2 depth pieces in Adams and Boykin/2 STs guys in Killebrew and Gunner…and still have $12 mill before signing draft picks and their in season buffer of $5-$7 mill Thry like having.

Thru currently have $60 mill in 2023 before this years draft class is signed and/or extensions for Fitzpatrick/Boswell etc etc….that’s before factoring the probable $8 mill they save for Trubisky when they cut him.

You saw what the Pack and Saints did with the cap this offseason…the Steelers are pretty much free to go after whatever they want next offseason.

For your exercise I chose Minkah and Boz…we may disagree on if they should pay DJ outside of this exercise and that’s fine.

With your parameters in the OP, it be something like 4/$18-$20 mill per with roughly $35-$40 mill guaranteed…I’d probably do that with how stupid FA spending is at WR with people like Chark getting $10 mill on a 1 year deal.

 

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