Schefter: Ben to Restructure

[BethlehemSteel]

Ben stated this week he expected something to get worked on this offseason

Ben Roethlisberger - QB - Steelers
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Steelers are expected to restructure Ben Roethlisberger's contract.

It's expected to be done before the new league year begins on March 13. Roethlisberger is entering the final year of his contract, so restructuring at this time allows Pittsburgh more cap space and the room to potentially move on from Antonio Brown, if the team does in fact choose to go that route this offseason. The Steelers would take on $21.25 million in dead cap (space the team won't have until Ben's officially restructured) if Brown is traded

[K_C_]

Yep, this has to mean they're looking to trade AB.

AND THEY SHOULD.

[Kodiak]

Yep, this has to mean they're looking to trade AB.

AND THEY SHOULD.

If AB was a model citizen, and someone made you a crazy good offer....you'd still really have to consider it given their track record drafting receivers, plus all the other weapons you already have on offense.


Could also be a bluff to let AB know they're super-seriouz, sort of like the Ben trade rumors back in the day. Because whatever cap space you don't use just carries over. So this also could just be a move to create cap space if a top-end FA of interest happens to become available.

[Kodiak]

Ben stated this week he expected something to get worked on this offseason

That's worded a little strangely, probably to imply something that might not be there.

I think it was always expected Ben was going to get an extension this year, and normally when they do that they create some additional cap space for potential FA's, but mostly to extend other guys.

So Ben saying he expects to get something done, is referring to his contract EXTENSION....and then Schefter piles on coming in to call it a restructure so he can imply it's to create space to move AB.

[Stillchest]

Yep, this has to mean they're looking to trade AB.

AND THEY SHOULD.

By all accounts, Steelers were intending to give Ben one more contract, before this AB shit show happened. It was going to free up more cap space on top, of the rollover from Bell.

[Kodiak]

By all accounts, Steelers were intending to give Ben one more contract, before this AB shit show happened. It was going to free up more cap space on top, of the rollover from Bell.

It's getting really annoying that people who have been reporting on the NFL for years still have almost no understanding of the cap.

AB's dead money is $21.12M. His cap hit this year is $22.17M....meaning PIT actually SAVES just over $1M in cap moving him. They have to create no cap space to move AB that they weren't going to want/need to create, anyway.

Now, it's true if they trade him for a player that you might need to create some space for that deal...but PIT is currently $28.6M under the cap.

[steelcountry]

By all accounts, Steelers were intending to give Ben one more contract, before this AB shit show happened. It was going to free up more cap space on top, of the rollover from Bell.

It's getting really annoying that people who have been reporting on the NFL for years still have almost no understanding of the cap.

AB's dead money is $21.12M. His cap hit this year is $22.17M....meaning PIT actually SAVES just over $1M in cap moving him. They have to create no cap space to move AB that they weren't going to want/need to create, anyway.

Now, it's true if they trade him for a player that you might need to create some space for that deal...but PIT is currently $28.6M under the cap.

And trading him saves 20M or so in the following two years, which allows you to structure contracts in a way to have low hits this year and higher cap hits next year.

[Kodiak]

And trading him saves 20M or so in the following two years, which allows you to structure contracts in a way to have low hits this year and higher cap hits next year.

Let's assume Ben plays 3-4 more years. If I was going for broke, I'm restructuring/extending him every year such that he has about $40M in dead money after he retires. But you're not paying a franchise QB then, so that dead money is easily absorbed over two years.

The larger issue is that teams pretty much all have the money to extend their own stars, so there's not a lot to choose from to make a big "splash" in FA. In fact, there are so few high-end FA's on the market that teams end-up having to grossly overpay some of their lesser guys because they have to spend 90% of the cap.

Which, the above is an example of why you'd prefer to keep AB. Also why they wanted to keep Bell. No reason to let star players go with the cap going up like $10M every year. But PIT trading AB soley to get more defensive help makes a lot of sense, and I think maybe we'll start seeing more of that in the NFL.

[Steelafan77]

We all suspected this was going to be the case. Some even called it before Haley was shown the exit. After that, Ben changed his tune from, "I need to reflect, pray on it and talk it over with family to be sure I'll return." Now it's, "I'm staying for the next 5 years and I'm gonna restructure including an extension." Hmmm.... Not Surprised!

[drmalba]

Fuck. Goodbye, AB.

[Ice]

Fuck. Goodbye, AB.

Feeling a little nostalgic?

[drmalba]

Fuck. Goodbye, AB.

Feeling a little nostalgic?

Well, the writings not quite on the wall, but for 100+ receptions, 1200+ yards and 15TDs? Yes.

[Ice]

Next man up. Washington will improve. Juju is a star. Vance, Conner and Samuels don't suck, and there's the draft and FA.

[Kodiak]

....Washington will improve. .

I really hope so....but he's not the first we've said that about (Coates, Bryant, Rogers).

Still, I did like what I saw from Washington very late in the year. But I think he's a #3, and Rogers is depth.

[Steelperch]

Yep, this has to mean they're looking to trade AB.

AND THEY SHOULD.

Just like the last 2 times Ben had one year left on his deal he agreed to an extension during the off-season. That plus the fact they are 28 million under the cap even if they cut or trade AB is enough info to say this move has zero to do with Browns future.

[Ice]

....Washington will improve. .

I really hope so....but he's not the first we've said that about (Coates, Bryant, Rogers).

Still, I did like what I saw from Washington very late in the year. But I think he's a #3, and Rogers is depth.

Tough to say. Juju flourished in year one because he got to be the number two almost right out of camp. Didn't really have to look over his shoulder for the guy coming in to replace him, or fight for reps. I think Washington was pressing himself pretty hard, and unlike, say, Limas Sweed, he seems to have, by the last couple games, come out the other side. I think he's got great potential.

Agree about the restructuring, too, Perch. Pretty much business as usual.

[Scunge]

WRs are the easiest position to draft for and to get great production from even as rookies.

Washington was raw, that was not some great secret, but it is possible to draft a WR early who is not raw and can compete at a high level from day one as a rookie. And with Colbert's track record of finding WRs, I think replacing Browns position is not that hard at all.

That is what people have to wrap their heads around, a rookie WR does not have to produce 135 catch, 1,600 yards seasons because even Brown was not going to do that anymore in this offense. If he comes back next season, if fences are mended I expect his production to drop to about 80-85 catches. And that is because Ben and Randy have plans to spread the wealth, no longer will one single WR feast on all of the targets and the others be left for scraps.

That is part of Brown's problem, he does not want to adjust to this new offense.

Yeah, in terms of Ben signing a new extension, Schefter is really saying nothing new, this was always in the cards. As much as we are currently under the cap, the Steelers can free up so much more by extending Ben and Joe Haden. They can also cut/trade Marcus Gilbert. Those 3 moves right there will probably end up pushing us another $20 million under the cap.

[SteelWIll]

extending Ben for tat long means the Mason Rudolph pick was waster...does it not?

[Scunge]

I don't see how it is a wasted pick at all. Rudolph has a typical 4 year rookie contract. If Ben signs a new 3 year extension added to the last year of his current contract and he plays all 4 years then Rudolph can be his backup for the next 3 years. I fully expect him to overtake Dobbs as the #2 QB.

Heading into the 2022 season, Mason would be a free agent and Ben would be in the last year of his deal and would also be 40 years and 7 months old at the start of the season. Who knows if Ben is even playing at that point, he may retire and not play that last season of the extension. Yes, they will have to sign Mason to a new deal or franchise him for that 2022 season but that is 3 years away. To me I like that they have a real prospect behind Ben.

Also, was James Conner a wasted pick when the Steelers chose him? To hear many on this board you would have thought so at the time. Now, he is our Bell cow RB and Bell is no longer a Steeler. Many thought JuJu was a wasteful 2nd round pick, now he may be on the team and Antonio Brown traded.

You just never know how things will play out. Tony Romo may have thought that he had a few more years left to play but Dak Prescott got his chance and Romo was quickly out of football and in the booth. Ben may want to play 4-5 more years but all it takes is one injury and many QBs just fall off a cliff real quick, never knowing what hit them. Best to have contingency plans and hold true to your board and draft for value when you can regardless of whether you think you are set at this position or that position.

[cop1211]

I don’t see Rothlisberger playing past 2 maybe 3 years.

[SteelWIll]

If ben plays 3 more years, u've then wasted 4 years of Rudolph's career...Add on another 2 years for hime to fully absorb starting QB responsibilities, u'r now 6 years into his career---shelf lives don't last forever....

[Steelafan77]

How can the #Steelers deal with the cap hit they’d take if they traded Antonio Brown? 4 words: Restructured Ben Roethlisberger contract.
https://triblive.com/sports/steelers/14 ... g-by-march

Hmmm.... one thing has something to do with another thing.

[tbsteel]

extending Ben for tat long means the Mason Rudolph pick was waster...does it not?

Ben could tear up his knee in August while squatting down to take a shit, or take one more nasty concussion and be done.

Whether you like the Rudolph pick or not, if they thought he had franchise QB potential and he's available in the third round? Then you draft him. No questions asked.

Hopefully he does a lot of growing.

[Kodiak]

In today's league, QB's are a let more ready than ever before. If a guy is going to be a good NFL QB, you can see it right away. Not to say a Pro Bowler is a Pro Bowler from Day 1, but you can tell when a guy has "it".

From what I've seen, Rudolph's ceiling is decent back-up. Dobbs' ceiling is well below that.

[jeemie]

In today's league, QB's are a let more ready than ever before. If a guy is going to be a good NFL QB, you can see it right away. Not to say a Pro Bowler is a Pro Bowler from Day 1, but you can tell when a guy has "it".

From what I've seen, Rudolph's ceiling is decent back-up. Dobbs' ceiling is well below that.

Rudolph has barely played. No one has any idea what his ceiling will be.

I will say in preseason I saw sifferently from you. I saw glimpses of “it”...willingness to make some tough “NFL-open” throws...and they weren’t horrible throws.

So for me the jury is still out on Rudolph.

[Kodiak]

So for me the jury is still out on Rudolph.

Some plays, sure.

But that was the point. Even in preseason, the jury would not still be out. You'd know it when you see it.

When a guy's accuracy is inconsistent, it almost never gets better. And those guys have very low ceilings.

[jeemie]

So for me the jury is still out on Rudolph.

Some plays, sure.

But that was the point. Even in preseason, the jury would not still be out. You'd know it when you see it.

When a guy's accuracy is inconsistent, it almost never gets better. And those guys have very low ceilings.

I disagree.

Not going to make a judgement based on so little data.

[Steelperch]

I don’t see Rothlisberger playing past 2 maybe 3 years.

Why? He’s only 36 and still on top of his game. 4 more seasons takes him to 40. Basically Brady and Brees this year and both are coming back next.