Steelers purge continues - ILB James Farrior cut

[MoLewisrocks]

per his agent on twitter.

Andrew Brandt‏@adbrandt

The Steelers have mortgaged $26M of contracts this year, after $12M last year, for $38M of Cap pushed out. And now come the cuts.

There may no longer be a cap hell, but there is definitely a cap heck. And for the Steelers it may last beyond the time when the cap increases because they have pushed forward so much money to keep a window open. Unless of course they stop re-mortgaging.

They will now be hard pressed to maintain let alone upgrade a team that needs improving based on last season. Even with all the cuts they will be hard pressed to match any offer on Wallace, although it may well be they prefer the pick with good reason...

 

[Ring 6]

per his agent on twitter.



There may no longer be a cap hell, but there is definitely a cap heck. And for the Steelers it may last beyond the time when the cap increases because they have pushed forward so much money to keep a window open. Unless of course they stop re-mortgaging.

They will now be hard pressed to maintain let alone upgrade a team that needs improving based on last season. Even with all the cuts they will be hard pressed to match any offer on Wallace, although it may well be they prefer the pick with good reason...

I dont know what is more cap hell than having to cut players you want, push money into the future (so you continue to have to cut players you want) and be unable to bring anyone in. I think the 2012 Steelers are in worse cap hell than any team I remember, and the Jets are in similar shape.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Jets, Steelers, Colts in trouble.
Perennial AFC powerhouse Patriots in good cap shape.
It's time for emergency intervention by Commissioner Goodell!

 

[everlong]

Really Farrior and Ward weren't much beyond leadership at this point. The real issues haven't even come to the surface yet.

Clark 32
Polumalu 30
Harrison 33
Keisel 33
Hampton 34
Aaron Smith 35
Chris Noke 35
Taylor 31

And on offense they are unlikely to resign Wallace.

I keep hearing from Steeler fans that Heyward, Hood and Worilds are good to go but the evidence on the field doesn't support that. I have no doubt they'll fill in their needs at LB. They have a long history of rolling from generation to generation and identifying guys who fit their system. I'm not convinced on the D-Line though. Hampton and Smith are special players and I'm even less sure about them replacing those safeties.

They're not going to fall off the map but unless they knock the ball out of the park in the next few drafts they're going to be an also ran because they can't spend to fix.

EDIT: Those ages are the start of last season so they'll be a year older.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Jets, Steelers, Colts in trouble.
Perennial AFC powerhouse Patriots in good cap shape.
It's time for emergency intervention by Commissioner Goodell!

Gotta keep those Ravens from signing Wallace now

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Gotta keep those Ravens from signing Wallace now

Given their QB, I'd love to see the Ravens piss away cap on a WR rather than re-stocking their aged defense. Sad fact is that the Ravens, unlike past threats Colts, Jets, Steelers, will still be a strong contenders for AFC Champs.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Really Farrior and Ward weren't much beyond leadership at this point. The real issues haven't even come to the surface yet.

Clark 32
Polumalu 30
Harrison 33
Keisel 33
Hampton 34
Aaron Smith 35
Chris Noke 35
Taylor 31

And on offense they are unlikely to resign Wallace.

I keep hearing from Steeler fans that Heyward, Hood and Worilds are good to go but the evidence on the field doesn't support that. I have no doubt they'll fill in their needs at LB. They have a long history of rolling from generation to generation and identifying guys who fit their system. I'm not convinced on the D-Line though. Hampton and Smith are special players and I'm even less sure about them replacing those safeties.

They're not going to fall off the map but unless they knock the ball out of the park in the next few drafts they're going to be an also ran because they can't spend to fix.

EDIT: Those ages are the start of last season so they'll be a year older.

Not to mention Big Ben gets hit often and as he proceeeds into his early 30s those leg injuries he obtains almost annually behind a horrid OL are going to become more and more harder to withstand.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Given their QB, I'd love to see the Ravens piss away cap on a WR rather than re-stocking their aged defense. Sad fact is that the Ravens, unlike past threats Colts, Jets, Steelers, will still be a strong contenders for AFC Champs.

As long as Flacco continues to improve and distance himself from mediocre QBs like Sanchez,the more dangerous they become.

Speaking of the Jets...they want to sign Jarred Johnson away from Baltimore.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Jets, Steelers, Colts in trouble.
Perennial AFC powerhouse Patriots in good cap shape.
It's time for emergency intervention by Commissioner Goodell!

Colts are in trouble, but it's not cap related. It's more Polian/Irsay utter mismanagement related. Unless they decide to keep Manning and draft Luck, in which case they will then be in cap heck so to speak... but mostly because they got lots of holes and gaps to fill, but absent Manning they will be at around $100M against the cap so they could be players in mid level FA. Moreso if they get Freeney to restructure via extension, as long as they don't overpay him to. And Clark too. They got some gaping holes at WR and TE that young Andrew is going to have to grapple with. And god only knows what the new HC and GM are going to do with the Tampa 2 defensive personnel they inherited. They've gotta hit big on their draft picks and with the #1 bounty going to just draft Luck it won't be easy to upgrade via the draft.

 

[THELAWFIRM226]

Not to mention Big Ben gets hit often and as he proceeeds into his early 30s those leg injuries he obtains almost annually behind a horrid OL are going to become more and more harder to withstand.

All that sexual assault tends to take a toll on the lower body as well. He is essentially aging in dog years at this point.

 

[DaBruinz]

Really Farrior and Ward weren't much beyond leadership at this point. The real issues haven't even come to the surface yet.

Clark 32
Polumalu 30
Harrison 33
Keisel 33
Hampton 34
Aaron Smith 35
Chris Noke 35
Taylor 31

And on offense they are unlikely to resign Wallace.

I keep hearing from Steeler fans that Heyward, Hood and Worilds are good to go but the evidence on the field doesn't support that. I have no doubt they'll fill in their needs at LB. They have a long history of rolling from generation to generation and identifying guys who fit their system. I'm not convinced on the D-Line though. Hampton and Smith are special players and I'm even less sure about them replacing those safeties.

They're not going to fall off the map but unless they knock the ball out of the park in the next few drafts they're going to be an also ran because they can't spend to fix.

EDIT: Those ages are the start of last season so they'll be a year older.

Aaron Smith has been cut and Chris Hoke is retiring. Just as an update..

 

[everlong]

Aaron Smith has been cut and Chris Hoke is retiring. Just as an update..

Yep..........Smith when healthy can still play. The problem is he can't do it for an entire season. It would be interesting if the Pats took a run at him and put him on the PUP and didn't bring him back until the last possible moment and save him for a playoff run. He can be had for cheap money.

 

[patfanken]

The Steelers certainly got themselves into trouble, and their aging defense and vulnerable OL are certainly problems. However I read today (PFT) where they have already cut $37MM off their cap #, with cuts and restructures, and are now under the cap. It would seem they did it by letting go guys who SHOULD be let go, Ward Smith, Hoke, and Farrior have all come to the end. That SHOULD allow the Steelers to sign their draft picks, keep Wallace at the RFA first round tag (though he might be pissed and any offer they get the Steelers won't be able to match), and have a little left over to shop at the bargain bin.

Given the division they play in (IMHO the toughest), it could be a tough couple of years for Steeler fans. I also think that now is the time for the Steelers to start looking for the "next" QB. I think because of the way he plays, the physical abuse that Rothlessberger takes will take its toll. He's not going to be the kind of QB who has great success into his mid 30's like Brady and Manning.