Pittsburgh Steelers Free Agency: Projecting Contract Offers for Pittsburgh
After a two-year absence, the Pittsburgh Steelers made a return trip to the playoffs in 2014. In order to make it two appearances in a row, Kevin Colbert must take an aggressive but smart approach to the offseason to remain competitive.
The Steelers have a first-place schedule next year, which includes games against four division champions. That will make it difficult to repeat as division champions unless they make some improvements to their roster.
Rather than spend big money in free agency, the Steelers would prefer to build through the draft. However, this is not always an option, as there are immediate needs that must be filled with veteran players. That leaves free agency as the best option.
According to Spotrac.com, the Steelers have more than $136 million committed to 38 players who are under contract for 2015. With the salary cap predicted to rise between $138 and $141 million, per Jarrett Bell of USA Today Sports, Colbert will have to make several moves to free up additional space.
Whether it's through the release of overpaid veterans or by restructuring contracts, the Steelers will have plenty of room to work with once free agency begins. Although there will not be enough cap space to sign one of the top free agents on the market, there will be plenty of options for Colbert and Pittsburgh’s front office come March.
Here is a preview of five contract offers that the Steelers should make this offseason.
Ben Roethlisberger, Quarterback
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Ben Roethlisberger may not be a free agent, but he is the top priority for the Steelers during the offseason.
At 32 years old, Roethlisberger is no longer in the prime of his career, but you would never know it. He just had the best statistical season of his career and may still have his best days ahead of him. With a young corps of skill players in place, Pittsburgh’s offense has the chance to develop into one of the NFL’s best for years to come.
In recent years, Roethlisberger has played under a contract, which places him in the middle of the pack in terms of average pay per year. To put things in perspective, Matt Ryan, Colin Kaepernick, Jay Cutler, Alex Smith and Andy Dalton all have a higher per-year average than Roethlisberger.
That will change this offseason as Roethlisberger figures to sign his final contract with the Steelers. However, do not expect him to take a team-friendly deal after playing out his contract last season. Roethlisberger said that he already provided the team with a discount, via Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
“Playing this year at my current salary, it's kind of taking a hometown discount,” Roethlisberger said. “I've played seven years on my current contract, which is the most of any (NFL) player or any quarterback. … It is kind of taking a discount compared to maybe where it could be compared to other quarterbacks.”
Instead, Roethlisberger will sign a long-term deal that will make him one of the highest-paid quarterbacks in the league and keep him in Pittsburgh for the remainder of his career.
Predicted Contract: Six years, $126 million
Cameron Heyward, Defensive End
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Not only do the Steelers have to handle the contract of their best offensive player, but they must do the same with their best defensive player. Cameron Heyward was consistently Pittsburgh’s best defender and emerged as a team leader.
Heyward is in the fifth-year option of his contract, which will pay him $6,969,000 this season. The Steelers could allow him to play out the season and tag him next year, or they can work on a long-term extension. The latter is the better option.
The 6’5”, 288-pounder has quickly established himself as one of the best 3-4 defensive ends in the league. In his two seasons as a starter, Heyward has 112 tackles, 12.5 sacks—including 7.5 in 2014—and 11 passes defensed.
Heyward’s experience and production makes him comparable with another young, talented 3-4 defensive—Jurrell Casey. He signed a four-year, $36 million deal last season, which places him as the fourth-highest paid 3-4 defensive end in the league, per Over the Cap.
Expect Heyward to sign a similar deal with the Steelers but for more years. Last year, they signed Cortez Allen for five years and Marcus Gilbert for six years. The extra year helps distribute the signing bonus and lower the cap value for this season.
Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette predicts that the Steelers will sign Heyward to a five-year, $40 million deal. That deal would place him right where he belongs—as one of the highest-paid 3-4 defensive ends in the league.
Predicted Contract: Five years, $40 million
Brice McCain, Cornerback
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With three free-agent cornerbacks, the Steelers have decisions to make with their defensive backfield. They could re-sign Brice McCain and Antwon Blake and look to the draft to find a fifth cornerback. The other option is to upgrade through free agency.
As much as fans want to see the Steelers dip into the free-agent pool and sign a cornerback, it is not how the front office operates. Over the years, they have signed Kimo von Oelhoffen, James Farrior, Ryan Clark and Mike Mitchell as starters.
Beyond these players, Pittsburgh typically signs free agents for depth or as stopgaps. Therefore, expect Colbert to take a similar approach this year and re-sign McCain and Blake to rejoin William Gay and Allen in the defensive backfield.
McCain was an afterthought in training camp but finished the year with 10 starts, including the playoffs. He earned a spot in the starting lineup ahead of Allen, who was benched midseason. Once on the field, he contributed as an outside defender as well as in the slot.
At only 5’9,” McCain does not have the ideal size to match up against the bigger receivers in the league, but he did demonstrate his ability as a playmaker. He recovered one fumble, had six passes defended and tied for the team lead with three interceptions—including one for a touchdown.
Scott Brown of ESPN.com believes that McCain may have earned a bigger role in Pittsburgh’s secondary moving forward:
“McCain played well enough to think he might be more than a stopgap as the Steelers' retool their secondary. Signing McCain, who is only 28, before he becomes an unrestricted free agent in March could be a priority for the Steelers.”
The Steelers should re-sign McCain to a multiyear deal that will allow him to contribute as a nickel back, No. 4 corner or spot starter. In essence, a deal very similar to when they re-signed Gay in 2013.
Predicted Contract: Three years, $4.2 million
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Knowshon Moreno, Running Back
4 of 5
The Steelers made an effort to improve their depth at running back by signing LeGarrette Blount to a two-year deal. He would not last the season, leaving the Steelers with the least-experienced backfield in the league.
Nothing against Dri Archer or Josh Harris, but neither player is a viable backup for one of the league’s best running backs, Le’Veon Bell. As they did last year, the Steelers need to find a legitimate backup in free agency.
Ideally, the Steelers will find a running back who is not only effective at carrying the ball but who is also a competent blocker and receiver. Those types of backs are rare, but it doesn’t mean that they shouldn’t try.
Knowshon Moreno not only meets many of those criteria but will be an affordable option.
In October, Moreno suffered a torn ACL and figures to gain little traction on the free-agent market. This is ideal for a team like the Steelers, who will look for an effective veteran running back at a very low cost.
Moreno is a talented back when healthy. He rushed for 3,616 yards and averaged at least 4.3 yards per carry in four of his six seasons. He is a capable receiver as well, with 158 career receptions, and has a nose for the end zone, with 36 total touchdowns.
Besides his production as a runner and receiver, Moreno is a capable blocker as well. With this type of balance, he would make an ideal candidate to back up Bell. However, Moreno has an extensive injury history—including his ACL tear in 2014—and only has 45 starts in six seasons.
The Steelers can offer Moreno the veteran minimum and allow him to rebuild his credentials as a backup for one year in Pittsburgh.
Predicted Contract: One year, $970,000
Jason Worilds, Outside Linebacker
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The free-agent market is loaded with pass-rushers, including elite free agent Justin Houston. As much as he would help upgrade the Steelers’ pass rush, there is zero chance that he ends up in Pittsburgh. That leaves the Steelers to sift through the secondary and tertiary options.
Outside linebackers such as Brian Orakpo, Pernell McPhee, Brandon Graham and Jabaal Sheard will gain some traction on the message boards and Twitter as potential options for the Steelers, but in the end, they will stick with what they know.
Although this would represent more of the same—meaning lack of pass rush—for the Steelers defense, it is also the safest option.
Orakpo has a history of injuries. Graham and Sheard may be better suited as rush ends in a 4-3 defense. McPhee, while productive last year, has to prove himself as a starter. Worilds not only has starting experience but has 24.5 sacks in five years—including 14.5 over the last two seasons.
Beyond anything that we have seen on the field, the Steelers may have forced themselves into keeping Worilds, per Mark Kaboly of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
"Just like with Cortez Allen last year, the Steelers may have no choice but to bring back Worilds on a long-term deal even if they have to overpay a bit. It's their best option. Worilds wasn't used properly last season as he was asked to drop into coverage more and rush from different angles, resulting in a pedestrian 7.5 sacks. New defensive coordinator Keith Butler could utilize Worilds better than Dick LeBeau.
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The Steelers lacked depth at cornerback and, as a result, Allen received a long-term contract. Previously, they used multiple tags on Max Starks because he was the only player capable of filling the void at left tackle. It is the same case with Worilds given that Jarvis Jones is the only outside linebacker under contract for 2015.
Rather than place a franchise tag on Worilds, which would cost the team $13.08 million in cap space (h/t Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com), the Steelers will work out a long-term contract.
Worilds ranks as the seventh-best edge defender in this year’s free-agent class, per Pro Football Focus. That is four spots below Graham, who wants an average of $7 to $8 million per year, according to Tim McManus of Philadelphia Magazine.
With more starting experience, expect Worilds’ demands to be higher than Graham's. The tricky part becomes the total number of years.
The Steelers do not want to make the same mistake as they did with LaMarr Woodley when they signed him to a six-year deal, but they may not have a choice. Look for the Steelers to lock up Worilds for five years while compensating him as one of the top-10 pass-rushers in the NFL.
Predicted Contract: Five years, $42.5 million
Note: Unless otherwise noted, all stats are courtesy of ESPN.com, all salary information is courtesy of Spotrac.com and all roster information is courtesy of Steelers.com.
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