Stealers cap situation for 2012 a complete disaster

[52decleetzu]

Projected with cap numbers

Quarterback: (3)

Ben Roethilsberger....16,920,000 UC
Dennis Dixon..............1,000,000 UFA
Charlie Batch..............1,000,000 UFA

Sub Total - 18,920,000

Running Back: (5)

Rashard Mendenhall.....3,427,500 UC
Issac Redman.................540,000 EFA
Mewelde Moore.............1,000,000 UFA
Jonathan Dwyer...............565,948 UC
David Johnson..............1,260,000 RFA

Sub Total - 6,793,448

Offensive Line: (10)

Maurkice Pouncey...........2,166,750 UC
Marcus Gilbert...................733,503 UC
Jonathan Scott...............2,700,000 UC
Ramon Foster.................1,260,000 RFA
Doug Legursky................1,260,000 RFA
Trai Essex.......................1,000,000 UFA
Jamon Meredith..................800,000 UC
Willie Colon.....................5,700,000 UC
Greg Warren.......................925,000 UC
Max Starks?.....................1,000,000 UFA

Sub Total - 17,545,253

Tight End: (3)

Heath Miller.....................7,070,500 UC
Weslye Saunders................466,333 UC
UDFA.................................100,000 N/A

Sub Total - 7,636,833

Wide Receiver: (5)

Mike Wallace....................2,750,000 RFA
Antonio Brown.....................564,359 UC
Emmanuel Sanders..............735,357 UC
Jerricho Cotchery..............1,000,000 UFA
Arnez Battle.....................1,362,500 UC

Sub Total - 6,412,216

Defensive End: (4)

Evander Hood...................1,728,535 UC
Cameron Heyward.............1,523,870 UC
Draft Pick(2)........................700,000 N/A
Draft Pick (5).......................400,000 N/A

Sub Total - 4,352,405

Defensive Tackle: (4)

Steve McLendon...................540,000 EFA
Draft Pick (1).....................1,200,000 N/A
Draft Pick (6)........................300,000 N/A
UDFA....................................100,000 N/A

Sub Total - 2,140,000

Outside Linebacker: (4)

LaMarr Woodley..................11,500,000 UC
James Harrison.....................9,030,000 UC
Jason Worilds..........................895,000 UC
Chris Carter............................505,700 UC

Sub Total - 21,930,700

Inside Linebacker: (3)

Lawrence Timmons................9,125,000 UC
Farrior/Foote.........................3,825,000 UC
Stevenson Sylvester.................578,854 UC

Sub total - 13,528,854

Corner: (6)

Keenan Lewis.......................1,260,000 RFA
William Gay.........................1,250,000 UFA
Curtis Brown...........................595,300 UC
Cortez Allen............................562,875 UC
Draft Pick(4)............................400,000 N/A
Draft Pick (7)...........................100,000 N/A

Sub Total - 4,168,175

Safety: (4)

Troy Polamalu.......................8,887,500 UC
Ryan Clark............................4,250,000 UC
Ryan Mundy..........................1,260,000 RFA
Draft Pick(3)............................600,000 N/A

Sub Total - 14,997,500

Kicker and Punter: (2)

Kicker......................................750,000 N/A
Punter......................................400,000 N/A

Sub Total - 1,150,000

Now all that comes out to around $117 million for the top 51 salaries. I used the bare minimum for every RFA and draft pick, when I think that will be a little higher. I also used the bare minimum for every UFA they bring back, and that could also easily be higher by a couple million.

They already have dead money of 2.4 million from previous years to add to that. So let's just say they are at $120 million when you factor that in. The final question is how much dead money are they going to have from all the cuts they have to make this year, and I don't know the answer to that right now. It is probably going to be around $6-8 million which would then put them slightly over the projected cap of $122. Then they are going to have to restructure some deals to make up for that space.

So the question is Steelfan, how does that team on paper compare to this year?

Also one note on Colon who you thought would get cut....there are virtually no savings by cutting him (900k). Being that you would have to replace him with new salary it doesn't make any sense to cut him. I also just noticed Ike Taylor is not on that list, and I think it is going to come down to either him or Clark being back. Taylor has a whopping 7.4 cap number with about 2.125 savings if he is cut, and Clark is at 4.25 cap number and 1.75 in savings.

Due to the cap situation it would make sense to keep Clark, he makes less and plays a position you can survive longer. And if you put Taylor on there and cut Clark, you have to add another $3 million to the numbers I posted. Problem is of you cut Taylor that cap hit is gonna be big since he just signed recently. I think that is going to be one of the toughest decisions to make. You really could afford "on the field" to lose Clark more, but cap wise you need to get rid of Taylor's huge salary. Also without Taylor the CB group is probably one of the worst in the NFL, you need him. But without Clark you can get by with a younger safety and Polamalu on the back end much easier.

But I think this is the team you are likely to see, only change might be substituting Taylor for Clark. And maybe an Oline draft pick substituting for one of those guys listed on the 53 man.

One thing about restructuring all the big contracts again, if that happens you are likely to have about $70-75 million in salary tied up in your top 6 players in 2013. Right now they make up about $58 million for 2012 with no restructuring.