Steelers 2021 Cap

[BCJet]

The Steelers are projected to be $19 million over the 2021 Cap and have two free agents who would be very attractive to the Jets in Bud Dupree and JuJu Smith-Shuster.

On top of that, they have Tremaine Edmonds, TJ Watt, and Minkah Fitzpatrick who will all be free agents after the 2021 season.  Edmunds is a bit of a question mark, but I cannot see how they wouldnt need to pay Watt and Minkah.  Now Ben's contract will come off the books at some point, giving them cap space, but given their depth of WRs with Claypool, Dionte Smith and James Washington I can't see how they would keep Juju.

More importantly, the Steelers constantly re-load at OLB and as awesome as Dupree is, can they really pay him and Watt $20+ million each?  They likely would rather find a young OLB to groom next to Watt and pay him in 2022.

Either way, as much as JD wants to bargain shop in FA, I think Dupree would be worth the huge contract as he will be 28 on opening day next year, fills a position of huge need and brings speed and pass rushing ability to the defense that I dont think we can find in the late first of this draft.

[Jetlife33]

Knowing the Steelers they’ll find a way to keep all of their home grown talent, with that said I’ve been saying for years I want JuJu. Hopefully it happens. 

[Defense Wins Championships]

I'd absolutely love JuJu Smith-Schuster who's currently only 23 years of age (I want JuJu more than I want Allen Robinson due to JuJu's youth and future).

JuJu Smith-Schuster and Denzel Mims on the outside would immediately become an awesome WR duo for Trevor Lawrence to walk right into. 

I absolutely love everything about this kid and he's selfless too, the perfect teammate who doesn't demand touches as typical WR divas; and just wants to win. 

[jgb]

Steelers are incredible at finding WRs. Not sure if this is talent eval, development or the system/QB -- likely a combination. Ju Ju is a goner IMHO.

[Untouchable]

I think both JuJu and Dupree will end up on the market.

There probably hasn’t been a better team over the last 25 years at developing WR and EDGE talent than the Steelers.

I don’t see any way that they dish out two $100 million contracts to those guys. The big money will go towards re-signing Watt and Fitzpatrick.

And if I’m the Jets, I make a move for Dupree over JuJu who does his best work out of the slot anyway.

If you’re paying big money to a wideout, then go after true outside guys like Robinson and Godwin.

[Bugg]

If Douglas is not on Shuster's doorstep at 0001 hours on the first day of free agency, he isn't doing his job. A great player and a good guy at a position of need.

[FidelioJet]

If you get JuJu, paired with Mims.  It gives you the flexibility to go TE, RB and/or OL with our other two top picks (Seattle and 33/34)

If not one of those two has to be a WR.  Can still be a WR but that flexibility would be amazing.

Just thinking about TL, Mims, Juju, a TE at 20, RB at 33 - Take a guard/Center with the Darnold pick (hoping in the 2nd)

Also, sign the best Guard you can find in FA.

You have now rebuilt the offensive in one off-season...

[Scott Dierking]

1 minute ago, FidelioJet said:

If you get JuJu, paired with Mims.  It gives you the flexibility to go TE, RB and/or OL with our other two top picks (Seattle and 33/34)

If not one of those two has to be a WR.  Can still be a WR but that flexibility would be amazing.

Just thinking about TL, Mims, Juju, a TE at 20, RB at 33 - Take a guard/Center with the Darnold pick (hoping in the 2nd)

Also, sign the best Guard you can find in FA.

You have no rebuilt the offensive in one off-season...

One TRUE #1 WR brings this receiver group to credibility

One TRUE difference maker in the interior Line will make that group very good.

They need to figure out the edge rush conundrum. They can't keep subsisting without one.

They need that number ONE CB.

And, of course, the QB.

That is a LOT to ask. But the jets have the ammunition to get many of those. Fill those slots, and the rest of the rebuild becomes a lot easier.

[sec101row23]

26 minutes ago, Untouchable said:

I think both JuJu and Dupree will end up on the market.

There probably hasn’t been a better team over the last 25 years at developing WR and EDGE talent than the Steelers.

I don’t see any way that they dish out two $100 million contracts to those guys. The big money will go towards re-signing Watt and Fitzpatrick.

And if I’m the Jets, I make a move for Dupree over JuJu who does his best work out of the slot anyway.

If you’re paying big money to a wideout, then go after true outside guys like Robinson and Godwin.

I’d prefer Godwin as well but it’s un-likely Tampa lets him walk, they have some cap space ($30M) and room to make more with some creative accounting.  JuJu, although lining up in the slot isn’t a traditional “slot” though.  Much like Michael Thomas lines up in the slot a lot, JuJu has way more versatility.  Justin Jefferson with Minnesota is another guy who lines up inside.   Honestly, if you have Mims, JuJu, Crowder, a rookie like Olave and even bring back Perriman on a cheap deal, you start stacking some depth at the position and start looking like an actual NFL offense.  

[32EBoozer]

16 minutes ago, Untouchable said:

I think both JuJu and Dupree will end up on the market.

There probably hasn’t been a better team over the last 25 years at developing WR and EDGE talent than the Steelers.

I don’t see any way that they dish out two $100 million contracts to those guys. The big money will go towards re-signing Watt and Fitzpatrick.

And if I’m the Jets, I make a move for Dupree over JuJu who does his best work out of the slot anyway.

If you’re paying big money to a wideout, then go after true outside guys like Robinson and Godwin.

This.... Quick twitch Slot guys are found all over the place (IE. Cole Beasley). A true #1 outside threat come available once every four years or so. There are so many particulars related to the "X" wideout. He needs top end speed, quickness off the line to beat press coverage and the ability to run great routes. Although Robinson doesn't appear to have 4.3 speed like Godwin, he is an excellent route runner and beats press at the line. I do think Mims has the ability to become a true outside #1 in the future.... similar to Michael Thomas.

 

Is JuJu a true "X" receiver? I'll leave that to others to decide. 

[maury77]

I'd love to sign JuJu, who is still only 23 years old and loses some production because of the wealth of targets Pittsburgh has. I'm passing on Dupree, who has come back to Earth this season and is already 27 years old.

[Patriot Killa]

4 hours ago, Jetlife33 said:

Knowing the Steelers they’ll find a way to keep all of their home grown talent, with that said I’ve been saying for years I want JuJu. Hopefully it happens. 

With the emergence of Deionte Johnson, they very well may look to move on and go with the cheaper option if they think he can be more than what he is. The Steelers like to do this. We’ll see.

[jgb]

2 minutes ago, Patriot Killa said:

With the emergence of Deionte Johnson, they very well may look to move on and go with the cheaper option if they think he can be more than what he is. The Steelers like to do this. We’ll see.

Pittsburgh reloads WRs like no team in the league. If I was GM of Steelers I wouldn't pay WR1 money to anybody.

[Jetsfan80]

5 hours ago, Jetlife33 said:

Knowing the Steelers they’ll find a way to keep all of their home grown talent, with that said I’ve been saying for years I want JuJu. Hopefully it happens. 

If they try to keep JuJu and/or Dupree, they'd have to give up other talent somewhere else. 

LT Alejandro Villanueva, RT Matt Feiler, RB James Conner, and CB Mike Hilton are all scheduled free agents as well.  DE Stephon Tuitt and G David DeCastro could also be cap casualty candidates.  Meanwhile, T.J. Watt's contract ends after 2021 so they'll need to pay him down the road.  

No, I don't think there's any route they could go where JuJu and Dupree end up re-signed.  

[win4ever]

I like Robinson over JuJu, but I would not mind it one bit to add him to our unit.  I just love Robinson, I think if not for being stuck with two of the worst QBs in the league for his career, he'd be in the conversation for top 5 WR.  

 

[Jetsfan80]

4 hours ago, Bugg said:

If Douglas is not on Shuster's doorstep at 0001 hours on the first day of free agency, he isn't doing his job. A great player and a good guy at a position of need.

JuJu is a slot receiver, and I'm fine with Crowder.

Give me Dupree, please.  At WR, target Allen Robinson or another outside receiver.

[jgb]

3 minutes ago, win4ever said:

I like Robinson over JuJu, but I would not mind it one bit to add him to our unit.  I just love Robinson, I think if not for being stuck with two of the worst QBs in the league for his career, he'd be in the conversation for top 5 WR.  

 

 

1 minute ago, Jetsfan80 said:

JuJu is a slot receiver.

Give me Dupree, please.  At WR, target Allen Robinson or another outside receiver.

Also prefer Robinson. Never trust a Steelers WR -- that team is nirvana for WRs.

[T0mShane]

47 minutes ago, Patriot Killa said:

With the emergence of Deionte Johnson, they very well may look to move on and go with the cheaper option if they think he can be more than what he is. The Steelers like to do this. We’ll see.

The Steelers produce great receivers at a slightly higher rate than @Pac produces horrific Jets takes

[BCJet]

56 minutes ago, maury77 said:

I'd love to sign JuJu, who is still only 23 years old and loses some production because of the wealth of targets Pittsburgh has. I'm passing on Dupree, who has come back to Earth this season and is already 27 years old.

Come back down to earth?  He has 7 sacks in 9 games on the best defense in the league?

Elite edge rushers rarely ever hit the market and if Dupree does, being 28, shouldn’t preclude us giving him a huge contract to fix a role we haven’t had in 10+ years. 

[Defense Wins Championships]

8 minutes ago, win4ever said:

I like Robinson over JuJu, but I would not mind it one bit to add him to our unit.  I just love Robinson, I think if not for being stuck with two of the worst QBs in the league for his career, he'd be in the conversation for top 5 WR.  

 

Exactly. 

He's recorded 418 receptions, 5,504 receiving yards and 36 TD receptions with great size @ 6'2/220 lbs and is absolutely balling out of control this year with 63 receptions, 755 receiving yards and 3 TD receptions. 

He's done all of this despite crap Jax/Chicago QB play and I can only imagine that it'll become a dream come true for Allen Robinson himself to potentially play for Trevor Lawrence within a big media spotlight in order to earn the respect he's always deserved as an elite WR. 

I love the long-term thought of JuJu due to his youth but I do believe that a self-made veteran in Allen Robinson on the outside as a true #1 could become the most helpful impact WR for a young Trevor Lawrence over the next 2-3 years as Lawrence goes through his NFL development.

[Patriot Killa]

1 hour ago, jgb said:

Pittsburgh reloads WRs like no team in the league. If I was GM of Steelers I wouldn't pay WR1 money to anybody.

Agreed. Wouldn’t mind picking up sloppy seconds in this case. JuJu is only 24 next year.

[Defense Wins Championships]

Living down here in St. Petersburg (Tampa Bay area) Chris Godwin would really scare me as a big name FA WR splash. 

He's only had one season of over 1k yards receiving compared to TB's true #1 impactful WR on the outside in MIKE EVANS who's already recorded 502 receptions for 7,774 receiving yards and 56 TD receptions now in his 7th season (and has never not had a season of at least 1,000+ receiving yards). 

Just something about Godwin scares me for a potential rookie QB in Trevor as a WR who's always had the luxury of opposing defenses focusing on Mike Evans (on a consistent basis)

and if he turns out to become nothing more than a real #2? Which extreme fans hated an undrafted Robby for being? Well then I couldn't imagine the outrage this fan base would have if a big $$$ WR in Godwin only turned out to be a true #2 (and not a Mike Evans). 

[jgb]

8 minutes ago, Patriot Killa said:

Agreed. Wouldn’t mind picking up sloppy seconds in this case. JuJu is only 24 next year.

I have a hard time being confident that any WR will be the same guy after being removed from the warm bosom of PIT. The results have not been good in that regard.

[Patriot Killa]

5 minutes ago, jgb said:

I have a hard time being confident that any WR will be the same guy after being removed from the warm bosom of PIT. The results have not been good in that regard.

Understandable. Allen Robinson is the top WR on my list for that reason.

[maury77]

1 hour ago, BCJet said:

Come back down to earth?  He has 7 sacks in 9 games on the best defense in the league?

Elite edge rushers rarely ever hit the market and if Dupree does, being 28, shouldn’t preclude us giving him a huge contract to fix a role we haven’t had in 10+ years. 

Whoops, I misread his stats on ESPN. He had 1 sack his last game, not 1 sack on the season.

[addage]

Pittsburgh is not the only team who will have tough roster decisions to make.  JD and the Jets have a great year to be in the market for FA's.  He also has several lower round picks that can be used to trade for pending FA's in a sign and trade scenario.  There will be some high end FA's who cannot meet their $ goals due to so many teams having cap limitations next year.  It will be interesting to see how JD plays it.

[Lurker89]

12 hours ago, FidelioJet said:

If you get JuJu, paired with Mims.  It gives you the flexibility to go TE, RB and/or OL with our other two top picks (Seattle and 33/34)

If not one of those two has to be a WR.  Can still be a WR but that flexibility would be amazing.

Just thinking about TL, Mims, Juju, a TE at 20, RB at 33 - Take a guard/Center with the Darnold pick (hoping in the 2nd)

Also, sign the best Guard you can find in FA.

You have no rebuilt the offensive in one off-season...

This sounds..... dare I say .... Optimistic. ?

[SomebodytoAnybody47]

The salary cap is a myth. Teams can sign whoever they want when they want. 

[pointman]

13 hours ago, Jetlife33 said:

 I’ve been saying for years I want JuJu.

 

jk. I want JuJu on the Jets too. 

[Vader]

Also. Eff the eagles and ravens. Get anyone on that staff or FO over here. Go back as far as cowher and see if he wants to coach Trevor Lawrence and this team for the next 10 years and close out his life making his wife a happy girl 

[pdxgreen]

5 hours ago, Samtorobby47 said:

The salary cap is a myth. Teams can sign whoever they want when they want. 

Bingo!  Just look at the Pats.  Flaunted the salary cap rules by paying Brady under the table for years and the league did nothing.

[Defense Wins Championships]

https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/juju-smith-schuster-nfl-free-agency-2021

https://www.nflanalysis.net/nfl-free-agency-2021-5-way-too-early-landing-spots-for-juju-smith-schuster/4/

Just about every JuJu potential FA landing spot of an article links the Jets as a top 5 destination for him. 

This is why landing Trevor Lawrence is so important for us, because he'll give us a chance @ landing big time FA WR's due to potential and hype alone. 

With Trevor Lawrence on a rookie contract I wouldn't be against Joe Douglas splashing with two FA WR's (because Lord knows how long our offense has lacked elite playmakers @ WR for). I'd absolutely love it. 

QB: Trevor Lawrence. 

LT: Mekhi Becton. 

WR 1: Allen Robinson. 

Slot: JuJu Smith-Schuster (really our #2 who's built for the slot when 3 wide). 

TE: Kyle Pitts (1st round/Seattle pick). 

WR 2: Denzel Mims. 

WR 4: Jamison Crowder (nuts). 

RB: Najee Harris (1st overall pick of 2nd Rd). 

That's K.C Chiefs type of offensive talent surrounding the QB position. 

And suddenly the Jets have an offensive attack to be prod of moving forward with weapons literally everywhere; while giving Trevor Lawrence every opportunity to succeed starting from day 1 (from there we can use our two 3rd round picks on two interior O-Lineman in order to build an O-Line around Becton). 

Mims is a rookie and a 2nd round pick who can afford to take a back seat to Robinson/JuJu throughout his NFL development. 

and just look at TB's offense surrounding Brady in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Gronk, Antonio Brown + 2 RBs in Jones/Fournette; Jet fans deserve the same (from JD). 

I keep hearing talk about 1 FA WR but if the Jets land Trevor Lawrence behind A+ available salary cap? 2 FA WR splashes is what we need. 

2022 we can use both of our 1st round picks @ CB/Pass Rusher and even our 2022 2nd round pick on another CB/Edge Rusher etc but 2021's off-season must be focused on offense throughout both FA and the draft; the Carolina Panthers just used every single draft pick all on Defense this past draft and JD must do the complete opposite and focus 100% on offense come 2021's off-season. 

[FidelioJet]

10 hours ago, Lurker89 said:

This sounds..... dare I say .... Optimistic. ?

Yes, conceptually it is optimistic.  The Jets actually executing a smart plan is highly unlikely.  I suspect this off-season will look quite different and not make a whole lot of sense.

I hope I’m wrong.

[rangerous]

23 hours ago, FidelioJet said:

If you get JuJu, paired with Mims.  It gives you the flexibility to go TE, RB and/or OL with our other two top picks (Seattle and 33/34)

If not one of those two has to be a WR.  Can still be a WR but that flexibility would be amazing.

Just thinking about TL, Mims, Juju, a TE at 20, RB at 33 - Take a guard/Center with the Darnold pick (hoping in the 2nd)

Also, sign the best Guard you can find in FA.

You have now rebuilt the offensive in one off-season...

Not a bad scenario. Pulling in a top free agent frees up the draft for other, lower cost, players. I’m sure that’s a game Douglas knows well.  And even better would be if Clark can push van roten or Lewis out. That just makes it so much easier to fill in the oline.

[rangerous]

4 hours ago, Defense Wins Championships said:

https://thedraftnetwork.com/articles/juju-smith-schuster-nfl-free-agency-2021

https://www.nflanalysis.net/nfl-free-agency-2021-5-way-too-early-landing-spots-for-juju-smith-schuster/4/

Just about every JuJu potential FA landing spot of an article links the Jets as a top 5 destination for him. 

This is why landing Trevor Lawrence is so important for us, because he'll give us a chance @ landing big time FA WR's due to potential and hype alone. 

With Trevor Lawrence on a rookie contract I wouldn't be against Joe Douglas splashing with two FA WR's (because Lord knows how long our offense has lacked elite playmakers @ WR for). I'd absolutely love it. 

QB: Trevor Lawrence. 

LT: Mekhi Becton. 

WR 1: Allen Robinson. 

Slot: JuJu Smith-Schuster (really our #2 who's built for the slot when 3 wide). 

TE: Kyle Pitts (1st round/Seattle pick). 

WR 2: Denzel Mims. 

WR 4: Jamison Crowder (nuts). 

RB: Najee Harris (1st overall pick of 2nd Rd). 

That's K.C Chiefs type of offensive talent surrounding the QB position. 

And suddenly the Jets have an offensive attack to be prod of moving forward with weapons literally everywhere; while giving Trevor Lawrence every opportunity to succeed starting from day 1 (from there we can use our two 3rd round picks on two interior O-Lineman in order to build an O-Line around Becton). 

Mims is a rookie and a 2nd round pick who can afford to take a back seat to Robinson/JuJu throughout his NFL development. 

and just look at TB's offense surrounding Brady in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin, Gronk, Antonio Brown + 2 RBs in Jones/Fournette; Jet fans deserve the same (from JD). 

I keep hearing talk about 1 FA WR but if the Jets land Trevor Lawrence behind A+ available salary cap? 2 FA WR splashes is what we need. 

2022 we can use both of our 1st round picks @ CB/Pass Rusher and even our 2022 2nd round pick on another CB/Edge Rusher etc but 2021's off-season must be focused on offense throughout both FA and the draft; the Carolina Panthers just used every single draft pick all on Defense this past draft and JD must do the complete opposite and focus 100% on offense come 2021's off-season. 

Seems like a pretty potent group but the oline still needs some improvement. Some of this may hinge on Clark being able to push Lewis or van roten.  Maybe they will need to use a fairly high pick on another center or guard. It’ll be interesting to see if elflein can play at a high level.  Will he play center or guard?