Bedard: The Steelers at the Crossroads

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The Steelers at the Crossroads

Stuck in mediocrity for two seasons, cap-strapped Pittsburgh must make smart decisions—especially on Lamarr Woodley and Jason Worilds—if it’s going to get out of the rut


By

Greg A. Bedard


As we count down the days to the start of the new NFL league year and free agency on March 11, one of the more intriguing teams to watch will be the Steelers. Two consecutive 8-8 seasons left Pittsburgh out of the playoffs for two consecutive years, something the Steelers hadn’t experienced since they were idle in January three seasons from 1998 to 2000 under Bill Cowher.

“It’s huge for our franchise,” general manager Kevin Colbert said of this offseason at the scouting combine. “You go 8-8 in back-to-back years, it’s a huge disappointment, not only to our fans but to the organization. We feel it every day. But we have to fight through it, and hopefully we’re not talking about that next year.”

To break the cycle in 2014, Colbert is going to have to navigate another tricky offseason. No team has restructured more contracts in the past three years than the Steelers. While that provides more room under the salary cap in the short term, it pushes more money out into the future—which is fine if the players you restructure are on the field and productive, but that hasn’t always been the case with the Steelers, and it has dented them a little. They were squeezed by the flat cap since the 2011 collective bargaining agreement and had to part ways with several starters last offseason. While it didn’t hurt the final record, that’s hardly a comfort when you go 8-8.

At this point the Steelers are about $6 million over the projected $133 million cap. That should be mitigated in short order by the release of tackle Levi Brown, and restructures/extensions for a few players. Those aren’t necessarily bad—unless you choose unwisely.

The decision on Heath Miller may come down to whether Pittsburgh decides it’s time to get younger at tight end. (David Bergman/SI/The MMQB)
The call on Heath Miller may come down to whether Pittsburgh decides it’s time to get younger at tight end. (David Bergman/SI/The MMQB)

Tight end Heath Miller will be a test. His cap number this season, the final year of his contract, is $9.5 million. Miller was still a good player last year after returning from knee surgery and would be in line for an extension, but he will turn 32 next season. How much and for how long do the Steelers extend themselves given that it’s time to start getting younger at the position?

Overall the Steelers are in good shape offense. They’ll lose receiver Emmanuel Sanders, but Antonio Brown and Markus Wheaton are ascending players, and steady Jerricho Cotchery should be back. Expect an addition or two from a deep receiver draft. Running back Le’Veon Bell had a productive rookie season, and the offensive line should get a boost from improved health and the addition of line coach Mike Munchak.

The defense, once the backbone of great Steelers teams, is where Colbert is going to have to do some work, starting with the two highest-paid players on that side of the ball: outside linebacker Lamarr Woodley and cornerback Ike Taylor.

Taylor, who has a cap number near $12 million entering the final year of his deal, has been or is on his way to being supplanted by Cortez Allen as the No. 1 corner. The Steelers are going to need Taylor to take a pay cut, or to release him outright and draft or sign a cheaper replacement.

Woodley is the most interesting of the Steelers’ dilemmas, because it also involves pending free agent Jason Worilds. TheMMQB.com rated Worilds the 12th-best available free agent on the strength of serious buzz from teams that would be beyond excited to see a rising, versatile (he could also play end in a 4-3) and young (he’ll be 26 soon) defender become available on the market. For 3-4 teams looking for impact outside linebackers, the options are basically Worilds and Washington’s Brian Orakpo (if he even makes it to the free-agent market).


Worilds has said he’d like to stay with the Steelers, but he’s not going to be a backup again. Pittsburgh has 2013 first-rounder Jarvis Jones at right outside linebacker. Worilds flourished the final six games last season when Woodley missed time for the third straight season.

Woodley hasn’t been the same player since his 13.5-sacks season ’09. Despite conventional wisdom, his contract does not preclude him from being released. Cutting Woodley would wipe big numbers off the Steelers’ caps in ’15 and ’16, and while they would take a significant hit this season ($14.2 million), that would basically be a wash with what they were due to pay him. Or they could designate him a post-June 1 cut and take a $5.6 million hit this season and $9 million in ’15.

This is one of those crucial decisions for the Steelers. They can’t have both Woodley and Worilds. Do they chose the 29-year-old Woodley, who hasn’t been able to stay healthy and could be on the decline? Or do they go with the younger Worilds, who isn’t quite a known commodity yet?

That decision could very well determine if Colbert is talking about missing the playoffs again at next year’s combine.
 
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