Anddd put less wear and tear on the runners. Keeping them fresher. And with two different running styles it makes defenses zoom in on a little more. Just imagine if the WR group was more effective you might have an attractive offense.
Expiring Contracts and Contract Extensions - Discussion
- Thread starter deljzc
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And expiring contracts. Gainwell’s contract is expiring. That was in the title. Doesn’t matter where it’s positioned in the title, it’s there.
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As a cheap role player, sure. The fact that we don't have a Bussy or Bell on the roster is exactly the point. Go get one.
This is the endowment effect to a T: if these two guys played for another team, nobody here would be pounding the table to go sign them.
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Go look at the top 10 offenses in the league, there's not one I wouldn't swap the top two backs with except maybe Denver, because of Dobbins fragility.
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The fact that Gainwell was our best offensive player is a damning indictment of the roster building and game planning. He had the 6th most yards from scrimmage and 1 TD on the Super Bowl champs the year before.
Our fanbase has gotten hooked on mediocrity.
Our fanbase has gotten hooked on mediocrity.
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How many in that group are as good or better than Bettis or Bell at their peaks?
There is legit RB talent in the league doing great things, but it's often a product of the teams they're on and the schemes they're in.
I'm with you on Gainwell being over-used, but you might be selling Warren short a little bit.
To me, Tomlin/Smith under-utilized Warren, and he's one of the Steelers players I'm most curious to see under another coach, especially if it ends up being Scheelhause or McCarthy.
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Gainwell basically became their WR2 by default.
We can **** on Gainwell all day, but the offense would have been a lot worse this season without him.
They definitely don't win the division.
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Warren led the league in forced missed tackles among qualifying RBs. He's also probably a more dangerous receiver than Gainwell, just didn't get as many opportunities. I think he should get 20-25 touches per game--he averaged 15.6 this season.
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I think Ramsey is under contract thru the 2028 season. He is an UFA in 2029.
And I don't list contracts that are expiring right now because technically, you don't "re-sign" them. They are free agents like any other free agent and should be discussed in that context. Gainwell is a POTENTIAL free agent signing certainly, but so are a bunch of others: https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/free-agents/_/year/2026/position/rb
The minute someones contract expires, he enters a "pool" of many other potential options.
The players above are likely on the team for 2026 regardless of whether we sign them to additional contract years or not (some could/will be cap casualties). That is the real question. Now is a unique time to think "do we want them for MORE than 2026". Traditionally we don't resign/extend players with two or more years left on their current deals unless it is a "restructuring" to save cap dollars.
I'm surprised so many here are quick to just cut guys. That just creates MORE holes that need filled and we already have at least 4 on offense and 4 on defense as is.
For instance.... Jonnu Smith played 536 offensive snap counts for us. We could save $7 million if we cut him (so let's say we have $7 million to spend on another TE to replace him).... there really isn't anyone better than Smith for that $7M on the market this year. . A lateral move might be someone like Dallas Goedert. He's the same age. Likely same price. I guess we could upgrade, but that would cost us. Ndjoku and Pitts are both free agents, but I suspect they will get a lot of interest and be way over $10 million/season (Pitts will be higher, he's younger).
The other options are cheaper but likely not as good. Noah Fant is out there. Darren Waller. Austin Hooper.
Doesn't make a lot of sense to me to cut Smith unless the draft brings us a gem (but I suspect most here agree TE is not a high priority for our draft picks).
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You may disagree with the talent assessment, Smith's place on the roster takes snaps away from two better tight ends (Freiermuth and Washington). Those two should be the clear cut TE1 & TE2 meaning the Steelers could go cheap with TE3.
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Go get one? If only it were that easy
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Nobody is paying anything for TJ at this point. That signing was stupid for that money at his age and his injury prone tendencies.
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Jonnu’s savings of 7 million is a no brainer
Dude was awful
Can’t block AT ALL-one of worst league wide
His routes aren’t good
His hands aren’t good
Looked lost more than not
If the Steelers can’t get a TE that is an upgrade from him WHILE saving at least half (or more) of that 7 million number heads should roll in the talent acquisition department.
Dude sucked out loud and is scheduled to be massively overpaid.
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I hope they don't do that kind of crap this offseason. It was a catastrophic failure. They need to get back to team building through the draft and developing their own players.
I hope they learned their lesson in bringing in free agents. It should be sparingly.
Oh there is a lot of clear house potential. No more slow vets . Anyone who looks slow on tape show them the door. No more unproductive injury prone players.
Show them the door.
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The Steelers made the most run-it-back hire they could have. Unless vets demand to be traded, I'd be surprised with any signifcant shake ups.
Unfortunately you are probably right. I would be shocked if there was anything attractive in this offseason..
Oh well at least I have the draft, sigh.
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After this HC hire I to think there will be little change among the aging vets on the roster.
Rooney as he stated, was willing to run it back with Tomlin so that speaks volumes.
Rooney goes against the blueprint and hires 62 year old twice fired retread so that tells us the direction this thing is going.
The roster will look very similar in 2026.
Only the HC and staff will be new.
Rooney is so afraid of a losing season and as he said, it doesn’t make sense to waste a year.
He’s spelled it out and has reminded us of exactly who he is.
Rooney as he stated, was willing to run it back with Tomlin so that speaks volumes.
Rooney goes against the blueprint and hires 62 year old twice fired retread so that tells us the direction this thing is going.
The roster will look very similar in 2026.
Only the HC and staff will be new.
Rooney is so afraid of a losing season and as he said, it doesn’t make sense to waste a year.
He’s spelled it out and has reminded us of exactly who he is.
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And maybe actually use Kaleb Johnson.
I think Kaleb and Roman Wilson got locked in Mediocre Mike's Phantom Zone doghouse.
I don't know, maybe let them have some shots at playing.......?
LOVE Jaylen Warren, and Gainwell was a nice surprise.
But we should ignore RB position in the draft completely.
We have WAY MORE pressing areas to address.
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We need better depth, but our recent drafts have been pretty damn good at helping the situation.
Since Colbert left:
All seven picks from 2023 are on the roster. Six of seven from 2024. And six of seven from 2025. That's about as good a 3-year stretch we've had around here in a long time.
Obvious "on the roster" is one test which we've done really well. The next test is whether these guys get 2nd contracts and truly become veteran Steelers. That's partly why I'm so curious how the 2nd contract situation is going to evolve. Are these rookies deal players on our roster becuase we were just THAT BAD after the last couple years of Colbert/Tomlin that cardboard cutouts could make the roster, or are these legitimate pieces to building a successful and good roster.
I'm curious to find out.
Since Colbert left:
All seven picks from 2023 are on the roster. Six of seven from 2024. And six of seven from 2025. That's about as good a 3-year stretch we've had around here in a long time.
Obvious "on the roster" is one test which we've done really well. The next test is whether these guys get 2nd contracts and truly become veteran Steelers. That's partly why I'm so curious how the 2nd contract situation is going to evolve. Are these rookies deal players on our roster becuase we were just THAT BAD after the last couple years of Colbert/Tomlin that cardboard cutouts could make the roster, or are these legitimate pieces to building a successful and good roster.
I'm curious to find out.
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Henry, Barkley, Swift, Jacobs, McCaffery all acquired by trade/FA. Steelers could have just as easily acquired any of them.
Last two draft picks on feature backs are less than inspiring, too.
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I'm not too worried about the RB room. There are a LOT of free agent running backs available. And Kaleb Johnson should maybe be given more reps if we want to know what we got out of a 3rd round pick. I mean the 3rd rounder only got 51 offensive snaps last year. That's not a good return on investment so far.
If Kaleb Johnson doesn't start helping and producing in year 2, he's a bust. That's just how RB's work in that late 2nd round/3rd round window work. Looking back from 2019-2023, a little more than half end up producing something (either as a #1, #2 or tandem backfield situation).
Rookie year is over. RB's need to step up, get snaps and get yards. Or else you are very replaceable in this league.
If Kaleb Johnson doesn't start helping and producing in year 2, he's a bust. That's just how RB's work in that late 2nd round/3rd round window work. Looking back from 2019-2023, a little more than half end up producing something (either as a #1, #2 or tandem backfield situation).
Rookie year is over. RB's need to step up, get snaps and get yards. Or else you are very replaceable in this league.
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I think having an offensive minded head coach changes ls everything.
Mccarthy might get more out of Smith, Jones, etc than tomlins staff ever did. Or he might just cut them
When he gets his oc and dc together that will tell us the direction he is going to go in.
I am a bit more excited Than I was a few days ago. In my lifetime we have never had a coach that focuses on offense. The league went that way a decade ago. We might dare I say be relevant again
Mccarthy might get more out of Smith, Jones, etc than tomlins staff ever did. Or he might just cut them
When he gets his oc and dc together that will tell us the direction he is going to go in.
I am a bit more excited Than I was a few days ago. In my lifetime we have never had a coach that focuses on offense. The league went that way a decade ago. We might dare I say be relevant again
Just look on Sportstrac. They have a comprehensive Free agent list for the Steelers..
Some positions take years to develop...but Rbs are what they are in the first two years.
The ones that take longer almost exclusively are still great runners right out of the box... they just need to learn blocking and hot routes and pick that up slower
If KJ isnt a contributor this year he is dead wood ... RBs are a dime a dozen... move on and wish him well