Question: Do the Steelers have the financial means to go after a top tier FA player?

[In Ben We Trust]

The defensive side of the ball is as bad a unit as there is in the NFL. The clock is clearly ticking on Ben and the window for this team to make a run is fading fast. I know the Steelers MO has been to sign low to mid level FA's but if there was ever a time to go after a talented defender in the secondary it is now. Ike Taylor is done, Polamalu maybe one year left, Mitchell has not made much of an impact at all, Cortez Allen is awful, etc. So the question is this....is it time to go out and make a huge free agent signing of the magnitude of Revis Island or do we simply not have the capability to do so with the salary cap? If we go in to next year without significant additions in the secondary I predict a 6-10 season. Have you looked at the 2015 opponents? NFC West? Have fun with that!

 

[POP]

I generally don't like signing the biggest of the big FA signings, unless you are 1 player away from a ring, such as the Pats possibly were with Revis, and the 9ers and Dallas were with Deion. Oftentimes, the biggest names fail to deliver, and you end up with cap restrictions without much production. Bad idea. But I would desperately like to see us some solid, mid-tier names, without a question. Not only are we weak at CB, but we ain't exactly iron clad at S either. Troy is done, Mitchell doesn't appear that good, and the Shark experiment is going badly, as the guy is a walking injury. We are going to have to address both CB and S in free agency AND the draft. And the D line ain't exactly a shining beacon of talent either. We are in trouble and don't have the right guys calling the shots on top of it all.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Do they have the means? Sure. Do they have the cap room? Hell no.

 

[Shane Falco]

With today's pass/receiver friendly rules, I don't think it matters who your D-backs are if you can't generate pressure on the quarterback. Lebeau has a great philosophy and worked when his defense had the players that could do that. As much as I like Taylor, to me, his shut down seasons were when we had an Aaron Smith, Hampton, Foote and Farrior, Porter and Harrison in his prime to generate a great pass rush.

 

[F83]

in terms of cap room what if we ask Cortez to take a paycut, cut troy, let Ike go, re-sign Worlids after the year has had he can't demand the 11 mill, he the has played and stat wise 7 mill range with a good SB bonus tied to sacks @ FF.
Mitchell stuck with.
No way we will have the cash to make a run at Justin Houston, better of trying to keep Worlids say 5 years 38 mill 11 mill SB.
FA
TE make a run at Luke Stocker
OL sign Roos 2 years 8.5 mill and slide Beachum to LG
offer NT Dan williams a tier 2-3 deal. See what MT Cody's range is, we need someone his size to get back to the Big Snack type DL that will free up LT @ Shazier

Re-sign Brice McCain 2 years 4 mill, Blake 2 years 2 years 3 mill
a few CB to look at Shareece Wright, Butler, as for S take a look at Nate Allen, Chung,, Major Wright.

 

[POP]

With today's pass/receiver friendly rules, I don't think it matters who your D-backs are if you can't generate pressure on the quarterback. Lebeau has a great philosophy and worked when his defense had the players that could do that. As much as I like Taylor, to me, his shut down seasons were when we had an Aaron Smith, Hampton, Foote and Farrior, Porter and Harrison in his prime to generate a great pass rush.

IDK, Seattle seems to be back on pace in shutting passing games down. They are the #1 D in the NFL and have the #1 rushing attack.

 

[Troglodyte]

in terms of cap room what if we ask Cortez to take a paycut,
Mitchell stuck with..

They just signed Allen his salaries are probably minimal. No way of getting back the signing bonus. I don't understand why he isn't playing at all and hasn't been given another shot. At what point does that happen?
If Mitchell was a mistake, keeping him doesn't correct the mistake. Unlike Allen there is no reason to believe he could be on the upswing. They are chasing bad money with good money.