The Steelers are creating some cap flexibility today, restructuring the contract of defensive end Cameron Heyward, according to Field Yates of ESPN (Twitter link).
According to Yates the Steelers are converting $8.o5MM of Heywards $9MM base salary for this season into a signing bonus, freeing up $5.39MM in 2018 cap space. When converting salary into a signing bonus, it spreads the cap hit out over multiple seasons.
This strategy of kicking the can down the road can backfire and lead to even worse cap problems down the line if not executed properly. The Steelers and GM Kevin Colbert do it all the time, and in fact restructured Heyward’s deal at this same time last season. According to Overthecap.com, the Steelers had just $12.19MM in cap space for 2019 before this move, fourth least in the league, a number that will decrease when the restructure is factored in.
It’s unclear what the Steelers are planning to do with the extra space, but it wouldn’t make much sense to worsen their future cap situation and then not do anything with the freed up money. Perhaps there’s a big name veteran that the Steelers are looking to sign. Although Overthecap did project the Steelers to be very slightly over the salary cap before this move, so maybe they made it just to get comfortably under the cap and nothing else.
Heyward is signed through the 2020 season on a $52.81MM deal. He had 12 sacks in 2017, by far a career best.
Could possibly mean a Bell deal is imminent?
I hope not. Bell is certainly a generational talent, but comparatively, he isn’t worth what he’s asking for, and he provides too much of a distraction to the team. That money could be better spent. Perhaps on a middle linebacker
I wouldn’t even call Bell a generational talent, having seen all his games. His running style depends heavily on his blockers and the Steelers have some of the best of those. Plug Bell into a different team with mediocre blockers and his numbers will drop dramatically and he won’t have that same amount of time to hesitate and adjust like he does now.
I agree. Bell is a great player, but is annoying.
Team has won nothing with him, and he always gets hurt for the playoffs.
Reminds me of Mike Money Wallace..
The guy everyone laughed at in miami for 4 wasted years of his prime
, while the Steelers replaced him with mid-Round picks Emmanuel Sanders & Antonio Brown.
The deadline passed for an extension. Even if the Steelers weren’t fed up with him, they are not allowed to extend him until after the season. That dude is gone.
Yep. Every day that goes by is another nail. I’d like to see them franchise him and then trade him
Navarro Bowman? Seems like a logical fit
Big Ben extension possibly coming soon?
I would imagine they are potentially trying to lock someone else up long term or perhaps a trade.
The extension deadline passed for Bell, but they could still have an “agreement” in place for after the season. That would obviously make Bell come back soon than later.