HEADLINES

Antonio Brown

Steelers Expect Ben Roethlisberger To Return

January 31st, 2017 at 4:52pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Although quarterback Ben Roethlisberger hinted last week that he may have thrown his last NFL pass, Steelers president Art Rooney II expects the five-time Pro Bowler to return in 2017.

Ben Roethlisberger

“I talked to Ben and we had a good conversation,” Rooney told reporters, including Joe Rutter of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, on Tuesday. “I think he’s at that stage in his career that those are thought I think you have. I personally expect that he’ll be back, but that’s going to be his decision.”

With the offseason approaching, the Steelers unsurprisingly want an answer from the 34-year-old Roethlisberger sooner than later, per Rooney, who noted that “if he decided to retire, that would modify our plans greatly.” Even if Roethlisberger comes back for a 14th year, the Steelers seem intent on drafting a quarterback – something they haven’t done since they selected pending free agent Landry Jones in the fourth round in 2013.

“In terms of just going forward, look, I think the quarterback position is a position you have to make sure you have some depth there, and we haven’t drafted a quarterback for several years, and we’re probably due to look at the position,” stated Rooney.

Pittsburgh is slated to pick seven times – including 30th overall – in this year’s draft, which might feature one of the worst quarterback classes in recent memory. But regardless of who lines up under center for the Steelers in the coming years, he’ll likely have superstar wide receiver Antonio Brown in the fold as his No. 1 target. While Brown has caused some issues behind the scenes, the four-time 100-catch man is “certainly a player that we would like to have on the team for a while,” per Rooney. Brown is scheduled to enter a contract year, but the Steelers could make him the league’s highest-paid wideout via an extension sometime this offseason.

AFC North Notes: Browns, Steelers, Ravens

January 26th, 2017 at 5:24pm CST by Sam Robinson

Should the Browns‘ newly assembled power structure consult the team’s franchise player about a plan for the No. 1 overall pick, Joe Thomas would not use it on a quarterback. Going into his 11th year, the perennial All-Pro left tackle would rather see his team use the selection to bolster the pass rush.

“I think you need to get a pass-rusher,” Thomas said on the Dan Patrick Show today (via Pat McManamon of ESPN.com). “… You gotta be careful reaching for a quarterback at No. 1 because if they fail, they don’t help your team at all. Whereas if you pick a defensive lineman and maybe they don’t live up to the hype, you can still find a place to get him on the field and to have an impact. We need guys that can come in and start and that can contribute.”

Thomas, who has two years left on his Browns deal and will turn 33 during the 2017 season, said in the past the Browns need to identify a franchise quarterback. There isn’t a better spot to do that than the No. 1 pick. But this quarterback class — fronted by Deshaun Watson, DeShone Kizer and Cleveland-area product Mitch Trubisky — has divided scouts. The Browns have been reportedly coveting Texas A&M’s Myles Garrett at No. 1 and considering a Watson pick at No. 12. But obviously, the versatile Clemson talent is no lock to be there when Cleveland’s second first-round window opens, given quarterback prospects’ rises as drafts near.

Here’s more from northeast Ohio and some other regions housing AFC North franchises.

  • Jamie Collins‘ four-year, $50MM extension will pay $37.5MM in its first three years before containing no guaranteed money during the 2020 season, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald tweets. Collins will also receive a $5MM signing bonus as part of the deal (per Howe, on Twitter) which includes $26.5MM guaranteed.
  • Negotiations between the Ravens and UFA nose tackle Brandon Williams have not yet begun but are expected to commence before he hits the market, Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun notes. Even before Zach Orr‘s retirement, Williams was set to be the top priority, per Preston, for a Ravens team that’s lost numerous talents in free agency in recent years. It’s a big year for free agent defensive tackles, with Dontari Poe and Kawann Short residing as impending UFAs.
  • The Ravens tied up some loose ends on their coaching staff today, per the Baltimore Sun’s Jeff Zreibec (on Twitter). Chris Hewitt will take over new Bills DC Leslie Frazier‘s position as secondary coach, and Mike MacDonald will assist him, Zreibec tweets. Craig Ver Steeg, a nine-year Ravens offensive assistant, will coach quarterbacks, will slide over from skill-position assistance to helping QBs coach/OC Marty Mornhinweg with the signal-callers, Zreibec notes (on Twitter). Drew Wilkins will serve as the assistant defensive line coach. Each of these staffers’ assignment changes represents an internal promotion.
  • The Steelers could determine another year with Ladarius Green is too risky, Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes. Green will enter his sixth season after experiencing a disastrous fifth, playing in just six games. However, he averaged 50.7 yards per game and made several big plays when healthy. But concussion issues dogged Green to the point Mike Tomlin said a decision needs to be made about the tight end. “I don’t have an assessment, long-term, of where he is,” Tomlin said. “I think that’s one of the chief medical decisions and questions that we have to have moving forward, in terms of guys getting an assessment of their overall health and what it means for 2017.” A Green cut will cost the Steelers $3.56MM in dead money while saving the team barely $2MM. Green said earlier this week he does not intend to retire.
  • Antonio Brown‘s constant desire for targets has rubbed many teammates the wrong way, but his occasionally selfish ways aren’t viewed as detrimental to the team, Gerry Dulac of the Post-Gazette writes. Ben Roethlisberger has told the All-Pro wideout to “shut up” multiple times on the field, and since-retired tight end Heath Miller told Brown to “stop complaining about not getting the ball” at a 2015 practice. However, Dulac notes Brown not a problem in the locker room. This could be a key point as Brown’s payday looms.

Latest On Antonio Brown Extension Possibility

January 15th, 2017 at 4:07pm CST by Dallas Robinson

When the Steelers restructured the contract of Antonio Brown prior to the 2016 campaign, the club promised Brown that it would extend an offer of a new deal at the conclusion of the season. That agreement is reportedly still in place, and as such, Brown is poised to “cash in,” according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter links), who adds that Brown has a chance to become the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL.Antonio Brown (vertical)

[RELATED: Pittsburgh Steelers Depth Chart]

Last August, Pittsburgh converted some of Brown’s 2017 base salary into a signing bonus (meaning Brown received more money immediately), but also changed some of Brown’s 2016 base salary into a bonus in order to reduce the salary cap effects. All told, the moves increased Brown’s 2016 cap charge by about $500K. The transaction was largely a show of good faith, as the Steelers did not want to violate their rule of not extending players with more than one year left on their contract.

That internal team precedent won’t come into play this offseason, however, as Brown is only signed through the 2017 season. At present, he is set to earn a base salary of $4.71MM and carry a cap number of $13.618MM. An extension would presumably lower that cap charge, but could also make Brown the most highly-compensated pass-catcher in the league. On an annual salary basis, that honor currently belongs to the Bengals’ A.J. Green ($15MM). In terms of guarantees, the Falcons’ Julio Jones leads the way with $35.5MM.

Steelers To Franchise Le’Veon Bell, Want To Extend Antonio Brown

January 8th, 2017 at 11:24am CST by Rory Parks

We heard last month that the Steelers were expected to put the franchise tag on Le’Veon Bell this offseason, and Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reported today that Pittsburgh will indeed franchise their star running back.

Le'Veon Bell (Vertical)

The tag will be about $12.3MM for running backs, and after the Steelers use it on Bell, the two sides will have a few months to work out a long-term contract. If they cannot, Bell could play out the 2017 season under the tag and be eligible for free agency again next offseason.

There are complications to a multi-year deal, of course. Bell has a history of off-field trouble, having been been suspended in each of the past two seasons, and he sustained knee injuries in 2014 and 2015. But when he’s on the field, he’s one of the most dynamic playmakers in the game, both as a runner and as a receiver. Despite missing four games this season, Bell ranked first in the NFL in touches per game (28.0) and scrimmage YPG (157.0), and he was second in rushing YPG (105.7). From Weeks 4-16–Bell was suspended for the first three weeks of the season and was rested for the team’s meaningless Week 17 contest–he led the NFL in touches (336) and scrimmage yards (1,884).

It appears that the Steelers are comfortable with Bell’s health and they seem to believe that his off-field issues are behind him, as a long-term deal is considered likely at this point. While Bell is unlikely to reach Adrian Peterson’s record-setting $14MM/year deal, he stands an excellent change of netting an eight-figure annual salary.

Per Rapoport, the Steelers also want to extend wide receiver Antonio Brown, who is under club control for one more season. Brown’s exceedingly club-friendly deal will pay him just $4.7MM next year, quite a bargain for arguably the best receiver in the game. But with substantial raises for Bell and Brown on the horizon, Pittsburgh will need to make some tough decisions elsewhere.

Steelers To Restructure Antonio Brown’s Deal

August 31st, 2016 at 9:52am CST by Zachary Links

The Steelers and Antonio Brown on the verge of agreeing to a restructuring of his contract, a source tells Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter). That deal is expected to be completed shortly. Brown was due $6.25MM this year and will now earn ~$10.25MM, a source tells Mike Garafolo of NFL.com (on Twitter). The Steelers are also promising to give Brown a true extension after the 2016 season (link).Antonio Brown (vertical)

Brown has two years left to go on his current deal and has been pushing for an extension. The Steelers, meanwhile, have been insistent that they won’t negotiate right now. Brown did not get the big pay bump he truly wanted, but he did get a small concession to keep him happy over the next year. The Steelers, citing team policy, have told Brown that they will not start discussing a new deal with him until he is one year away from free agency.

Brown is considered to be one of the very best wide receivers in the NFL. However, because of the team friendly deal he signed years ago, he is ranked 18th among wide receivers in terms of average annual compensation ($8.4MM/year). Last year, Brown tied for the league lead in receptions (136), finished second in yards (1,834), and scored ten touchdowns.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

AFC Notes: Steelers, Colts, Dolphins, Patriots

August 26th, 2016 at 8:59pm CST by Zachary Links

Agent Drew Rosenhaus, in New Orleans as the Steelers prepared for tonight’s preseason game against the Saints, discussed wide receiver Antonio Brown‘s contract with Pittsburgh general manager Kevin Colbert, tweets Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Brown, who has two years left on his deal, has been requesting a new contract for some time, but the Steelers have been insistent that they won’t negotiate right now. Universally considered an elite pass-catcher, Brown is ranked 18th among wide receivers in terms of average annual compensation ($8.4MM/year).

Here’s more from the AFC:

  • The Colts are meeting with Stevan Ridley today, but don’t expect them to sign him or any other running back before the end of the day, according to Stephen Holder of the Indianapolis Star (Twitter link). If Ridley proves to be healthy, he could be a quality backup for starter Frank Gore. The Colts have spoken at length about their plan to preserve Gore and keep him on a pitch count. Last year, Gore wound up carrying the ball 260 times, and Indianapolis wants to dial that number down so that the veteran can be fresh late in the season.
  • Dolphins linebacker Jelani Jenkins underwent a “cleanup” procedure on his knee, reports Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald (Twitter link), and although Jackson doesn’t specify a timeline, it’s fair to assume the operation took place fairly recently. Defensive end Terrence Fede, meanwhile, has a sprained MCL, so Miami’s defensive depth could be getting a little thin. The Dolphins had interest in adding linebacker Stephen Tulloch before he signed with the Eagles, so the club could look to add some bodies to its defense during the next few weeks.
  • Linebacker Vince Williams‘ new deal with the Steelers calls for him to earn $5MM in new money over the three-year span, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets. His 2016 salary of $675K remains the same but he also gets a $1.5MM signing bonus with a $2MM salary in 2017 and 2018.
  • Barkevious Mingo‘s skillset is a solid fit for the Patriots‘ versatile defense, as the former Brown is comfortable both rushing and dropping into coverage from the linebacker position, explains Doug Kyed of NESN.com. Earlier today, I examined why New England might have shipped a fifth-round to Cleveland for Mingo (aside from on-field reasons).

New Deal For Steelers’ Antonio Brown Unlikely

August 9th, 2016 at 2:42pm CST by Zachary Links

Antonio Brown is one of the most lethal offensive players in the NFL and is paid far below his talent level. Still, Brown has two years to go on his contract and the Steelers have been insistent that they will not discuss a new deal with him at this time. Recently, the team engaged in talks with Brown’s agent, but it doesn’t appear that the organization is going to give in to the wide receiver’s requests. The two sides are not talking at this time and it is very unlikely that the Steelers would entertain a new deal for Brown in 2016, according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (on Twitter). Antonio Brown (vertical)

The Steelers have a policy not to renegotiate with non-quarterbacks until the final year of a player’s deal and they do not want to make an exception for anyone – even a megastar like Brown. Universally considered an elite wide receiver, Brown is ranked 18th among wide receivers in terms of average annual compensation ($8.4MM/year). A quick look at the 17 receivers ahead of Brown shows that he has a legitimate case to be paid better (data via of Over The Cap):

Of course, Brown doesn’t have a ton of leverage with two years before he can potentially hit the open market. In all likelihood, Brown won’t get the big deal he is seeking until next year.

Latest On Steelers’ Contract Negotiations

August 4th, 2016 at 8:11pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

While Steelers cornerstones Le’Veon Bell, Lawrence Timmons and Markus Wheaton are all in contract years, the only free agent-to-be the team is negotiating an extension with is guard David DeCastro, reports Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The Steelers and DeCastro were reportedly making progress in talks as of Wednesday, but Bouchette writes that a deal isn’t close. The deadline for an agreement is the start of the season, which leaves the two sides just over a month to find common ground.

The 26-year-old DeCastro has established himself as one of the core pieces of the Steelers’ offensive line since the team used a first-round pick on him in 2012. DeCastro has started all but one game over the the last three seasons, and he’s coming off a year in which he earned Pro Bowl and All-Pro selections for the first time. DeCastro, whom Pro Football Focus has graded as one of the league’s 20 best guards three years running, is on the Steelers’ books this season for $8.07MM. That’s the cost of the fifth-year option that was included in the 24th overall pick’s rookie deal.

Le'Veon Bell (vertical)

Considering the turbulent year Bell has endured, it’s not surprising that the Steelers aren’t negotiating with him. The star running back is currently preparing to appeal the four-game suspension the NFL handed him in July for a violation of its substance abuse policy. If Bell loses the appeal hearing, which is scheduled for Aug. 18, it’ll mark his second suspension since last season. Bell sat out two games then thanks to an arrest for marijuana possession and DUI, and he missed the final eight contests of the year after tearing his MCL and PCL on Nov. 1. It perhaps didn’t help Bell’s cause that the Steelers’ offense showed well without him, finishing with the eighth-best yards-per-carry average in the league.

Timmons, meanwhile, is about to conclude the $48MM contract he signed with Pittsburgh in 2011. The Steelers have restructured that deal three times, leaving the 30-year-old with an unpalatable $15.1MM cap hit this season. A 2007 first-rounder, Timmons has spent his entire nine-year career in Pittsburgh – where he has racked up 33 sacks (five last season) – but 2016 could be his swan song with the Steelers.

Wheaton, 25, put up a whopping 17.0 yards per catch on 44 receptions and added five touchdowns in 2015. Previously, he amassed a career-high 53 grabs in 2014, though both his YPC (12.2) and TD total (two) were much less impressive. Wheaton is due to collect just over $1.67MM this year, but if he continues to post strong production, a significant raise will come – whether from Pittsburgh or someone else. The fact that Martavis Bryant will miss the entire season because of a suspension could lead to more opportunities and better numbers for Wheaton, who garnered a combined 166 targets over the previous two years.

Antonio Brown (vertical)

Unlike the aforementioned players, wideout Antonio Brown isn’t in a contract year, though the elite-caliber weapon would like a deal more in line with his production. After tying for the league lead in receptions (136), finishing second in yards (1,834) and scoring 10 times last season, Brown is slated to earn $6.25MM this year and $8.71MM in 2017. He’s just 18th among receivers in average annual value, but Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert isn’t about to rip his contract up in favor of a richer one.

As was the case last year, the Steelers could advance Brown $2MM of his salary for 2017, notes Bouchette. They would then have the option of awarding him a new contract after the season. Doing that would enable the Steelers to maintain their long-held policy of not negotiating new accords with players who have more than one year remaining on their deals. Quarterbacks are the only exception to that rule, and Ben Roethlisberger is already locked up through 2019.

Photos courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Steelers, Antonio Brown Discuss Contract

August 4th, 2016 at 3:05pm CST by Zachary Links

The agent for Antonio Brown and Steelers GM Kevin Colbert have begun discussing the wide receiver’s contract situation, ESPN.com’s Jeremy Fowler writes. Brown still has two years to go on his contract but has been pushing for a pay bump. The Steelers, meanwhile, have a policy not to renegotiate with non-quarterbacks until the final year of a player’s deal. Antonio Brown (vertical)

[RELATED: Steelers, David DeCastro Resume Contract Talks]

“We believe in our philosophy,” Colbert said recently, with regards to the team’s policy. “I don’t see that changing, but I’ll never address a player individually.”

Brown is slated to earn a guaranteed base of $6.25MM this year and $8.71MM in 2017 before potentially hitting the open market. Widely regarded as one of the very best wide receivers in the NFL, Brown is outside of the top ten at his position in terms of pay. In fact, Brown is No. 18 in terms of average annual value, putting him behind the likes of Pierre Garcon, Michael Crabtree, Allen Hurns, Vincent Jackson, and Doug Baldwin.

Last year, the Steelers restructured Brown’s deal to move $2MM of future salary into 2015. While Brown says that he appreciated that gesture, he is looking for something much more meaningful this time. The Steelers certainly want to keep Brown happy, but so far they have been unwilling to set a precedent by reworking his deal so far out from its expiration.

Brown tied for the league lead in receptions (136), finished second in yards (1,834), and found the end zone 10 times last season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Contract Notes: A. Brown, Peterson, Gronk

July 31st, 2016 at 11:33am CST by Rory Parks

Steelers star wideout Antonio Brown has two years left on the five-year, $41MM deal he signed in January 2012, and Pittsburgh typically does not negotiate new deals with non-quarterbacks who have more than one year left on their contracts (although the club did give Brown himself that five-year pact after Brown’s second season in the league). The Steelers may be willing to make an exception to their usual standard operating procedure given how valuable Brown is to the team, and according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com, they may have to.

Per Rapoport (Twitter links), Brown is currently monitoring DeAndre Hopkins‘ holdout in Houston, thereby implying that Brown may be willing to do the same thing in Pittsburgh. Rapoport adds that contract talks have moved much more slowly than Brown would like, and that the situation “bears watching.”

Now for some more contract notes on the league’s biggest stars:

  • Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports weighs in on the Brown dilemma, writing that contract talks are not just moving slowly, there have been no contract talks at all between Brown and the Steelers. La Canfora says he would be surprised if a deal for the kind of money Brown is seeking gets done until after this season.
  • Appearing on the Steelers Radio Network, Steelers GM Kevin Colbert discussed Brown’s contract situation. “We don’t renegotiate contracts with more than one year remaining with the exception of quarterbacks. Antonio’s under contract,” Colbert said (via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on Twitter). “He’s a great player. You can’t say enough good things about him. But he’s a professional. He respects the process, as do we. We’ll see where things end up.”
  • NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo tweets that Rob Gronkowski‘s agents, Drew and Jason Rosenhaus, are at Patriots‘ camp today. Garafolo’s sources indicate that they are working with New England on a new deal for the star tight end, but that nothing is imminent at the moment. Gronk, who signed a six-year, $54MM contract after the 2011 season, is under club control through 2019, his age-30 season, but he is significantly underpaid considering the going market rate for his position and his value to his team.
  • Adrian Peterson has two years left on his current contract, and as Chip Scoggins of The Star Tribune observes, the structure of Peterson’s deal will force the Vikings to take some sort of action after the 2016 season. Peterson is due a $6MM roster bonus in early March 2017 and would carry a gigantic $18MM figure if his contract is not addressed. No matter how good Peterson is, Scoggins writes that such a cap number would be untenable for a running back who will be 32 next season. Although the team is trying to build a more diverse offense for Teddy Bridgewater, Peterson is still likely to be among the league’s rushing leaders, but even if he is, Scoggins sees a restructure at season’s end as the most likely outcome.
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