HEADLINES

Marcus Gilbert

Steelers Rework Deals For Gilbert, Mitchell

February 25th, 2015 at 2:27pm CST by Luke Adams

2:27pm: The Steelers have also restructured the contract for safety Mike Mitchell, reports Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via Twitter). According to Bouchette, the two moves create a total of nearly $6.2MM in cap space, so it sounds like Mitchell’s was a simple restructure as well, converting a portion of his base salary and his entire $2MM roster bonus into a signing bonus. That would reduce his 2015 cap hit by about $2.44MM, creating total cap savings of $6,165,250 when combined with Gilbert’s restructure.

8:16am: Offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert, who signed a five-year, $30MM contract extension with the Steelers last August, has already seen that deal modified, according to Field Yates of ESPN.com (Twitter links), who reports that the team has restructured Gilbert’s contract to free up a little cap space for 2015.

According to Yates, the Steelers have taken Gilbert’s $3.5MM roster bonus, which would have been paid out on the fifth day of the 2015 league year, along with $1.155MM of his $1.9MM base salary, and turned that $4.655MM into a signing bonus. Gilbert will receive that chunk of money immediately, but for cap purposes, it’s prorated over the next five seasons, at a rate of $931K per year.

While the move ensures that Gilbert’s cap hits for 2016 through 2019 all increase by $931K, it reduces his 2015 cap number by $3.724MM, taking it from $6.98MM down to $3.256MM. As Over The Cap’s data shows, the Steelers had been under the projected $143MM cap by less than $1MM prior to reworking Gilbert’s contract. The move should give the team a little breathing room, though I imagine further transactions are coming to create additional flexibility.

AFC North Notes: Smith, Brown, Allen, Browns

October 28th, 2014 at 6:06pm CST by Matt Feminis

Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith (foot sprain) will be out “at least a few weeks,” writes the Baltimore Sun’s Aaron Wilson, who points to Nov. 24 against the Saints or the following week against the Chargers as possible return dates for Smith. When asked about adding a free-agent cornerback, head coach John Harbaugh said, “We don’t have to. If we can find the right guy, we’ll do that. They are scarce.” Instead, for now, the Ravens will turn to Dominique Franks to replace Smith. The team also has Chykie Brown, who has been inactive the last two games.

In other AFC North news…

  • Despite the Ravens stating publicly they don’t intend to go outside the current roster for cornerback help, Wilson tweets the team inquired about Tony Carter of the Broncos prior to the trade deadline.
  • The Steelers are another AFC North team with cornerback issues because Cortez Allen, who signed a five-year, $25MM deal before the season, has not only lost his starting job, but is in danger of being inactive, writes Ray Fittipaldo in the Post-Gazette. Head coach Mike Tomlin insists he remains confident in Allen’s abilities, but says the cornerback is leaving too many plays on the field: “[Allen] has to finish opportunities that he’s not getting done. Oftentimes, he is in position because he does a great job getting in position, but position is just an element of it. You have to finish.”
  • Fittipaldo also notes the Steelers expect to have right tackle Marcus Gilbert back in the starting lineup. He sat out last week with a concussion.
  • Steelers receiver Antonio Brown leads the NFL in receptions and targets, ranks second in receiving yards, is fourth in receiving touchdowns and paces all receivers with a 13.1 grade from Pro Football Focus. In Brown’s case, the stats don’t lie, says Tomlin, who boasted (via the team’s website) that the fifth-year playmaker is performing at an elite level. “He’s one of the best in the world at what he does,” said Tomlin at his weekly news conference. “(Antonio) is physically and mentally on top of his game, and when you have somebody who’s playing like that, you step into a stadium and he’s a known issue but still he performs. We say similar things about guys like J.J. Watt. We knew what he was capable of when we were getting ready to play the Houston Texans, but it still doesn’t stop the storm from coming. Antonio is playing at that type of a level from a wide receiver standpoint, a J.J. Watt discussion kind of a level.”
  • The Browns rank last in the NFL in punt returns, which prompted ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi to wonder if Josh Cribbs might get a phone call. However, head coach Mike Pettine quashed any speculation by saying, “Josh’s name hasn’t come up.”

Steelers Extend Marcus Gilbert Through 2019

August 21st, 2014 at 10:19am CST by Luke Adams

THURSDAY, 10:19am: Gilbert received a $7.65MM signing bonus on his new extension, which is the only fully guaranteed part of the deal at this point, according to Brian McIntyre (via Twitter).

TUESDAY, 3:52pm: The Steelers have locked up one of the key cogs on their offensive line through the 2019 season, announcing today in a press release that right tackle Marcus Gilbert has signed a five-year extension. According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), the five new years on the contract are worth $30MM.Marcus Gilbert

“It means I am locked in hopefully as a Steeler for the rest of my career,” Gilbert said of his new deal. “It’s a blessing to work for a great organization, the Rooney family, Kevin Colbert and Coach [Mike] Tomlin. Just to be around in Pittsburgh, where they show you so much love, I couldn’t be happier and in a better place.”

We heard earlier this month that the Steelers and agent Drew Rosenhaus were negotiating a new deal for Gilbert, with the intention of either getting something done by September or waiting until after the season. The 26-year-old has been the Steelers’ regular starter at right tackle since entering the league in 2011. Because he was a second-round pick, Gilbert’s rookie contract didn’t feature a fifth-year option for 2015, meaning his free agency was looming and the club was likely a little more motivated to work something out.

As our Rory Parks pointed out when he examined Gilbert as an extension candidate in June, the young tackle hasn’t been exceptional during his stint with the Steelers, at least according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics. Still, as I noted last week, non-elite tackles like Austin Howard, Breno Giacomini, and Michael Oher made out reasonably well on the open market back in March.

Based on the initial numbers reported, Gilbert’s extension looks awfully similar to the contract Howard signed with the Raiders. That deal was also worth $30MM over five years, though before we can determine exactly how they stack up, we’ll need to know the structure of Gilbert’s contract. Howard’s pact included $9.9MM in fully guaranteed money, including a $7MM up-front bonus.

Gilbert is the latest Steeler to sign an extension in what has been a busy summer for the team. Center Maurkice Pouncey inked a new deal of his own back in June, and the club also secured kicker Shaun Suisham to a long-term contract earlier this month. Jason Worilds is among the potential 2015 free agents who could still try to get something done with Pittsburgh before the season begins, but according to Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com (via Twitter), despite some conversations, the two sides aren’t close to an agreement at this point.

With a handful of players who had been eligible for 2015 free agency now locked up, the Steelers will soon be able to shift their focus to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, who is expected to discuss an extension with the team after the season. Roethlisberger is currently under contract through the 2015 season.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports.

Steelers Working To Extend Marcus Gilbert

August 11th, 2014 at 3:51pm CST by Luke Adams

The Steelers are working on a contract extension for offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert, and an agreement could be reached as soon as this week, reports Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (via Twitter). Gilbert had previously confirmed that his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, was talking to the team about a new deal, though he wasn’t sure if it would get done this month or if the two sides would “wait it out.”

Gilbert, 26, has been the Steelers’ regular starter at right tackle since entering the league in 2011. Because he was a second-round pick, his rookie contract didn’t feature a fifth-year option for 2015, meaning he’s eligible for unrestricted free agency after this season. As such, he has a little more leverage, and the club will be a bit more motivated to work something out.

As our Rory Parks pointed out when he examined Gilbert as an extension candidate in June, the young tackle hasn’t been exceptional during his stint with the Steelers, at least according to Pro Football Focus’ metrics. Still, non-elite tackles made out reasonably well on the open market back in March, and it wouldn’t be a surprise for Gilbert to sign a deal in the same neighborhood of the ones inked by Austin Howard, Breno Giacomini, and Michael Oher. Those three players will have annual salaries between $4.5-6MM on their multiyear pacts, with guarantees ranging from $6MM to $10MM.

AFC Notes: Gilbert, Hill, White, Bills

August 2nd, 2014 at 12:56pm CST by Matt Feminis

Buried underneath the news of Shaun Suisham‘s contract extension, Triblive.com’s Mark Kaboly notes the Steelers have been talking with agent Drew Rosenhaus about a contract extension for offensive tackle Marcus Gilbert, who is in the final year of his rookie deal. Gilbert “always possessed the natural talent to excel in the NFL,” writes Ray Fittipaldo in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “Now, he believes he has developed the off-field habits that will help him take the next step in his career.”

Read on for several more AFC news and notes:

  • Texans No. 1 overall pick Jadeveon Clowney caused a minor stir when he left practice early and spent time icing his leg on the trainer’s table, but the Houston Chronicle’s Brian T. Smith caught up with head coach Bill O’Brien, who said the team is just managing the rookie’s “pitch count.
  • The Jets traded up to draft Stephen Hill 43rd overall (two spots ahead of Bears receiver Alshon Jeffery), but the talented wide out’s first two seasons have been plagued by inconsistency and injury, writes the New York Daily News’ Manish Mehta, who calls Hill an “enigma who leaves you wanting more every time you see him.”
  • Status quo for Dolphins running back Knowshon Moreno, which means continued uncertainty, writes Adam Beasley in the Miami Herald.
  • ESPNBoston.com’s Mike Reiss relayed Bill Belichick quotes from an interview the Patriots head coach did with Sirius XM NFL Radio, and NESN’s Doug Kyed quoted quarterback Tom Brady. Both men were speaking about rookie running back James White, is making a strong first impression thanks to his versatility and maturity, seemingly earning trust as a three-down back.
  • In a preview of the Browns, CBS’ Pat Kirwan says he wouldn’t be surprised if four rookies start — including third-round linebacker Christian Kirksey, who is already getting some first-team reps — and two more (running back Terrence West and cornerback Pierre Desir) play important roles.
  • Bengals stalwart left tackle Andrew Whitworth is nursing a strained calf muscle, but he’s being patient, writes Cincinnati.com’s Paul Dehner.
  • “The sale of the Buffalo Bills has evolved into an event Ringling Bros and Barnum & Baily would have been proud of,” in the opinion of Forbes’ Mike Ozanian.

Extension Candidate: Marcus Gilbert

June 16th, 2014 at 9:00pm CST by Rory Parks

We learned yesterday that Drew Rosenhaus, the agent for Steelers’ right tackle Marcus Gilbert, had approached the club about a possible long-term deal for Gilbert. Although those talks are in the preliminary stages at this point, it may behoove the Steelers, who have struggled to get consistent production from their offensive line in recent years, to act before Gilbert hits the open market at the end of this season.

NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers at Green Bay PackersTo be certain, Gilbert is not an elite talent. Although we caution that Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics are not the be-all and end-all of player evaluation, those metrics combined with the “eye test” make for a fairly valuable analytical tool, and in this instance, the PFF grades (subscription required) accurately suggest that Gilbert is a solid pass blocker but struggles with run blocking. As compared to other offensive tackles, Gilbert is decidedly average, ranking 36th out of 76 qualified tackles in 2011, his rookie season, and 50th out of 76 in 2013 (he played only five games in 2012 after suffering an ankle injury in Week 6 of that season).

Nonetheless, even average lineman fared pretty well in free agency this year. As we noted yesterday, right tackles Austin Howard, Breno Giacomini, and Michael Oher all received four- or five-year deals worth between $4MM and $6MM per season. Only one of those players–Giacomini–performed better than Gilbert in 2013, according to PFF, and none of them were better in 2011. As such, Gilbert could reasonably demand at least as much, and will certainly get it should he hit free agency.

Gilbert, taken in the second round of the 2011 draft, is part of Pittsburgh’s recent movement to provide better protection to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and to revive their once-dominant running game. He is one of four offensive linemen taken in the first or second round in the past five years, along with tackle Mike Adams, guard David DeCastro, and recently-extended center Maurkice Pouncey. Although DeCastro and Pouncey have played well, Adams has struggled in his two seasons in the league, and the Steelers would like to be confident in at least one of their bookends in the long term.

Although he has stated that he loves playing in Pittsburgh and would not want to go elsewhere, the contracts that his peers received this offseason–along with the fact that he is represented by Rosenhaus–suggest that Gilbert will not be taking a hometown discount. However, solid tackles are hard to find, and the Steelers have gone through enough turmoil on their line in recent seasons to let a chance at real stability walk away (indeed, the chance to a keep core group of players in a given unit intact is an oft-overlooked but critical component of these discussions). It may be difficult to keep Gilbert on board, given that Roethlisberger, Jason Worilds, and Cortez Allen are also extension candidates, but Pittsburgh may have no other choice.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

AFC North Notes: Gilbert, Flowers, Green-Ellis

June 15th, 2014 at 11:11am CST by Rory Parks

Steelers right tackle Marcus Gilbert will be a free agent at the end of the 2014 campaign, and, as Ray Fittipaldo of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette writes, Gilbert can expect to see a big payday in his near future. The only question is what team will be paying him.

Though the Steelers do have some cap room to work out an extension or two before the start of the season, key players like Ben Roethlisberger, Jason Worilds, and Cortez Allen are also extension candidates, and there may not be enough money to go around. Right tackles, even middle-of-the road ones, were paid pretty well this offseason, with Austin Howard setting the pace after landing a five-year, $30MM deal with the Raiders.

However, only one of the right tackles to get a lucrative free agent deal this year graded out as a better player than Gilbert, according to Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics. Breno Giacomini, who signed a four-year, $18MM contract with the Jets, was ranked by PFF as the 41st-ranked tackle in the league, with Gilbert checking in at No. 44, Howard at No. 47, and Michael Oher at No. 68.

It would be safe, then, to assume that Gilbert is in line for a pretty nice raise, and though he would like to remain in Pittsburgh, he stated that he is not focused on his contract situation at the moment. His agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has apparently approached the Steelers about a long-term deal, but those talks are in the preliminary stages.

Now some more AFC North notes:

  • Undrafted rookie Brendon Kay is a long-shot to make the Steelers‘ roster, but he believes he has a chance to unseat Landry Jones as the team’s third-string quarterback, writes Sean Hammond of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  • The Ravens may be a dark horse candidate for Brandon Flowers, writes Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com. Cornerback is an area of need for the club after losing the steady Corey Graham in free agency, but before Flowers was cut, Hensley believed that the team would not sign a veteran free agent until after the final major cutdown following the preseason finale. But Flowers’ release represents one of those rare opportunities that GM Ozzie Newsome loves to exploit: the chance to grab an elite talent who unexpectedly shakes loose from his former club (see: Elvis Dumervil). Although the Ravens do not have a ton of cap space, they could potentially create more room by releasing someone like Sam Koch or Chris Canty, and the thought of teaming Flowers with Lardarius Webb and Jimmy Smith might be enough to make Newsome and company pull the trigger.
  • Coley Harvey of ESPN.com believes that Bengals running back BenJarvus Green-Ellis will be cut before the season begins. Harvey writes that it is a “mystery” as to why Green-Ellis is still on the roster, and he notes that the club would create $2.5MM of cap space by cutting him.
  • In the same piece, Harvey writes that if the Bengals want to keep Jermaine Gresham on the team beyond 2014–which may or may not be the case–any contract talks will probably not take place until after the season. Harvey also writes that the Bengals are one of the seemingly few teams who will not have interest in Flowers.
  • Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer, in response to a reader’s question concerning the future of Browns wide receiver Josh Gordon, writes that the team will likely not release Gordon before giving him a chance to “turn things around.” Cabot also notes that the coaching staff is high on right tackle Mitchell Schwartz, who is a good fit in Kyle Shanahan‘s zone-blocking scheme.

AFC North Notes: Whitworth, Steelers, Hood

February 23rd, 2014 at 4:10pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Earlier, we took a look around the AFC South, so let’s head north for a few more notes: