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Ray Fittipaldo's Steelers chat: 3.12.18
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Ray Fittipaldo
11:57
Let's get the chat started.
jim
12:00
OK, I'm starting to come around a bit to Bell's side. 15 mil a year is nothing for a WR but a lot for a RB. But to me Bell is more valuable to this team than say Mike Evans is to Tampa. Pay the man his 15 mil and lets move on, lets avoid the distraction. Agree?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:04
I think the Steelers agree. Maybe not to the $15 million number, but they feel like he's worth more to them than just what the running back market is bearing. I'm not sure if I agree that he's worth $15 million. His yards per catch isn't all that high. He's more of a volume receiver than a YAC receiver. And his yards per carry were down this year. I'd pay him decent money, maybe $13-13.5 million, but I don;t think I'd go over that.
Kyle
12:04
Do the steelers have any free agents scheduled for visits during the "legal" tampering period?  Do you know of any of the prospects they had formal meetings with at the combine?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:06
It's pretty quiet down here today. I haven't seen any visitors. I think the phone calls between the agents and the GMs begin today and the actual visits start Wednesday, the first day of the new league year. So I don't think you'd see actual visits until Wednesday. Or, if the Steelers want a free agent bad enough, they go to them. That's what happened with Ladarius Green in 2016. Tomlin and Colbert flew down to Florida to recruit him, and he signed a few days later. But in short, it was fairly quiet here this morning before I started the chat.
Kimmy
12:06
Good Morning Ray!  What is the main holdup between Bell and the Front Office? Both sides have said that they were closer than ever, and yet, no deal.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:07
I don't know this for a fact, but I am surmising it has to do with guaranteed money. I think the Steelers are willing to go to a certain number in the first few years of the contract and Bell wants more guaranteed money.
Rick
12:07
Ray,  Any chance Steeler's brass gets fed up with Bell and rescinds franchise tag before draft?  Seems a RB could become very important.  Thank you.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:08
A chance yes, but I don't think a strong chance. I think they used the tag the same way they did last year -- as a placeholder for a long-term deal. They'll keep trying up until the deadline in mid-July.
Mr. Papa Georgio
12:08
How likely is it for the Steelers to take that QB from Louisville who won the Heisman? I've seen multiple mocks showing them taking him if he's still on the board.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:10
Zero chance. I've seen those mocks too. It's almost like the people who do those mock drafts don't pay attention to anything that has happened in Pittsburgh since the end of the season. The most important aspect of that scenario is Ben Roethlisberger saying he wants to play three more years. So why would you draft a QB in Round 1 when you are still in a Super Bowl window? Not to mention that you need some better talent on defense if you want to break through and finally win another Super Bowl. I laugh when I see some of these mock drafts that have the Steelers taking a QB.
Bob
12:10
Who will the Steelers target in free agency?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:11
Someone who comes cheap because right now they don't have a lot of money to spend. Last year they had money to spend and tried to spend it. They just don't have a lot of salary cap space to go out there and make a big splash signing. That might have changed if Le'Veon Bell signed a long-term deal, but he didn't so it's a moot point.
JP
12:12
Thank you for taking my question Ray. With the limited cap space that the Steelers have, wouldn't have made more sense to sign and trade Bell to capture picks and money back to use?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:13
There really is no trade market for Bell. I think this is a misconception. For example, why would Cleveland want to trade for Bell when they can get a RB A.) cheaper and B.) control him for four years and six years if you really like him...all while getting his services for a reasonable salary.
Craig
12:14
Ray, obviously Bell is a good running back but I’m not understanding  the Steelers willingness  to break the bank for a  position that’s easily filled.  I know they haven’t come to a deal but it’s already been  confirmed that they offered him 13.3 a year.  Is it just me or are we seeing a shift in the way the Steelers do business?  We haven’t made a Super Bowl with Bell  so why not let him walk improve our defense and  save the cap hit?  The Steelers never usually try to overpay for a player.  Not sure why they are willing to do this with Bell.
Ray Fittipaldo
12:16
I think part of the issue is they haven't really been great at targeting free agents in recent years. Just look back at some of the recent signings. Many of them, including Ladarius Green, did not work out well. I'll even throw Mike Mitchell in there. He was a serviceable starter for four years, and he played through injuries, but was he worth $25 over five years? No in my opinion. The Steelers are a draft and develop team. They scouted Bell, he's become a great player in their system, and they want to keep him in their system. That's the way they do business. They have dabbled in free agency, but for the most part this team likes to sign good players to second contracts because they know what they are getting. You don't know what you're getting in free agency.
Le'Veon Bell's Agent
12:17
Will we see any reports of the Steelers talking to anyone before Wednesday? And who are some big names to possibly watch out for?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:17
I don't think a big name. This might be one of those years when the Steelers sign a free agent weeks after free agency begins. I just don't see the team being very active because of the limited amount of salary cap space.
Dallas from FL
12:18
Hi Ray! Love the chats. Two questions; #1 Do you know what day we will see the Steelers cut down on players like Mitchell or Gay? #2 Have you heard any rumors or from sources about who the Steelers are targeting in FA?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:19
Wednesday March 14 is the first day of the new league year. Every team has to be in compliance with the cap by then. That's why you saw the restructure with Brown last week. They needed to get under the cap. So Mitchell is likely to happen today or tomorrow for that reason. They've already told him what they are doing. As for the free agents, again I don't think the Steelers will make a lot of noise in the first few days.
Bake
12:20
Ray, after restructuring DeCastro, Tuitt and Brown, they still only have 1 million in cap space. Of the current top 51 only 41 or 42 likely to make final 53 roster.  How many more need to be restructured to have the cap space need to fill out the roster?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:21
They'll have more once they cut Mitchell and a few other veterans. They might get to $6-8 million under by then. That's enough to get them through the offseason.
John-John Johnson IIII
12:21
Do you believe the steelers will make a splash in Free Agency on a guy like Tre Boston or Tyrann Mathiue, or even a starting ILB?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:22
Not a splash signing. Maybe a mid-level signing at ILB or S. Maybe.
Drew
12:22
Hey Ray. I know it’s likely the Steelers are “one and done” in Free Agency. Which position do you think they will target?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:22
Either ILB or S.
Tyler Thompson
12:22
1. Do you think Tavon Austin will sign with Pittsburgh and what role would he best fit for our teaming if he were to sign?  2. Besides Tavon Austin is there any free agents you’d like to see an who have a realistic chance of being on the team next season?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:24
You're the second person who has mentioned Tavon Austin to me. I don't get it. The Steelers draft and develop WRs better than any other team in the NFL. Why sign a free agent?
BK
12:24
If you could sign one free agent this year without money being an issue who would it be?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:25
Ndamukong Suh. Put him on a line with Heyward and Tuitt, and the run defense would improve tremendously. And he'd be a three-down player that could rush the passer too.
John in Florida
12:25
Ray, the Steelers seem to be in quite the quandary; either keep Bell, whether tagged or long term, and have little money to improve the defense, or rescind the tag and be more active in free agency. If they move on from Bell, I think signing or drafting a top tight end to help the offense, becomes a bigger priority. Your thoughts?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:26
Tight end is not a big priority. Vance McDonald, Jesse James and Xavier Grimble are signed through the end of next year. Could they draft and develop a guy who can take over for one of those guys in 2019? Absolutely they could. Just not until the middle rounds.
Pete
12:26
To the people who keep asking why don’t the Steelers franchise Bell and trade him to the Browns or some other team with a high draft pick:  why would a team trade for a guy who has touched the ball over 1,000 times in his NFL career, been suspended twice, and is obviously selfish since he mentioned possible retirement or holdout during a playoff run if the Steelers tag him again, when they can draft Barkley, who is by all accounts, not selfish, doesn’t have a lot of mileage on him, is bigger, faster, is also an excellent receiver, can return kicks, for far less money?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:26
Add to this my previous answer.
AK
12:27
I think it’s highly unlikely that the Steelers move up even a little in the first round since they would likely have to give up their second round pick, which they need this year.  Do you agree?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:27
As long as they get a player they covet at No. 28 I think they'll stand pat and keep the pick.
Andy
12:27
Do you think it's likely that all of the first round grade ILBs and safeties will be gone by the time the Steelers draft?
Ray Fittipaldo
12:29
Tough call now six weeks out from the draft. Those four ILBs are gaining steam. I have seen all four mocked to other teams before the Steelers pick at No. 28. That's kind of their nightmare scenario. I guess at that point you have to hope Harrison, the safety from Alabama, is still there. If he's not then it might not be a good Thursday night for the Steelers.
Bake
12:29
Ray, Unless they reach an agreement on a long term deal with Bell or rescind tag, they won't be able to sign a high quality FA like LB Williamson or S Reid?
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