If the Steelers clear the cap space, what’s the best way to spend it?

On Thursday, it was reported by ESPN’s Diana Russini that J.J. Watt acquired a variety of affords to hitch numerous NFL franchises. With many Steelers’ followers hoping to see all three brothers taking part in within the Metal Metropolis, seeing a price ticket of $15 million per season just about solidified the actual fact the Steelers are out of the operating.

On seeing this quantity, my first thought could be if the Steelers have been going to spend this sum of money per season on a participant, would J.J. Watt be your best option?

To start with, earlier than we get going too far, simply because these numbers are the typical wage per yr it doesn’t imply that may be the wage cap it for 2021. With most multi-year contracts, the primary yr of the deal counts considerably much less because the Steelers pay out a big portion of the primary yr wage as a signing bonus. So regardless that the determine of $15 million per yr is what we are going to go by, it doesn’t imply the Steelers would wish to clear that a lot in cap house.

For instance, if the Steelers have been to signal a participant corresponding to J.J. Watt to a three-year deal the place the primary yr is the league minimal wage together with a signing bonus to rise up to $15 million after which a base wage of $15 million every season after, the cap hit for 2021 could be underneath $6 million. I’m not saying that is the kind of contract that may be signed and it will be structured on this method, I used to be merely utilizing it for instance. If it’s a contract for extra years, it will be even much less this season. If it have been solely a two-year deal, it will be over $8 million on this yr wage cap.

Now that we’ve an understanding of how the financials may probably be, the largest query could be if the Steelers may clear up sufficient wage cap house to signal a participant, would J.J. Watt be the best choice?

Immediately, two different gamers who performed in Pittsburgh in 2020 come to thoughts. Would the Steelers be higher off spending the cash it will take to signal the eldest Watt brother and utilizing it to maintain Bud Dupree on the town? Likelihood is, it will be considerably equal of a monetary obligation. Granted J.J. Watt is a former two-time NFL Defensive Participant of the Yr and 5 time All-Professional whereas Dupree has but to make a Pro Bowl within the NFL, Watt is ready to show 32 subsequent month and should have his greatest taking part in days behind him. Moreover, how properly does J.J. Watt match into the Steelers protection together with gamers corresponding to Cameron Heyward and Stephon Tuitt who’re already commanding important salaries? Would the Steelers be higher off shoring up one other place?

To go to the opposite aspect of the ball, would it not be higher to carry onto large receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster with the cash it will take to signal a participant like J.J. Watt? Do the Steelers have to spend the extra funds on protection or would they be higher off shoring up the offense by retaining the chief of the Steelers large receiver room final season?

There’s additionally the choice of spending the cash on a unique exterior free agent to come back in and assist the Steelers. Is there anybody specifically for that price ticket that Steelers followers would moderately see them usher in aside from going with J.J. Watt?

Or is the opposite choice of signing a number of gamers at lesser salaries one of the best path to go? Ought to Steelers be changing amount moderately than making a giant “high quality” splash?

In fact, that is all hypothesis as any take care of J.J. Watt would possible be at a reduced fee as a way to play together with his brothers. However since there was a quantity floated on the market of what it’d take, I simply needed to get the heart beat of Steelers’ Nation as as to if or not they need to discover this selection versus others they’ve.

So what do you assume? Who could be one of the best participant for the Steelers to signal in the event that they have been capable of release this a lot cash? Be sure you vote on the ballot and depart your ideas within the feedback beneath.