@dutch-oven said:

That was an interesting twist... 

Yea. He had a covid positive test and didn't fly to Florida. Dunbar our line coach convinced him in that time to come back AND he took less money. Dupree was never coming back because of his market driven price so excluding him alualu was far and away our biggest fa loss and was completely unexpected. Getting him back is enormous and opens the draft up more. 

@vagitron said:

And alualu is back. Made my day. 

That was an interesting twist... 

@tour2ma said:

... and took less to do so.

And alualu is back. Made my day. 

@vagitron said:

I think juju will get signed...

... and took less to do so.

@vagitron said:

They were never going to be able to pay Dupree. I think juju will get signed and I don’t think anyone in Pittsburgh expects or expected Connor to be retained with his injury history. Gotta keep one of Hilton or Sutton as well. My guess would be Sutton even tho Hilton is a beast. (He can’t play outside)

Probably losing Alualu as well,  

@tour2ma said:

Also not going to pursue resigning:

• Conner
• JuJu
• Dupree

They were never going to be able to pay Dupree. I think juju will get signed and I don’t think anyone in Pittsburgh expects or expected Connor to be retained with his injury history. Gotta keep one of Hilton or Sutton as well. My guess would be Sutton even tho Hilton is a beast. (He can’t play outside)

• Conner
• JuJu
• Dupree

@londonbrown said:

New contract for Big Ben 

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/31003873/ben-roethlisberger-signs-pittsburgh-steelers-2021-season

This was necessary for them to deal with their cap situation.   I am not sure that even with this and with Pouncey's retirement that they are at a break even point, much less being able to resign the likes of  Dupree and Shuster. Will have to try to find something that explains it vis a vis the cap. 

@londonbrown said:

New contract for Big Ben 

Fuck Pig Ben... He's washed up..

• Ben restructure ultimatum... https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/pittsburgh_steelers_president_gives_ben_roethlisberger_contract_ultimatum/s1_12680_34212401
• Connor on his way out... https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2021/03/02/james-conner-unlikely-to-remain-in-pittsburgh/
• JuJu imitating Higgins' "I want to stay" FA negotiating... https://www.yardbarker.com/nfl/articles/juju_smith_schuster_wants_to_stay_with_steelers/s1_14819_34190984

https://sports.yahoo.com/steeler-most-likely-slapped-franchise-010555566.html

@sdbacker80 said:

Okay but Dupree had nothing to do with the Steelers being one dimensional on offense and Ben showing his age. 

True, but, at the same time that was happening, their defense also started faltering.  So what came first, the chicken or the egg. I think the following shows that when Dupree was in, the defense did much better. 

1	Mon, Sep 14	@New York	W26-16	1-0	Roethlisberger 229	Snell Jr. 113	Smith-Schuster 69
2	Sun, Sep 20	vsDenver	W26-21	2-0	Roethlisberger 311	Conner 106	Johnson 92
3	Sun, Sep 27	vsHouston	W28-21	3-0	Roethlisberger 237	Conner 109	Ebron 52

5	Sun, Oct 11	vsPhiladelphia	W38-29	4-0	Roethlisberger 239	McCloud 63	Claypool 110
6	Sun, Oct 18	vsCleveland	W38-7	5-0	Roethlisberger 162	Conner 101	Claypool 74
7	Sun, Oct 25	@Tennessee	W27-24	6-0	Roethlisberger 268	Conner 82	Smith-Schuster 85
8	Sun, Nov 1	@Baltimore	W28-24	7-0	Roethlisberger 182	Conner 47	Smith-Schuster 67
9	Sun, Nov 8	@Dallas	W24-19	8-0	Roethlisberger 306	Conner 22	Smith-Schuster 93
10	Sun, Nov 15	vsCincinnati	W36-10	9-0	Roethlisberger 333	Conner 36	Johnson 116
11	Sun, Nov 22	@Jacksonville	W27-3	10-0	Roethlisberger 267	Conner 89	Johnson 111
12	Wed, Dec 2	vsBaltimore	W19-14	11-0	Roethlisberger 266	Snell Jr. 60	Ebron 54
13	Mon, Dec 7	vsWashington	L23-17	11-1	Roethlisberger 305	McFarland Jr. 15	Washington 80
14	Sun, Dec 13	@Buffalo	L26-15	11-2	Roethlisberger 187	Conner 18	Smith-Schuster 55
15	Mon, Dec 21	@Cincinnati	L27-17	11-3	Roethlisberger 170	Snell Jr. 84	Johnson 59
16	Sun, Dec 27	vsIndianapolis	W28-24	12-3	Roethlisberger 341	Conner 21	Smith-Schuster 96
17	Sun, Jan 3	@Cleveland	L24-22	12-4	Rudolph 315	Conner 37	Claypool 101

@the-gipper said:

Perhaps.  I would have said Dupree was more valuable.  Think about it.....it was after Dupree went down that the Steelers went into the tank. 

Okay but Dupree had nothing to do with the Steelers being one dimensional on offense and Ben showing his age. 

@sdbacker80 said:

In the Steelers defense which I hate to do...all are replaceable except for Alualu - they will need a wide body there to make the 3-4 work.

Alex Highsmith is going to do well. 

Perhaps.  I would have said Dupree was more valuable.  Think about it.....it was after Dupree went down that the Steelers went into the tank. 

@the-gipper said:

Commentators have said they are going to have to let  Conner,  Juju, Dupree, Villanueva, and  Alualu all walk in free agency.   We shall see. 

In the Steelers defense which I hate to do...all are replaceable except for Alualu - they will need a wide body there to make the 3-4 work.

Alex Highsmith is going to do well. 

https://sports.yahoo.com/mike-tomlin-confirms-he-contracted-covid-19-040903657.html

@gumby73 said:

Anybody else find it odd? That the HOF QB coattail's they all rode for all these years.. now can't pass protect..run, because Conners could not..dropped passes he threw & thought dancing on team logo's was a good idea ?...

 

Yep Colbert ! !  Rooney & yourself made yourselves a nice mess... Keep Ben? or A cost loss of a few defensive pieces? Which corner will they back themselves into next? stay tuned 

https://overthecap.com/free-agency/pittsburgh-steelers/   -30M

 

           

Commentators have said they are going to have to let  Conner,  Juju, Dupree, Villanueva, and  Alualu all walk in free agency.   We shall see. 

His last game is a big L to the browns.