Druin Mailbag: JuJu's Future, Steelers' Dream Draft Scenario, Watt's Next Contract and More
Where has the time gone? It feels like just yesterday we were anticipating round three of a heavily heated Pittsburgh Steelers-Cleveland Browns matchup in the AFC playoffs, with a potential Super Bowl in the future. With two full months already down in 2021, we now know those dreams were merely speculation, as the Steelers showed a significant gap between hoisting a Lombardi trophy and watching at home with the rest of us.
We also know a few key pieces will return (Ben Roethlisberger being the most notable), while other guys (Maurkice Pouncey, Vance McDonald) will enjoy the life of a former professional player. When it comes to free agency, the verdict is still out on JuJu Smith-Schuster's playing destination for 2021, while the likes of Bud Dupree and a few others aren't expected back in black and gold.
With free agency set to begin next week, what better time to do a Steelers mailbag? I asked you all to ask, and you delivered. Find below a few questions submitted by the best readers in the world (hate mail can be directly forwarded to @DonnieDruin on twitter for a more efficient experience):
Q: What should be the No. 1 priority moving forward this offseason for Kevin Colbert and the Steelers’ front office?
A: There's a lot of moving parts to building a great foundation for a football team. Conveniently, I believe the most important part of a great team also happens to be the highest in priority for Pittsburgh to figure out: Fixing the offensive line. Admittedly so, it's not a sexy thing to do. It's sort of like taking out the trash: Nobody really prides themselves on taking the trash out, but if you don't do it, it eventually stinks.
Football games begin (and are mostly won) on the line of scrimmage. An extremely poor rushing attack showcased precisely how rotten Pittsburgh's starting five was, and chances are three of those starters won't be playing for the Steelers next season. Revamping the offensive line, which looks most likely through the NFL Draft, is the first but most pivotal step in returning to making postseason runs.
Q: What’s T.J. Watt's next contract going to look like?
A: Short answer: Call the Brink's truck.
Better answer: Watt's next deal will surely make him the highest paid defensive player in the league, if not in league history. Last offseason, I projected Watt to hit a five-year deal worth a total of $115 million dollars, with $23 million annually/$46 million guaranteed)
While that figure is still somewhat likely, the NFL is a league that loves to continually one-up the next big contract. Myles Garrett's contract extension before the 2020 season was for 5 years/$125 million dollars, with $25 million earned annually/$100 million guaranteed. I would suggest Watt's deal may look similar to this, with more money earned annually and perhaps less guaranteed money.
Unless the Steelers work some voodoo in Watt's next deal that would see a very low cap number for 2021, the team may wait until the salary cap jumps back up to accommodate the commas Watt's deal may bring.
Q: Which Steelers are more and more likely to not be back in black and gold next year?
A: Unfortunately, the Steelers are a tad cash-strapped with a lower than expected salary cap figure. This leads to more home players departing than the Steelers would like, and with 22 players listed as free agents this season, Pittsburgh may see a high turnover rate.
Rather than speculating on the future's of who might be undecided, I'll give you a few names I'm fairly certain won't be returning next year: Bud Dupree, James Conner, Alejandro Villanueva, Matt Feiler and Josh Dobbs. I also may be tempted to throw Avery Williamson in there, pending on Robert Spillane's return.
As for the rest, I believe there's a chance to return to the team, although some guys appear pretty excited to chase a bag...
I find it hard to believe both Cam Sutton and Mike Hilton are both returning, so if either is signed, expect the other to walk away.
Q: Is JuJu Smith-Schuster worth keeping?
A: Short answer: Yes, because he's a very talented player, who still has a lot of ball left ahead of him and truly feels as if he loves the city/organization.
Medium/Long answer: Spotrac currently has Smith-Schuster's market value around $16 million dollars annually, with a based calculated contract of 5 years, $80 million dollars.
Also, there's this to consider:
Taking that money into consideration with a trio of Diontae Johnson, Chase Claypool, James Washington and a rich history of successfully drafting receivers? While JuJu may be worth that money to another team without equal assets, the Steelers would be much smarter to invest that money into other parts of the team that truly need the financial backing, thanks to an already talented receiving corps.
Q: Suppose the Steelers gave Donnie Druin the keys to the Cadillac...who are you selecting with the 24th overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft?
A: First of all, I'd love to have a Cadillac. Second of all, I feel like there's no right/wrong answer to this question. Going with the coveted "best player available" strategy looks like another viable option for a Steelers football team with a plethora of holes.
Should Najee Harris be the pick? I wouldn't be mad. Dependent on any free agency moves/cuts, guys such as Nick Bolton or Jaycee Horn could make sense as well.
Personally, I believe I'm the conductor of the "fix the offensive line before anything else" train, and with the Steelers having limited capital to do exactly that in free agency (as mentioned above), pick number 24 is a great place to start. With no intriguing center prospects expected to be where the Steelers are drafting at and a deep tackle class, the Steelers may be in a catch-22 trying to gauge who will be where for day two of the draft.
My ideal pick? Tackle Christian Darrisaw, although it appears he may be far gone by the time the Steelers pick in the first round. Names such as Jalen Mayfield, Teven Jenkins and Alex Leatherwood among others are interesting as well.
Q: Is Ben going to hold the Steelers back in 2021?
A: While Roethlisberger's play down the stretch (along with literally everybody else's) left a lot to be desired, let's face it: The gap between Roethlisberger and the rest of Pittsburgh's quarterbacks, in terms of getting a team to a Super Bowl, is so wide it's unexplainable. Mason Rudolph isn't currently equipped to lead the Steelers into a deep postseason run in 2021, and neither is Dwayne Haskins (please don't bring up Josh Dobbs, either).
Is Ben Roethlisberger the same quarterback he once was? Certainly not. However, he's the best quarterback on the roster, and *hopefully* his supporting cast is able to pick their play up along with Roethlisberger himself.
Donnie Druin is a Staff Writer with AllSteelers. Follow Donnie on Twitter @DonnieDruin, and AllSteelers @si_steelers.
