Steelers Shift Strategy: Big Moves in NFL Free Agency

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00:00It is a huge, monstrous, memental, just bring the biggest words out for the Steelers.

00:06This is it, right?

00:07Like the organization that's been running the same thing for 25 years, it has put up

00:12or shut up time for the GM, for the coach, for the players too, Adam.

00:15All right, Craig.

00:16So lots to get into here.

00:18So let me just kind of explain because you were talking about, it's not just the last

00:2225 years.

00:23You could go back really since the start of Plan B for agency in 1993.

00:27The Steelers, they are what we call draft and develop.

00:31They draft their players.

00:33They develop them.

00:34They try to resign them.

00:35Or if they're not happy with them or there's some kind of issue, like with George Pickens,

00:39they don't want to extend his contract, they trade him.

00:42They would rarely get involved in free agency until this year.

00:46Now, I know people are pointing to Aaron Rodgers and they're going for it.

00:49I think it's kind of independent of that.

00:51Let me give an example.

00:52So we talked about trading George Pickens.

00:54Well, they acquired DK Metcalf, okay?

00:57Over $33 million per season.

00:59He's going to make $35 million in cash this season.

01:02Okay, that's un-Steeler-like.

01:04We mentioned Aaron Rodgers.

01:05He's only going to make under $14 million.

01:06And this is a one-year stopgap quarterback situation.

01:10They were not, as I understood it, they weren't super happy with this draft in terms of the

01:14quarterback position.

01:15But then you look at defense.

01:17Jalen Ramsey, who's going to make just under Craig, $20 million this season.

01:23Darius Slay, $10 million on a one-year deal.

01:25And remember, Ramsey signed through 2028.

01:29So their cash spend, cash is king of the National Football League.

01:33Their cash spend is way up for free agency.

01:36This, Craig, is not like the Steelers' business.

01:38Now, you mentioned Omar Khan, the general manager, who took over for Kevin Culber after the 22 season.

01:45Omar used to do their contracts.

01:46So he knows kind of what cash spend and what the cap looks like.

01:51And I know there's been some sort of movement, like trying to be more aggressive within their

01:54football operations.

01:56And when you really look at it, there are a bunch of people who used to work for the Eagles,

02:00namely Andy Weidel, Omar's right-hand man, who's now their assistant general manager,

02:05who's a high-ranking official with the Eagles in personnel under Howie Roseman.

02:09And anyone who works for Howie knows, you're going to be aggressive.

02:12You're going to spend money.

02:14And, Craig, you know this from covering Major League Baseball for many years and having

02:18an eye on the NFL.

02:19You're not going to get every draft pick right.

02:21Sometimes you've got to get involved with free agency with the right players.

02:24You're going to get involved with free agency with the right players.

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