Can anyone in Pittsburgh give a comprehensive overview of what all these restructurings are doing to the Steelers' cap -- not just this year, but for the next year or two down the line? I don't know any of the details. But it feels to me kind of like what the Ravens did after the 2000 Super Bowl to try to win it again in 2001.As Bisciotti said after this Ravens season, Baltimore isn't going to "put it all on the credit card" for a one or two-year run that is followed by massive salary cap dumping like they did prior to 2002. Right after the 2001 season ended, the Ravens let go of 8 starters - including Grbac, Sam Adams, Qadry Ismail, Shannon Sharpe, Rod Woodson, Rob Burnett, and Sam Gash.I feel like the Steelers might be setting themselves up for a lot of cap casualties next year - they must really think they have a chance to win in 2013 with the current roster.
They've been mortgaging cap space the past few years, and last year was the first year casualties starting occuring (Hines Ward, James Farrior, Aaron Smith among others were released). However, a product of this restructuring has hampered their ability to keep their good, coveting young players from hitting FA market. WR Mike Wallace and CB Keenan Lewis are prime examples of this for 2013. Normally, we'd be able to resign these guys, instead they are hitting FA and we are unlikely to resign them. In addition to not being able to hold on to these young, homegrown talents (which is normally why Steelers for so many years were always considered contenders for Super Bowl - by drafting talent and not making FA splashes), several long tenured veterans will have to be released to assuage cap relief, Casey Hampton, Willie Colon, James Harrison and even Troy Polamalu(unlikely) have been mentioned as potential cap casualties to get under the cap for this year. Problem wont get easier as the restructured players from this year have their cap # go up in successive years.The Steelers are caught in a vicious cycle of juggling cap space/keeping team competitive enough for a championship run.