Steelers Screw Up Another One!

[Whatever]

(03-10-2019, 11:46 AM)StrictlyBiz Wrote: To be fair, the only other option would be to not trade him, force him to come to OTAs and camp, and fine him when he doesn't show up. This would drag on into the new league year, offseason, and possible longer, like camp and preseason. 

It would've been an distraction of epic proportions and the Steelers would then be criticized for botching the situation by holding on to him too long just like they did with Bell. 

They really were in a no win situation and probably why they decided just to be rid of him and move on. Can't say that I don't agree with how it happened given the alternative. It sucks. They got screwed but at least they can put the two malcontents behind them and build from here. 

Personally Im happy that all of this is over. They still have a lot of good players and if you think they're going to suck and be an easy out next year, then you haven't been paying attention to the way they do things. They will rebuild in short order. They have already proven that they don't need Bell and have Golden Taint courting them already. 



I'm not predicting anything great next year, they're not winning the division or making the playoffs, but don't expect them to all of the sudden be a 4 or 5 win team. This is the bottom, they can now start to ascend again. 

Even if the Steelers refused to trade him, he could have simply filed his retirement papers to avoid the fines and unretired once the Steelers didn't have cap room for him.  He did make some comments about not needing to play anymore.  That is a big difference between between him and Bell.  The Steelers have fallen over themselves to back the Brinks truck up to Brown's door numerous times.  He doesn't need to continue playing to have long term financial security, and now the Steelers are finding out that the financial security they gave him is massive leverage. 

The Steelers had to trade him.  They played hardball with Bell last year and lost and can't afford the drama or setting aside massive cap dollars for a guy who isn't playing again.  Everyone else knew this and the Raiders stuck it to them.  The big concern is that if only one player strongarmed their way out of Pittsburgh, that's a player problem.  When multiple players do it, that's a team problem.