The opinions found in Asked and Answered do not reflect the views of the Steelers organization.
Let's get to it:
TERRY PECK FROM SPRINGFIELD, OH: You mentioned Aaron Smith in the March 10 installment of Asked and Answered. I always liked to watch him play, and it seemed like the run defense always did very well when he was present. You wrote that he played in 160 regular season games, with 344 solo tackles, 44 sacks, 7 forced fumbles, and 9 fumble recoveries. Is it possible, or fair, to compare his stats to Cameron Heyward's? Of course, I like him, too.
ANSWER: Cam Heyward came to the Steelers as a No. 1 pick (31st overall) in the 2011 NFL Draft, and as of this writing he has appeared in 228 regular season games, in which he has accumulated 477 solo tackles, 92 sacks, 9 forced fumbles, and 7 fumble recoveries. Another significant statistic for Heyward is his 64 passes defensed, most of which came on balls he batted/tipped at the line of scrimmage. Aaron Smith was credited with 21 of those.
The above is the statistical comparison, but while both men were defensive linemen they were aligned differently and used differently, mainly because of the eras in which they played. During Smith's career, he lined up as a defensive end in a 3-4 alignment that included a pure nose tackle – either Casey Hampton or Chris Hoke – and he played in an era where NFL offenses consistently ran the football on first and second downs. Heyward often lined up in the interior as a defensive tackle during an era in the NFL when there is never a situation where any offense is reluctant to throw the football. Both deserve to be seen and remembered as great Steelers.
- Download and listen to the Asked & Answered Podcast here: Apple Podcast | Spotify
MATT KELLERMAN FROM PRESCOTT, AZ: If a player receives a contract with incentives do they count towards the salary cap for that year?
ANSWER: Here is the explanation via operations.nfl.com:
"Player incentives are considered 'likely to be earned' (LTBE) or 'not likely to be earned' (NLTBE) based on the player or team's prior-year performance.
"For example, if a player has a $500,000 incentive for accumulating 1,000+ rush yards in the upcoming season and he had 1,000+ rush yards the previous season, the incentive is considered LTBE. If he did not record 1,000+ rush yards in the previous season, the incentive is considered NLTBE.
"Except in certain circumstances, LTBE incentives count against the team's salary cap in the current season, and NLTBE incentives do not count against a team's current year's cap. Except in rare cases, unearned LTBE incentives are credited to the following season's salary cap, while earned NLTBE incentives are charged against the following season's salary cap."
SUNIL GEORGE FROM PRINCETON, NJ: I am not thrilled with the free agent QBs. Do any of them really fit Coach Mike McCarthy's offensive system?
ANSWER: Gee, let's see … how about Aaron Rodgers? He's a free agent, was coached by Mike McCarthy from 2006-18, and during that time he was voted to the Pro Bowl 7 times, was first-team All-Pro twice, won 2 MVP Awards, and was the MVP of Super Bowl XLV. That would qualify as a fit in my opinion.
DAN MELCHIOR FROM SAN DIEGO, CA: You mentioned Ben Roethlisberger in the March 12 Asked and Answered, which triggered a memory. I remember hearing someone in the NFL (I can't remember who, I'm getting old) say that in the 2004 draft, the Steelers, if they would've had the first overall pick, they would've drafted Roethlisberger over Eli Manning or Philip Rivers. Do you know if there's any truth to that fuzzy memory, or if you have recollection of that claim?
ANSWER: In "Dan Rooney: My 75 Years with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the NFL," which came out in 2007, Dan Rooney wrote, "Our 6-10 record in 2003 earned us the 11th pick in the first round of the 2004 NFL Draft, and during the process of evaluating and grading the college prospects we looked hard at the quarterbacks. Our staff had concluded that Eli Manning and Philip Rivers were the most polished of the prospects available, but there also was a big, strong, talented kid at Miami (Ohio) named Ben Roethlisberger who intrigued a lot of our scouts. Manning and Rivers both were picked before our turn, and so our people seemed to have focused on Shawn Andrews, a big offensive tackle from Arkansas as our likely No. 1 pick. But when our turn came, I couldn't bear the thought of passing on another great quarterback prospect the way we had passed on Dan Marino in 1983, and so I did kind of steer the conversation around to the potential Roethlisberger had showed during his college career. After some more talk, we came to a consensus and we picked Roethlisberger. Big Ben, 6-foot-5, 240-pounds, was quick, tough, had a great arm and could think on his feet. He was just what we needed."
That's how Roethlisberger ended up being the Steelers' No. 1 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Dan Rooney never "ordered" the pick, but he was smart and savvy and was a genius in creating a consensus to end up with what he wanted.
JAMES ROBERT LABAR JR. FROM WEEDVILLE, PA: How will the loss of Isaac Seumalo affect the Steelers? Was he our best lineman?
ANSWER: Isaac Seumalo will be 33 in October, and in my opinion the only issue with him came in the final 2 of his 3 seasons with the Steelers when the qualifier "when he is healthy" had to be used a bit too often. Good player. Tough guy. His experience was a stabilizing force when the Steelers were going with a couple of young guys in Zach Frazier at center and Broderick Jones at left tackle. Seumalo isn't irreplaceable, but his loss will have to be addressed. And I would say that Troy Fautanu was the Steelers No. 1 offensive lineman in 2025, with Frazier a solid No. 2.
SCOTT CROMER FROM NEW KENSINGTON, PA: With No. 2 WR being addressed with the Michael Pittman Jr. trade, and the Jamel Dean signing to shore up the CB spot opposite Joey Porter Jr., could you see the Steelers selecting a guard at No. 21 overall? With Isaac Seumalo leaving in free agency, it does leave a hole on the offensive line.
ANSWER: My opinion on Isaac Seumalo is contained in the above answer. And maybe this is just my bias, but I would have to be convinced that a guard in today's NFL is worth the 21st overall pick in an NFL Draft. I understand that Alan Faneca was a first-round guard in 1998, and David DeCastro was a first-round guard in 2012. But Faneca was the 26th overall pick in a draft where WR Randy Moss was No. 21 overall, and DeCastro was the 24th overall pick in a draft where DE Chandler Jones (112 sacks in 11 seasons) was 21st overall. The Steelers have 4 of the first 85 picks, and so I would have to be convinced it's necessary to use No. 21 overall to get a starting-caliber LG out of this draft.
RONNIE CAP FROM YANKTON, SD: I'm still learning when it comes to the fifth-year option. If I'm thinking right, it is the average of the top five contracts at the position, and it's guaranteed but paid weekly during the season. For this year, could you tell me the breakdown of each position for fifth-year option pay? And which positions are grouped together? I think all offensive line men are.
ANSWER: You are confusing the rules for the franchise tag tender with those for the fifth-year option. It's the franchise tag tender that is determined by the average of the top 5 paid players at a position. The franchise tag recognizes 11 different position groups, and in descending order in terms of the amount of the tender, those position groups are:
Quarterback
Wide Receiver
Defensive Tackle
Linebacker
Offensive Line
Defensive End
Cornerback
Safety
Tight End
Running Back
Kicker/Punter
The pay attached to the fifth-year option is based on where the player was drafted in the first round, and then it's raised further if the player reaches escalators triggered by things such as Pro Bowls, All-Pro selections, etc.
JEFF DANIELS FROM ALLYN, WA: I seem to remember some interest from the Steelers in Malik Willis the year they drafted Kenny Pickett in the first round. Do you remember that being the case?
ANSWER: "Some interest" is a very general and generous characterization when it comes to a team and a draft prospect. My perception at the time was that once the Steelers' turn came in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, the decision was not an either/or between Kenny Pickett and Malik Willis.
BRYAN KOBO FROM VOLANT, PA: Answered questions are at a premium. Why do people bother asking questions that would just as easily be answered by a simple Google search? Sorry, just seems rather wasteful.
ANSWER: Yes, answered questions are at a premium. Why do people bother asking questions criticizing other people's questions and/or the questions I decide to use? That is no less wasteful.
