Feb 6, 2017 5 min read

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With the Super Bowl now completed, the 2017 offseason can now begin to heat up.

The Steelers have already begun some of the work on their offseason plans, resigning long snapper Greg Warren and placekicker Chris Boswell, among others, but still have plenty of work to do.

As team president Art Rooney II said last week, getting Le’Veon Bell signed to a new deal and Antonio Brown to a contract extension are priorities. But they aren’t the only ones.

What will it take to extend Brown?

His cap value for 2017 current sits at $13.6 million despite a base salary of just $4.7 million thanks to the team moving cash the past two seasons into his current year.

So even if the Steelers were to, say, match the 4-year, $60-million deal given to A.J. Green by the Bengals last season, it would only cost them $1.4 million in cap space.

As for Bell, anything the Steelers give him is going to be new cap money. Putting the franchise tag on him at upwards of $12 million for the 2017 season might seem to make sense, but the Steelers are going to spend at least that much on him in future seasons, as well, if not more.

For example, if they franchise him and he has a monster season – something of which he is certainly capable – he could demand more than the $14 million that Adrian Peterson’s deal current pays.

With the specter of the franchise tag hanging over him, a 4-year deal that averages $12 million per season might make more sense for both parties.

For Bell, it would offer some financial stability – the signing bonus would likely be in the $20 million range – and for the Steelers, they would lock up a key component for four more years.

It also would easily make him the second-highest paid running back in the league behind Peterson, whose deal averages a ridiculous $6 million more than the next closest back.

The Steelers are currently about $35-$40 million under the estimated salary cap, so those two moves would cost them approximately ? of that space.

Other things the Steelers should have on their to-do list include:

@ Re-sign Lawrence Timmons. This was something some thought might not happen when the Steelers signed backup Vince Williams to a two-year extension worth $5 million.

Williams’ deal locked up a key backup and gives the Steelers an option if Timmons’ demands are too much. But they likely won’t be.

Timmons wants to stay with the Steelers and they would like him back. The going rate for an inside linebacker of Timmons’ talents is around $7-8 million per season. The Steelers should be able to get him back on a 4-year deal worth $28-$32 million.

@ Re-sign James Harrison. Harrison played for a $1.25-million base salary in 2017. Obviously, the Steelers got him on the cheap.

The Steelers can make up for that by signing him to a two-year extension – even if he has no intention of playing beyond 2017 – for about $6 million with $3 million of that paid in signing bonus.

The idea will again be fore Harrison to be a part-time player next season, but who knows?

That seems like a fair starting point for both sides.

@ Pick up the fifth-year option on Ryan Shazier. Kenny Vaccaro, the 15th pick in the 2013 draft, got $5.6 million on his fifth-year option last year. That means, with a slight raise, it will cost around $5.8 or so for the Steelers to pick up the fifth year on Shazier’s option.

They also should look at a long-term extension for Shazier, as well.

@ Sign a backup quarterback. Draft one, as well. But this isn’t a strong year for quarterbacks in the draft, so if the Steelers are unable to re-sign Landry Jones – and I wouldn’t break the bank to do so – bringing in a QB with more experience would be a must.

Brian Hoyer would probably be my No. 1 target, assuming he doesn’t want another shot at being a starter.

Hoyer made $2 million last season in Chicago. Mike Glennon also might be of interest, but at 27, he might draw some interest elsewhere as a possible starter.

@ Sign Stephon Tuitt to a contract extension.

He’s young and he’s good. The problem, at least for him, is that he’s a 3-4 defensive end. And most of them aren’t getting paid big bucks.

Something in the range of $5 million per season seems fair.

@ Find a backup running back. DeAngelo Williams has been a good soldier, but I can’t see bringing him back again next season at 34.

The Steelers will surely look to the draft and Karlos Williams spent the season on the practice squad and has some promise. But Williams also has had some drug suspensions issues.

The Steelers should target a player such as Cincinnati’s Rex Burkhead to bring is as a special teams player/backup running back, as well.

You never know with rookies and Burkhead is the kind of do-it-all player you need on your roster.

@ Take a shot at this year’s Lorenzo Alexander.

Alexander came out of nowhere following a mostly undistinguished 10-year career to record 13 sacks for the Bills at 33 year old. He played on a one-year deal worth $850,000.

It doesn’t matter what position you find a guy like that at, but find one. To some degree, Harrison was that guy for the Steelers this season, but a veteran corner to challenge William Gay in the slot would be good – unless the Steelers are willing to gamble that player is Senquez Golson or Justin Gilbert.

Veteran Sterling Moore would interest me, but the Steelers might choose to draft another corner and go with what they’ve got.