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Category: ‘AFC North’

Steelers fully prepared to handle this offseason & the future

February 22, 2012 Posted by SteelerAddicts

Even with all the hype surrounding the Steelers this offseason; Todd Haley, Ben Roethlisberger, Free Agency, who’s running the team, the Steelers are not in any worse shape than they are in any other year organizationally speaking. Sure they are working their way out of a tricky salary cap situation but it’s not as hopeless as it was made out to be initially. The front office knows exactly what they’re doing with player contracts, the draft, and pretty much everything else that involves running the franchise.

For some reason there is this notion that this offseason is so much different than previous years, that the Steelers are somehow potentially in trouble in the future with the salary cap. The Rooney’s and Kevin Colbert have not steered us wrong in the past so we shouldn’t be worried now about how things are going now.  Every year no matter what the cap is, no matter who leaves or comes into the franchise, they always field a competitive team with a solid coaching staff. Ok, I know the whole Bruce Arians thing is debatable but we’ve beaten that horse long enough.

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Baron Batch getting back on track for 2012

February 20, 2012 Posted by SteelerAddicts

Steelers 2011 rookie running back Baron Batch is recovering nicely from the torn ACL that he suffered in training camp last year. We talked to him on twitter yesterday with one of our followers about his recovery:

@baron_batch: Fantastic!RT @SteelerAddicts: @baron_batch RT @AnthonyCrisco:  how is Baron Batch’s rehab coming along?

 Batch also checked in with a local radio station in Pittsburgh to discuss his offseason: PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) – Pittsburgh Steelers RB Baron Batch checks in with Troy Clardy on Sportsradio 93-7 The Fan.

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Harrison & Roethlisberger both open to restructures to help Steelers.

February 15, 2012 Posted by SteelerAddicts

The Steelers have slightly less than a  month from now to get below the NFL’s salary cap; March 13, at 4pm EST is the deadline.  While they are in panic mode, the Steelers never are though, there is still significant work to be done. Normally you like to be in a position when free agency starts to be able to make moves to help your team. That’s not the case for the Steelers and most likely won’t be the case when free agency starts.

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LaCanfora backs up information about Ward not returning

February 14, 2012 Posted by SteelerAddicts

PITTSBURGH (93-7 The Fan) Jason La Confora of the NFL Network and NFL.com caused quite a stir in Pittsburgh over the weekend by saying that Hines Ward would not be back next year for the Steelers. He joined the Fan Morning Show on Tuesday explain.

Jason backed his statement, calling Hines, “A player, who at this point in his career, is not part of their long-term plans.”

The Steelers have much work to do and as we’ve talked about here on SA, we think it’s time for the great Hines Ward to ride off into the Black ‘N Gold sunset. The issue is not that Ward deserves to be a Steeler until he retires, that much is obvious. It’s the fact that even at the league minimum how much are you going to give up to keep Hines that you could use to help sign another lineman or depth at middle linebacker, or to even help keep Jerricho Cotchery.

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Steelers GM Kevin Colbert talks Steelers salary cap, free agency, & injuries

February 13, 2012 Posted by SteelerAddicts

According to Steelers insiders Ed Bouchette of the Post Gazette and Pittsburgh Tribs Scott Brown, Kevin Colbert stated that no free agents on the Steelers roster are likely to be signed before the March 13th deadline at 4pm. That means all players who are not under contract at that time will hit the free agent market.

This doesn’t come as a real big surprise though when you think about it. The team still has work to do to get under the salary cap, which means more restructures and possible roster cuts as well.  Even though they’ve made good progress over the last weeks with restructured deals for Ike Taylor, Lamarr Woodley, and Lawrence Timmons along with releasing Arnaz Battle and Bryant McFadden, they still need to free up a significant amount of money, rumored to be around $10 million.

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Steelers not planning to bring back Hines Ward for 2012

February 10, 2012 Posted by SteelerAddicts

NFL.com’s Jason LaCanfora is reporting tonight via his blog & twitter that according to sources the Steeles are not going to bring back veteran Wide Receiver Hines Ward next season.

Ward has been in the league for 14 years, all of them with the Steelers after being drafted by Bill Cowher back in 1998. Hines still has 1 year left on his current deal in which he is due $4 million. The team could restructure his contract if they choose too but they may decided to cut ties with a team icon as they move forward. Even though Hines has said he doesn’t want to retire and would be open to a restructure it appears the team has other ideas. It just wouldn’t seem right not have #86 on the field on Sunday afternoons anymore but we all knew this day was coming sooner or later.

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Cap strapped Steelers restructure Ike Taylor’s contract

February 10, 2012 Posted by SteelerAddicts

Ike Taylor has done his part to help the Steelers work towards getting under the salary cap for 2012 by restructuring his deal according to Mike Florio of PFT.  Taylor signed his new 4 yr. $28 million dollar contract before the start of the 2011 season. Ike has been a stabilizing force in the Steelers secondary for years; and a defender that teams generally stay away from because of his ability to cover the offenses best receiver one on one. Taylor finished up the season with 44 Tackles & 2 Interceptions.

With this latest move, the team has freed up over $3 million from this years cap number.

The Steelers still have a few weeks yet before they must be under the NFL salary cap but they are clearly wasting no time. There are still other candidates that can be restructured; Casey Hampton, Hines Ward, James Harrison, and Troy Polamalu all could be on the horizon.

 

Steelers formally introduce Todd Haley at press conference

February 9, 2012 Posted by SteelerAddicts

Today was the day, the one that the Steeler Nation has been waiting for, just what would Todd Haley say in his first formal press conference? How would Mike Tomlin introduce his new coordinator? How many times would Haley be asked about working with Ben Roethlisberger or asked to speak about his emotional coaching style?

All those questions were answered as Haley took the stand after a brief introduction from Tomlin. The Steelers Head Coach was grinning from ear to ear nearly the entire time according to the Pittsburgh Trib’s Dejan_Kovacevic - Tomlin called it “my great pleasure” to intoduce Haley, now smiling broadly in corner of room as Haley speaks. 

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Lawrence Timmons’ contract restructured by the Steelers

February 9, 2012 Posted by SteelerAddicts

The offseason  moves forward as the Steelers have announced that they have restructured the contract for Linebacker Lawrence Timmons, according the to Post Gazette’s Ed Bouchette.

It’s unknown at this time how much the team was able to save by redoing #94′s deal but his numbers for the 2012 season originally were as follows:  Base Salary: $2,625,000 Bonus Money: $6,5000,000 Total Cap Hit: $9,125,000. Normally they will take the bonus money a player is owed and spread that out of the life of the contract with eases the cap number for the current year. They can also add years to a players deal as well if they choose. The latter though usually happens late in a players current deal rather than near the beginning like Timmons is right now, having just signed his contract last summer.

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It’s official, Todd Haley hired as new Steelers Offensive Coordinator

February 7, 2012 Posted by SteelerAddicts

The Steelers have made it official this afternoon, Todd Haley has been hired as the new Offensive Coordinator.  As we’ve talked about in several articles here on the site since the story broke yesterday afternoon, there is a lot to look forward too with Haley coming on board.  We’re all excited to see what innovations he can add to the dynamic talent he’ll have to work with on offense.

Here is the official statement from the team, as there will be no press conference.

“I am excited about the opportunity to come back home and work for a tremendous organization,” Haley said. “It is an honor to work with the Rooney family and Coach Tomlin and continue the success that has become synonymous with the Steelers. My father has so many fond memories both from his playing days and his time in the personnel department with the team, and I look forward to helping bring more championships to Pittsburgh and to being a part of one of the storied franchises in the NFL.”

 
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