Deb
06-27-2007, 01:31 AM
Team Report: Inside Slant
http://msn.foxsports.com/fe/img/NFL/Jellies/Large/23.gif
Ben Roethlisberger finished spring practices much the way he did last year, with coaches singing his praises. Now, if he can only avoid the kind of offseason problems that struck him last summer, beginning with a horrendous motorcycle accident and capped with an appendectomy 10 days before the regular season opener.
He is a tremendous competitor and he's a very talented guy," coach Mike Tomlin said when he concluded his first Organized Team Activity sessions in Pittsburgh. "He communicated well with all of the other players. He's kind of a ball junkie. I didn't know that about him, but he is talking about football on a day-to-day basis. He is really into it and I was very pleased with him."
The Steelers have off until July 23 when they will report to training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. Backup NT Chris Hoke, who had one year left on his contract, signed a new four-year contract for $6 million, including a $1.5 million signing bonus. Hoke backups up Pro Bowl NT Casey Hampton and started 12 games, including two in the playoffs, for an injured Hampton in 2004.
As he enters his fourth season with the Steelers, Roethlisberger is trying to grow into a new position -- as a leader of the team.
"I'm still trying to progress as a leader and just continue to lead this offense," he said.
In years past, Roethlisberger allowed Jerome Bettis, Alan Faneca, Hines Ward and Joey Porter to take those controls. But Bettis and Porter are gone and Faneca skipped most of the spring because he's unhappy with his contract.
A year ago, Roethlisberger was recovering from serious injuries he suffered in his motorcycle accident -- a broken jaw, nose, orbital bone and some missing teeth.
He did report on time to training camp, and played briefly in their first preseason game Aug. 12 in Arizona. He then missed the team's season opener Sept. 7 against Miami because of his appendectomy.
It was the beginning of Roethlisberger's worst season; he led the league with 23 interceptions and had a 7-8 record as a starter.
Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, now the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, said earlier this year that he and the staff may have rushed their injured quarterback into the lineup too soon.
"A lot of good things, some bad things," Roethlisberger said recently about his nightmarish 2006. "It just makes me thankful to be alive and out here with my guys."
MEDICAL WATCH: No updates.
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (not tendered offers)
--OT Barrett Brooks (not tendered as UFA).
--LB Chad Brown (not tendered as UFA).
--S Mike Logan (not tendered as UFA).
--S Andre Lott (not tendered as UFA).
--WR Lee Mays (not tendered as UFA).
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.
DRAFT CHOICES SIGNED
--P Daniel Sepulveda: 4/112; terms unknown.
--OG Cameron Stephenson: 5/156; terms unknown.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
--S Tyrone Carter: UFA; $2.5M/3 yrs, $280,000 SB).
--RB Najeh Davenport: UFA; $2M/2 yrs, $405,000 SB.
--LB Arnold Harrison: ERFA; terms unknown.
--RB Verron Haynes: FA, had been previously released/failed physical by Steelers; terms unknown.
--CB Chidi Iwuoma: UFA; terms unknown.
--QB Brian St. Pierre: RFA; $850,000/1 yr.
--OT Max Starks: RFA; $1.85M/1 yr.
--LS Greg Warren: ERFA; terms unknown.
--WR Nate Washington: ERFA; terms unknown.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
--RB Kevan Barlow: FA Jets; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--DE Nick Eason: UFA Browns; terms unknown.
--G/C Sean Mahan: UFA Buccaneers; $17M/5 yrs, $4M SB.
PLAYERS LOST
--DE Rodney Bailey: UFA Cardinals; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--P Chris Gardocki (released/failed physical).
--C Jeff Hartings (retired).
--WR Sean Morey: UFA Cardinals; 3 yrs, terms unknown.
--LB Joey Porter (released).
http://msn.foxsports.com/fe/img/NFL/Jellies/Large/23.gif
Ben Roethlisberger finished spring practices much the way he did last year, with coaches singing his praises. Now, if he can only avoid the kind of offseason problems that struck him last summer, beginning with a horrendous motorcycle accident and capped with an appendectomy 10 days before the regular season opener.
He is a tremendous competitor and he's a very talented guy," coach Mike Tomlin said when he concluded his first Organized Team Activity sessions in Pittsburgh. "He communicated well with all of the other players. He's kind of a ball junkie. I didn't know that about him, but he is talking about football on a day-to-day basis. He is really into it and I was very pleased with him."
The Steelers have off until July 23 when they will report to training camp at Saint Vincent College in Latrobe. Backup NT Chris Hoke, who had one year left on his contract, signed a new four-year contract for $6 million, including a $1.5 million signing bonus. Hoke backups up Pro Bowl NT Casey Hampton and started 12 games, including two in the playoffs, for an injured Hampton in 2004.
As he enters his fourth season with the Steelers, Roethlisberger is trying to grow into a new position -- as a leader of the team.
"I'm still trying to progress as a leader and just continue to lead this offense," he said.
In years past, Roethlisberger allowed Jerome Bettis, Alan Faneca, Hines Ward and Joey Porter to take those controls. But Bettis and Porter are gone and Faneca skipped most of the spring because he's unhappy with his contract.
A year ago, Roethlisberger was recovering from serious injuries he suffered in his motorcycle accident -- a broken jaw, nose, orbital bone and some missing teeth.
He did report on time to training camp, and played briefly in their first preseason game Aug. 12 in Arizona. He then missed the team's season opener Sept. 7 against Miami because of his appendectomy.
It was the beginning of Roethlisberger's worst season; he led the league with 23 interceptions and had a 7-8 record as a starter.
Offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt, now the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, said earlier this year that he and the staff may have rushed their injured quarterback into the lineup too soon.
"A lot of good things, some bad things," Roethlisberger said recently about his nightmarish 2006. "It just makes me thankful to be alive and out here with my guys."
MEDICAL WATCH: No updates.
FRANCHISE PLAYER: None.
TRANSITION PLAYER: None.
UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (not tendered offers)
--OT Barrett Brooks (not tendered as UFA).
--LB Chad Brown (not tendered as UFA).
--S Mike Logan (not tendered as UFA).
--S Andre Lott (not tendered as UFA).
--WR Lee Mays (not tendered as UFA).
RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS: None.
EXCLUSIVE RIGHTS FREE AGENTS: None.
DRAFT CHOICES SIGNED
--P Daniel Sepulveda: 4/112; terms unknown.
--OG Cameron Stephenson: 5/156; terms unknown.
PLAYERS RE-SIGNED
--S Tyrone Carter: UFA; $2.5M/3 yrs, $280,000 SB).
--RB Najeh Davenport: UFA; $2M/2 yrs, $405,000 SB.
--LB Arnold Harrison: ERFA; terms unknown.
--RB Verron Haynes: FA, had been previously released/failed physical by Steelers; terms unknown.
--CB Chidi Iwuoma: UFA; terms unknown.
--QB Brian St. Pierre: RFA; $850,000/1 yr.
--OT Max Starks: RFA; $1.85M/1 yr.
--LS Greg Warren: ERFA; terms unknown.
--WR Nate Washington: ERFA; terms unknown.
PLAYERS ACQUIRED
--RB Kevan Barlow: FA Jets; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--DE Nick Eason: UFA Browns; terms unknown.
--G/C Sean Mahan: UFA Buccaneers; $17M/5 yrs, $4M SB.
PLAYERS LOST
--DE Rodney Bailey: UFA Cardinals; 1 yr, terms unknown.
--P Chris Gardocki (released/failed physical).
--C Jeff Hartings (retired).
--WR Sean Morey: UFA Cardinals; 3 yrs, terms unknown.
--LB Joey Porter (released).