Starks Signs One Year Tender

[Black@Gold Forever32]

Steelers tackle Max Starks cleared up any uncertainty about his feelings about playing for the Steelers in 2008 by signing his transition tender.

Starks, 26, was given the transition tender because the Steelers, who lost Alan Faneca to free agency, didn't want to suffer too big a loss on the offensive line. A year ago, center Jeff Hartings retired. Even though Starks didn't finish the season as the starter, the Steelers felt he was too valuable to lose. http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3354694

[NOVA STEELERS]

So now that $6.9 million is tied up there, I really hope they can work out a long term deal and free up some of that money for our Draft picks..........

[Stlrs4Life]

I hear ya Nova. Starks knew he wasn't going to get an offer from any other team.

[BlitzburghRockCity]

I hear ya Nova. Starks knew he wasn't going to get an offer from any other team.

Yep that's about the size of it IMO also. Max knows if he wants either a long term deal in Pittsburgh or at very least the chance to showcase his talents for another team in 2009 then he better end this holdout of his and sign that deal. He just got himself a huge payday for 2008 so now the team knows they are stuck with that money and unless they use him for trade bait in draft to move up then I'd look for them to really step the talks to get him inked to a more cap friendly deal before too much longer.

[ItAintEasyBeingPeazy]

Hopefully with faneca gone Starks will step up and be the man on that line, Dude could be a beast if he wanted too.He's too damn big to be that soft.

[BlitzburghRockCity]

Well one things for sure, with the payday he's getting this year he won't have worry about going back into the family mortuary business unless he really wants too

[BlackGold4vr]

• 67 Jason Capizzi OT 6-9 315 06/19/1983 1 Indiana of PA
• 74 Willie Colon OG 6-3 315 04/09/1983 3 Hofstra
• 79 Trai Essex OG 6-4 324 12/05/1982 4 Northwestern
• 62 Justin Hartwig C 6-4 312 11/21/1978 8 Kansas
• 68 Chris Kemoeatu OG 6-3 344 01/04/1983 4 Utah
• 67 Matt Lentz OT 6-6 320 11/19/1982 2 Michigan
• 61 Sean Mahan C 6-3 301 05/28/1980 6 Notre Dame
• 65 Jeremy Parquet OT 6-6 321 04/11/1982 2 Southern Miss
• 73 Kendall Simmons OG 6-3 319 03/11/1979 7 Auburn
• 77 Marvel Smith OT 6-5 321 08/06/1978 9 Arizona State
• 72 Darnell Stapleton OG 6-3 285 09/21/1985 1 Rutgers
• 78 Max Starks OT 6-7 337 01/10/1982 5 Florida

I believe that in the past we have carried 9 O-lineman on the active roster during the season. There are 12 on the roster right now without drafting any. Let's divide them into 2 groups: guaranteed a roster spot and will have to fight for a roster spot.

Guaranteed: Starks, Smith, Hartwig, Simmons, Colon

Will need to fight for spot: Stapleton, Parquet, Mahan, Lentz, Essex, Capizzi, Kemoeatu

Some of you may see these two groups a little differently. I see 5 players on my guaranteed list and coincidentally there are 2 tackles, 2 guards, and 1 center. I don't think any of the guys on my (fight list) should be guaranteed anything because either they haven't proven themselves yet or have proven they can't play very well (Mahan).

My point here is that if we draft 3 O-lineman; a guard, tackle, and center

That would give us 10 players in traing camp fighting for 4 roster spots. I don't think we should waste too many of our top picks on O-lineman unless we are fairly certain that the player could beat out the guys on the second list for a roster spot. Drafting players who don't make your 45 man roster is not very helpful.

[K Train]

kemoeatu and mahan are both guaranteed spots too, the just resigned kemoeatu and cutting mahan would be a giant cap hit, honestly i think essex is guaranteed a backup spot too

[TEEMONT]

• 67 Jason Capizzi OT 6-9 315 06/19/1983 1 Indiana of PA
• 74 Willie Colon OG 6-3 315 04/09/1983 3 Hofstra
• 79 Trai Essex OG 6-4 324 12/05/1982 4 Northwestern
• 62 Justin Hartwig C 6-4 312 11/21/1978 8 Kansas
• 68 Chris Kemoeatu OG 6-3 344 01/04/1983 4 Utah
• 67 Matt Lentz OT 6-6 320 11/19/1982 2 Michigan
• 61 Sean Mahan C 6-3 301 05/28/1980 6 Notre Dame
• 65 Jeremy Parquet OT 6-6 321 04/11/1982 2 Southern Miss
• 73 Kendall Simmons OG 6-3 319 03/11/1979 7 Auburn
• 77 Marvel Smith OT 6-5 321 08/06/1978 9 Arizona State
• 72 Darnell Stapleton OG 6-3 285 09/21/1985 1 Rutgers
• 78 Max Starks OT 6-7 337 01/10/1982 5 Florida

I believe that in the past we have carried 9 O-lineman on the active roster during the season. There are 12 on the roster right now without drafting any. Let's divide them into 2 groups: guaranteed a roster spot and will have to fight for a roster spot.

Guaranteed: Starks, Smith, Hartwig, Simmons, Colon

Will need to fight for spot: Stapleton, Parquet, Mahan, Lentz, Essex, Capizzi, Kemoeatu

Some of you may see these two groups a little differently. I see 5 players on my guaranteed list and coincidentally there are 2 tackles, 2 guards, and 1 center. I don't think any of the guys on my (fight list) should be guaranteed anything because either they haven't proven themselves yet or have proven they can't play very well (Mahan).

My point here is that if we draft 3 O-lineman; a guard, tackle, and center

That would give us 10 players in traing camp fighting for 4 roster spots. I don't think we should waste too many of our top picks on O-lineman unless we are fairly certain that the player could beat out the guys on the second list for a roster spot. Drafting players who don't make your 45 man roster is not very helpful.

I think its going to be hard to cut Essex though. He played pretty decently last year. Unless we have a helluva draft, I don't see Mahan going anywhere either.

Does anyone know the cap hit if we cut him?

[BlackGold4vr]

kemoeatu and mahan are both guaranteed spots too, the just resigned kemoeatu and cutting mahan would be a giant cap hit, honestly i think essex is guaranteed a backup spot too

Assuming that those other 3 players are also guaranteed roster spots that would leave only 1 spot open left to compete for in camp. So why would the FO draft any more than 1 O-lineman to add to the list of players competing for 1 roster spot? Drafting even 1 O-lineman would make it 5 people competing for the final spot and you know they will also sign some UFA's after the draft as well.