Where is our free agent help?

**BlackGold4vr** · 03-04-2007, 09:44 AM

I was definitely hoping for at least 1 or 2 free agent signings to help with our areas of concern! I don't expect the Steelers to be big spenders in free agency, we never are! But picking up a proven veteran in a position that you are thin at makes sense to me. I realize that traditionally the Steelers are a team that builds through the draft but 1 or 2 moderately priced free agents could help alleviate draft day concerns! Lots of transactions happening so far and our only involvement has been to throw our best linebacker into the pool! Hell, while New England upgrades from Banta Cain to Adalius Thomas, we Steeler fans are sitting here hoping to catch a New England cast-off. It appears that one thing will be certain about next years team........it will be younger! Better? Jury is still out on that!

**Friday133** · 03-04-2007, 10:06 AM

Have you been following the Steelers during free agency at all since its started? They never get involved early on, they wait and let the market return to normal and go looking for a mid tier player.

**Captcoolhand** · 03-04-2007, 10:13 AM

Originally Posted by Friday133

Have you been following the Steelers during free agency at all since its started? They never get involved early on, they wait and let the market return to normal and go looking for a mid tier player.

I agree

This way they don't have to pay as much

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 03-04-2007, 10:15 AM

It's hard to sit here sometimes and watch all these good players go to other teams while we do nothing but let our own guys join the fun. As a team that's built through the draft you'd think it would be easier to handle but it still makes you wonder sometimes, "I wonder how much that player could have helped us too" ?

We do normally wait till mid off season before we start looking to sign any FA help, basically the polar opposite of most teams. Others will take FA guys first and then use the draft to fill in the holes while we wait for the draft to address needs then look to the FA pool to fill in the holes. I enjoy this line of thinking and I think we build our team the way it should be, with young guys that we groom for our system rather than having to retrain guys from another system. The majority of the time FA's never perform as well for another team as they did for the original team, but damn they sure do cash in come contract time dont they ?

**Friday133** · 03-04-2007, 10:15 AM

Originally Posted by Captcoolhand

I agree

This way they don't have to pay as much

You're totally right. There is no way in life they would pay the kind of money the 49ers paid for Clements.

**Friday133** · 03-04-2007, 10:16 AM

TG we let one guy go to free agency. Its not that big of a deal, a smart move actually. They way you tell it, it seems the Steelers are doomed. Take a step back from the ledge. Its obvious one of your favorite players got cut and your pissed, but come on its not that bad.

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 03-04-2007, 10:21 AM

Hey wait a minute, Im actually agreeing with you in my post, for once. If you read it you can see that I agree with the way the Steelers run their FA strategy and I like building a team through the draft rather than FA like other teams do. I wonder though sometimes how much player would help us, it's only natural.

Yes Im pissed about Joey leaving but I wasn't even referring to him in particular in that post, I was making a general statement about how we normally approach FA.

**BB2W** · 03-04-2007, 12:21 PM

Where is our free agent help every year?... Steelers are never big players in free agency, and I'm glad the way some teams overpay for these guys.

**BlackGold4vr** · 03-04-2007, 01:26 PM

Just my Opinion.....With a 4 million dollar cap hit for Clarke Haggans I would have preferred that they dumped him and used some of the money to resign Porter. Then let the DE/OLB that everybody feels we will draft 1st and James Harrison compete for that OLB spot vacated by Haggans. IMO that would have been a better move to strengthen our defense for this coming year! As of now we are weak IMO at both OLB spots and now look to strengthen those spots with James Harrison (who has been injury prone) and a rookie. I certainly hope we get a quality player with that 1st pick because it sure looks like our defensive success will be counting on it!

**BlitzburghRockCity** · 03-04-2007, 01:32 PM

Originally Posted by BlackGold4vr

Just my Opinion.....With a 4 million dollar cap hit for Clarke Haggans I would have preferred that they dumped him and used some of the money to resign Porter. Then let the DE/OLB that everybody feels we will draft 1st and James Harrison compete for that OLB spot vacated by Haggans. IMO that would have been a better move to strengthen our defense for this coming year! As of now we are weak IMO at both OLB spots and now look to strengthen those spots with James Harrison (who has been injury prone) and a rookie. I certainly hope we get a quality player with that 1st pick because it sure looks like our defensive success will be counting on it!

That's what Ive been thinking as well, to me that makes much more sense. Neither Porter nor Haggans had a stellar year but overall Joey is a much better LB than Haggans is. Had we taken the cap hit that Haggans was worth, combined it with what Joey already counted we could have easily signed for for 4 more years for about the same hit that he is now and still saved money in the long run with how well we work the cap. Then you still take a top notch OLB/DE prospect in the 2007 draft and groom them to take over.