Steelers Sign Taylor to Five-Year Deal

[SteelersfaninPhilly]

This is great.

[BlitzburghRockCity]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitt.../s_468987.html

Not long after signing a five-year contract Sunday, Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor intercepted two passes at practice.
"It's like I got hands now, you know?" Taylor said, smiling. "It must be the money."

In truth, Taylor probably could have secured a bigger signing bonus from another team if he'd become an unrestricted free agent after the season, but he was plenty pleased with a deal that is worth $23.75 million, including incentives and bonus money.

He signed it just four days before the season opener, which doubles as the team's deadline for negotiating contracts.

Taylor originally was seeking an eight-figure signing bonus but settled for $6.4 million -- the fifth highest in team history behind Hines Ward ($9 million), Ben Roethlisberger ($9 million), Kordell Stewart ($8.2 million) and Casey Hampton ($6.975 million).

Taylor, 26, also received a $1.1 million roster bonus that will be paid out over the duration of the deal.

According to Taylor's agent, Scott Smith of XAM Sports in Madison, Wis., the extension is worth $15.5 million over the first three years.

"There was compromise on both sides," Smith said. "The deal represents a commitment that Ike showed to the Steelers and that the Steelers showed to Ike."

Even when negotiations stalled, and it looked as if Taylor would play out the season on a one-year contract and test the open market, he promised he would be in Pittsburgh next year and beyond.

The Steelers drafted Taylor out of Louisiana-Lafayette in the fourth round of the 2003 draft.

"This is where I wanted to be," said Taylor, who is the highest-paid defensive back in Steelers history. "My agent knew what I wanted. I told you all I was going to be here, regardless. I was just that sure of myself. (The Steelers) gave me a chance to develop."

Taylor was beaming in the post-practice locker room, as teammates shook his hand. Coming off the practice field, he and Steelers chairman Dan Rooney bumped fists, believe it or not.

"He's like a father to me," Taylor said. "That's my guy. I call him 'Pops.' "

The deal marked the third in recent months in which the Steelers signed a talented young player to a four-year contract and, in the process, bought out multiple years of unrestricted free agency.

They signed running back Willie Parker to a $13.6 million contract last week and linebacker James Harrison to a $5.5 million deal in April.

[Steelersfan]

This is just awesome! We have all our core young guys signed now. We just need to get Troy done before it' too late.

[AZ_Steeler]

This is just awesome! We have all our core young guys signed now. We just need to get Troy done before it' too late.

I would imagine Troy will be taken care of next summer

The Steelers core is looking awesome, almost like the teams of the 70's. Hopefully they can duplicate what those teams did!

[House of Steel]

This is a fantastic article to hear despite what has happened to Ben. I am very happy to hear this. We are going to have a strong nucleus on DEFENSE for a long while.