Real Concern: Steelers with one year left on their contracts

It would be nice to keep Harrison, but he’s the only guy on that list that will be worth a large contract, probably sooner rather than later.

We need Reed because he’s the only one that can kick at Heinz.

Obviously the DL is only going to become a bigger issue, and Keisel and Hampton aren’t going to be extremely valuable in 2010, even if we do resign them. We need to draft some guys on the DL in both of the next 2 years.

Parker’s gone, and most of the other guys are older vets who will get small contracts or leave/retire.

Ill save most of my thoughts. Agree on most points.

Think you’re wrong about Ward. Not entirely, but there will be middle ground worked out to keep him and I’ve never been so sure of something I have no control over. James Farrior got 5!! year extesion older than Hines. WITH Timmons in the wings.

I’m leaving aside loyalty and leadership and all that too, just to be clear.

Hines can flat out still play. Not sure why that’s not crystal clear to folks. 80 catches, 1000 yards, 7 of Bens 17 TDs. He’s not a break away guy; he’s Ben’s go to guy in the slot. He still runs awesome routes; still is tougher than every guy playing him on defense. He can PLAY!

He’s going to get some cash up front I’d bet and then some back loaded years that he may or may not earn.

Let me give one point of referrence that should hopefully convince some that Hines isn’t going to have to accept pennies here. A very well run team by the name of the Indianapolis Colts paid Marvin Harrison a 7 year 67 million dollar extension at age 31. Hines Ward is 32.

Harrison will be signed this offseason for sure to avoid a potential issue next year during the season and all the media speculation it would bring to next years offseason.

I think Hines Ward will be offered an extension that will keep him in a Steelers uniform for life and will be front loaded and actually help our cap situation, rather than hurt it.

Heath Miller is going to be signed to good money as well this offseason and I don’t see the Steelers lettting him walk. I would expect him to be in the range of the top 10 tight ends in the league.

Jeff Reed has to be signed too, I dunno where we are getting all this money, but like you said these are crucial players that must be re-signed.

Willie Parker could be the odd man out, we just might not have enough money to keep him in the black and gold.

I also think somebody might get franchised out of the rest of the guys listed. Possibly Hartwig, Hampton, or even Reed or Miller.

My first instinct when I saw the list without even reading any further was that Hampton and Townsend are gone after next year, all the rest get re-signed. After reading further down I do agree that Willie will be gone too. Other than that I anticipate them getting all the rest under contract, if not by extending this year (Harrison, Ward, for sure, possibly others), then by signing after next.

I think Hamptons play has declined a good bit, will be even further down after this next year, and Tomlin was not happy about him coming in t camp so out of shape. I just don’t see him coming back after next season. As for Deshea, I think he’ll retire after one more season.

Write it down. The front office already made a colossal error with Hall of Famer Rod Woodson and will not travel down that road again. It will not be a sympathy signing either. Hines is coming off his best statistical season since 2003. He is the unquestioned leader of our team. He is the greatest Steeler wide receiver of all time. He is a future Hall of Famer. He bleeds black and gold (He even said it after the Superbowl). Hines is my all time favorite Steeler so I may be biased but I think he deserves another contract. If you don’t believe me, go ask Keith Rivers, Ed Reed or Bart Scott.

I may be a little older than some here and remember vividly the Steelers of the 70s and how much we loved them as kids/teenagers. Hines Ward is an absolute throwback as a football player, forget that he plays WR. He loves the game, plays his ass off and does all the little things with gusto. He doesn’t fake it and doesn’t take plays off. That is very rare in a player with tenure, money and a rep amongst his teammates – he could get away with not going 100% but he doesn’t.

I always loved Lambert, Ham, Greene, Bradshaw and the rest but Hines Ward is in that list for me – something I never thought might happen in this day and age. I hate a lot of things about pro sports and some things about the NFL. Hines Ward transcends all that is ugly, lazy, bitter and selfish about pro sports or the NFL. He can play on my football team anytime, anywhere – and could probably play 2 or 3 different positions if he played in the old days of guys going both ways.

That said – my best guess regarding the list above:

Ward and the Steelers will make sure he retires a Steeler. It is unfathomable that he doesn’t finish in the Black and Gold. Say 2-3 year extension?

Parker, Keisel, Hampton and Reed only return at the right price. Of these, I say Keisel and Reed are most likely to return after examining their situation. Hampton may eat himself out of a job and out of the NFL before too long. It happens with the big boys if they don’t have the discipline and desire to continue playing. Although Parker has some great moments and memories as a Steeler – he is imminently replaceable as a running back. He is a poor blocker and poor pass receiver, doesn’t have a lot of wiggle and doesn’t break tackles. He is limited and that is not a good position to have such limits. RBs in the NFL are asked to do many things – he can’t and that’s why he isn’t in the game on 3rd downs too often. His ego won’t allow him to take a small paycheck, so I think he is gone.

Hartwig and Townsend will be gone – either of their choosing or the team’s. Townsend could stay if he plays cheap.

Miller and Clark would be hard to let go of. They are both good players who have 2-3 good years left for sure. They fit and are needed and would be hard to replace.

Harrison is the biggest question mark. As others have stated, he has played at the highest level for 2 seasons and is going to want big $$$ after his many years of struggle. Although it’s hard to say, I would guess the Steelers figure they can replace him like they did with Porter and everyone else. They keep finding and teaching great defensive players to play OLB, especially on the weak side.

Next big question – how long does LeBeau stick around??? That will have more to do with the personnel make up of the defense than anything else….

It seems to me that with all the discussion of the Steelers drafting OL in the first round, we might well see them sign their free agents and take a NT or DE in the first round if the talent is on the board. It seems to me that for the most part out system is predicated on looking two years ahead with talent. Its what we did at Linebacker – and it seems to have worked. I think its what we have done at safety – and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Clark replaced by either Smith of Mundy.

The only place where we don’t have real viable back up talent is on the D line. As much as we love and trust our D-line we need to think of their replacements this year, not next year.

Maybe I missed something, but I thought Willie Parker was making less than $2M a year. With his struggles this year, and our OL struggles likely carrying over to next year (at least to an extent), I don’t see why he’d be taking a pay cut. Also, I really haven’t seen anything to make me think that Parker has a big ego. Of course, maybe I just remember his telling the Bus something like “Whatever I am as a running back, which ain’t much, is thanks to your help.” That was in SB XL.

Harrison was just named NFL defensive player of year in only his second year starting in the league and you want to see if he can be beat out by an unproven and untested rookie?Are you serious? Bench Farrior? He was voted into the Pro Bowl this year, led the team in tackles for the third straight season, and just signed a contract extension this year. I’m glad your not Director of Football Operations for the Steelers.

But, my take, FWIW…

Willie and Keisel are out the door for sure.

I am not so sure. Wille loves the Steelers — and the Rooneys — since they “discovered” him while he was toiling in obscurity in college. 2 years ago he led the league in rushing. We’re not giving up on him yet.

Finding unselfish guys to play in the 3-4 is hard. Finding guys that every now and then chip in with sacks is harder still. Unless there is an injury we don’t know about, Keisel is staying.

Hines and Deshea are out unless they accept less lucrative contracts then their current deals.

Agree with Deshea — disagree with Hines. I believe he will retire a Steeler, and I can’t imagine him not coming to terms with the Steelers.

Miller, Reed, and Clark will all stay considering they are great values and the front office will do their best to keep them.

Agree on Miller and Reed. Not convinced about Clark. He’s a nice player, and I love his hitting. But we let Hope go, and he seemed like a more intergral part of the defense… then we got better without him.

Hampton and Hartwig?

I’m not sure either. They could both be gone, or they could get new deals… that’s a hard call…

but with LeBeau’s time running short, Tomlin may be thinking of the move to a 4-3.

Doubt it. Tomlin coached the 4-3 / Tampa 2 because he was hired by Dungy, and that’s what Dungy did. It worked and he went to a Super Bowl with it. He stayed with the 3-4 here because he stayed with Dick LeBeau, and that’s what he used. We went to the Super Bowl with it. I don’t think Tomlin has any emotional attachment to the 4-3, and the Steeler’s uncanny ability to draft and train Linebackers makes the 3-4 the best defense for us.

Wild Card: James Harrison.

This is a wild card. I do not get the sense that James Harrison cares whether he wears the Black and Gold or purple and black, or any other color. Why should he have any allegiance to the team that cut him — twice?

Harrison playes hard and is a great talent. But he very well might look at his career as a lot of lost time he has to make up, and want to get paid somewhere. There is a long list of teams that need a linebacker so badly that they would out-pay the Steelers.

I love watching Harrison eat up QBs — and I would HATE to see him play us twice a year… but my gut tells me he won’t be a Steeler for much longer…