No way do you let someone like Miller go. Too frickin’ cool.

Nobody. Wait until the season is over to see who else to extend.

According to post-gazette.com:

$35.3 million over the next six seasons … including a $12.5 million signing bonus.

What a great deal. The best tight end our offense could hope for, secured for under $6M per year. Here we go!

MAKE MY DAY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All,

I think R. Clark’s contract will get done since they have been having ongoing negotiations for so long. J. Reed is another possibility since he wouldn’t get a huge deal as a kicker.

I’m for letting Casey Hampton play out the last year of his deal. I want to see a motivated and hungry Big Snack this year. Even if he has another All-Pro caliber season, the team could franchise him next year for 2010 at about the same amount that he counts against the cap this year. I’m also for letting Keisel play out his last year as well. Keisel has been a somewhat of a disappointment since he got his last deal, so I’d like to see how he does playing for a new contract as well as having his potential replacement in 1st rounder Ziggy Hood already being on the squad.

After Clark (and/or Reed), I would expect the Steelers to close the checkbook on the players this year because next year will be big paydays for L. Woodley and S. Holmes, who will both be in the last year of their deals. I hope they don’t close the checkbook for the head coach and assistant coaches yet. I’d lock Tomlin up right now.

This offseason has surpassed my expectations for this team and it really shows that this team is focused on winning more championships. It’s about time to do this!

What a great day! The Pirates make 2 great trades, and the Steelers lock up their tight end for 6 more years!

Awesome news!!!

I’d been putting off buying that Miller jersey…..ordering one today!!!

(sung to the Team America Theme)

it came at the cost of pretty penny, but we knew it would & he’s worth it.

judging by everyone’s comments above i think most ppl agree with what i think we should do with everyone else looking for an extension: the only person i’d contemplate investing money in resigning now would be clark or reed.. clark’s been great but he’s never been able to start 16 games due to injuries. with him turning 30 this season the injuries are probably only going to get more common. i’d resign him only if its for a very reasonable price tag. reed can be franchise tagged next year for a little more than a million than he’s being paid now so we can wait and see with him (as Datruth said above, the same is true for hampton). and everyone else is contingent how they do this year (parker, keisel & hampton). they all have at least 2 of the following true: are getting up their in age, have had injury/conditioning issues, or we have someone waiting in the wings to replace him.

The Clark deal will probably get done soon because both sides want a deal to get done. Clark is a great fit in D. Lebeau’s D and the Steelers probably value Clark’s play more than other NFL teams would an injury-prone 29-year-old safety whose body might be starting to breakdown . Clark has never had a big payday and will turn 30 in October. A new deal would be good for him and the Steelers as he continues to start for a Super Bowl-caliber team and can tutor Ryan Mundy until it’s his time to take over.

Someone had mentioned Casey’s job is only to tie up the line of scrimmage to let the LBs roam, but I argue that he can do much more than that when he is in shape and his fuse is lit. I still remember the game against the Patriots last year where he was upset at a bogus holding call, vehemently argued with the ref, and then took it out on the Patriots the next play by throwing aside his man and then sacking Cassell. That’s the type of effort I’d want to see from him playing on a one-year-deal. That might give him extra incentive to remain in shape.

As far as Keisel, he hasn’t played to the potential that the Steelers thought he would — someone who could stop the run, pressure the QB and give them 6 to 8 sacks a season. Could his effort, focus, and production be better in a contract year and his heir apparent already on the roster? Maybe so. Why not see? The team would only benefit from it if he did. I would hold off on the extension for Keisel.

Reed’s deal will get done. As far as FWP & Hartwig, thanks for your contributions and wish you luck in free agency.

http://www.lvrj.com/sports/51855657.html

Just in case anyone is interested.

If we can just get him the ball the 4 or 5 times per game he deserves, we’ll be all set. At least one or two more passes thrown his way would be nice. Is that too much to ask?

Around the time of Draft in April most of us Steeler fans in BTSC were predicting that Miller would be extended before season start. Contract is fair at $6MM per and shows how much the team values his play. Said before and I’ll say again, there isn’t a better all-around TE in the league and I’m not sure who’d be close … Gonzo, I guess. Clark, Witten and Gates couldn’t block yo mamma on a run play.

Keisel is solid player and team should re-sign him (at right price) if they can …. $10MM / 3 yrs? Reflecting fact that he might not be starter for more than another year or 2.

Being from northwest PA makes me an automatic Steelers fan for life. I happened to be living near the University of Virginia when Miller was there and I became a fan watching his college career really take off.

When he announced he was entering the NFL draft some football savvy friends of mine asked where I thought he might go and I replied matter-of-factly that not only would Miller be drafted by the Steelers…BUT ALSO, that the Steelers would throw him the ball! They thought I was crazy…“OK, Steelers…MAYBE…but throw him the ball? No Way!”

Well, four seasons later with 168 receptions, nearly 2000 yards, and 21 touchdowns I think it is safe to say that he means more to the Steelers line-up than just another meat shield.

I met him once too, a well-mannered, humble guy…I think at the end of the day he just enjoys playing football. I’m glad for that, and I’m glad he’s gonna be with us for awhile. GO STEELERS!