FanPost

Decisions, Decisions on Steelers Free Agents

While the playoffs rage on without the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Steelers' front office and coaching staff need to consider making offseason moves for the 2012 season. It is no secret that the Steelers currently will be well over the salary cap. To get under the cap to sign 2012 draft picks, the Steelers will have to consider making personnel moves on future Hall of Fame players like Hines Ward and injury prone players like Daniel Sepulveda. Here is the list of the players up for free agency (and some who aren't) and what I would consider doing for the 2012 season.

The Free Agents

QB Charlie Batch: sign for another one year deal if Byron Leftwich leaves the team.

QB Byron Leftwich: offer a two year deal as the backup QB.

QB Dennis Dixon: let him walk.

RB Mewelde Moore: decent possibility Moore could be picked up by another team immediately given his versatility. However, if Moore is available in late July, the Steelers should consider bringing him in just for competition with Baron Batch.

WR Jerricho Cotchery: let him walk. Will definitely be picked up by another team who believe he can be their number 2 WR (I am thinking Chicago or Seattle).

OL Trai Essex: let him walk. Bring him back in preseason when no other team will have signed him and if injuries pile up like they did this season.

OT Max Starks: if his knee is good to go in August, then bring him back with a 2 year deal.

DT Chris Hoke: if he does retire, give him a job on the coaching staff.

CB William Gay: I used to hate William Gay but now I realize he either got better or he was never that horrible to begin with. However, I think Gay will get decent money from another team (I am thinking San Diego) so the Steelers should make a decent offer but don't overpay under any circumstance.

CB Anthony Madison: let him walk. I am sure he will be available in November 2012 if injuries begin to mount up again.

P Daniel Sepulveda: let him walk. Jeremy Kapinos did well enough to keep the job. Punters who go on IR more than once are not hot commodities.

TE David Johnson: one year tender. And make him a FB full time.

WR Mike Wallace: 1st round tender. I would not do a long term deal with Wallace just yet. Let us see how he does in 2012 first.

G Ramon Foster: one year tender. Bring him back as a backup.

G-C Doug Legursky: one year tender. Bring him back as a backup.

OL Jamon Meredith: let him walk.

CB Keenan Lewis: one year tender. I would be tempted to give him a multiyear deal but I want to make sure his development has not stopped. If Lewis plays so often and so well that it costs the Steelers a lot of money in 2013, so be it.

S Ryan Mundy: one year tender.

FB-RB Isaac Redman: one year tender.

DT Steve McLendon: one year tender.

P Jeremy Kapinos: two year contract. He has earned the punter job.

The Other Guys

DT Casey Hampton: rework his deal. Hampton's salary counts over 8 million in next year's cap. Extend it for another year if need be. Steelers do need to draft another nose tackle within the first three rounds in April.

DE Aaron Smith: cut him. Hopefully he will retire and take a coaching position working for John Mitchell.

LB James Farrior: release him and bring him back at a lesser salary. One year deal only.

LB Larry Foote: release him and bring him back at a lesser salary. He left once before and could not wait to come back. Two year deal tops.

LB Lawrence Timmons: Rework his contract because his cap number is going to be high as well. Timmons has been inconsistent after signing a huge extension.

LB LaMarr Woodley: Rework his contract because his cap number is going to be super high. Woodley's season was going well with 9 sacks in 9 games before he injured the hamstring.

LB James Harrison: Rework his contract as well. Harrison had 9 sacks but had two games where he had 3 sacks each. Harrison at times looked like he was not fully recovered from back surgeries he had last offseason.

CB Bryant McFadden: release him. McFadden was benched in favor of William Gay and hardly saw any time with the defense in the second half of the season.

K Shaun Suisham: release him and draft a new kicker in the later rounds.

WR Hines Ward: Rework his contract. He did state that he was willing to play at a lesser salary. He can still be valuable as a coach on the field for Wallace, Antonio Brown, and Emmanuel Sanders.

OT Jonathan Scott: release him. He will likely not sign with another team so bring him back in preseason if injuries begin to mount up.

OT Willie Colon: release him. He did sign a huge deal last summer which frankly confused me. I always thought Colon was either overrated or playing out of position. Colon's cap number in 2012 is over 6.5 million. That is far too high for a guy with more trips to the IR (two) than Pro Bowls (zero). Bring him back at a much lower salary and play him at RG.

G Chris Kemoeatu: release him. He is not good at all and his knee is going to be an issue as long as he plays. Only bring him back if the injuries pile up and he loses a lot of weight.

Without a doubt, Omar Khan has his work cut out for him. However, he is one of the best at working the salary cap. Prior to this past season, most of us thought that Woodley and Timmons would be gone in free agency. Not only did they get signed but Khan made their salaries fit under the 2011 cap. Same goes for Polamalu's new contract as well. Have faith in Khan and hope he doesn't leave for another team anytime soon.

The opinions shared here are not those of the editorial staff of Behind the Steel Curtain or SB Nation. These posts are not approved in any way by the editorial staff of this web site.