My Top 14 Steelers FA Targets

by seton hall and steelers on Feb 12, 2012 11:29 PM EST

Obviously the Steelers don't have much money to throw around in FA (none as of now). But here are 14 players I think the Steelers could possibly target (in no particular order)

Josh Johnson, QB, Tampa Bay (26) - Johnson is a young QB prospect who would be a very solid backup. He is mobile and can make most of the throws.
Chad Henne, QB, Dolphins (27) - Basically see Johnson
Khalil Bell, RB, Chicago (25) - Bell closed the season well and with his youth and potential, he could be a player the Steelers target for a small, multi-year, back loaded contract.
Josh Morgan, WR, 49ers (27) - Morgan seems like a decent slot WR and if we can't bring back Cotchery (who I want back) we could sign Morgan for a similar deal
Demetrius Bell, OT, Buffalo (28) - Bell had a great year allowing just one sack in six starts. The Bills are deep at OT and Bell has a history of knee injuries so we might be able to get him cheaply. If he could start at LT that would be huge for the Steelers.
Anthony Collins, OT, Bengals (26) - Collins has been a backup for the Bengals but the truth is he could start on a few teams and the Steelers are one of them. He could be had for a close to the minimum contract.
Kraig Urbik, G, Buffalo (26) - Maybe Colbert could fix the mess he made out of Urbik and get him back. Urbik was one of the top guards in the NFL last year but won't be valued as one because he is kind of a one year wonder. If we could get him for 3-4 million a year for 3 years, we should do it.
Vernon Carey, G, Miami (31) - Carey is a good pass blocker (only gave up 3 sacks all year) and does not commit penalties (only 1 all year). He would be a solid stop gap guard while we groom a replacement.
Shaun Ellis, DE, New England (35) - Ellis had a decent year for the Patriots and for the veteran minimum, he could be the 4th DE that we need on this roster. He could also mentor our younger DEs and be a strong locker room presense.
Sione Pouha, NT, Jets (33) - If the Steelers don't want to have a rookie NT starting, Pouha could be the best option. He is up their in age but can still ball and for a $3 million dollar a year contract for 2 years, he could be the stop gap NT we need to groom a replacement.
Sammie Lee Hill, NT, Detroit (25) - Hill is massive at 6-4 330 pounds and is actually a pretty good pass rusher. If we could sign him, he could be our long term starter.
Larry Grant, ILB, 49ers (25) - Grant has been a backup to Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman and he fits great in the Steelers scheme. If they can get him away from SF, that would be awesome.
Connor Barth, K, Tampa Bay (26) - Barth is one of the better kickers in the NFL and has a great leg. He might require to much money though
Nick Folk, K, New York Jets (27) - Folk rebounded from an average year in 2010 with a very good year in 2011. However, the Jets have too many bad memories with him and might let him walk. He is a much cheaper alternative to Barth.

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Love the idea of Sammy Lee Hill

Also prefer Folk or a cheap veteran to drafting a rookie.
Some other names to keep an eye on.

Jerrod Gaither
Adam Goldberg
Ben Grubbs
Lagadu Nannee

by Majabe on Feb 12, 2012 11:46 PM EST reply actions

Grubbs

Will be insanely overpaid this year. If I want to commit a huge amount of money to a guard, give me Carl Nicks.

by Michael Uhlhorn on Feb 13, 2012 11:32 AM EST up reply actions

Grubbs is damn good LG man, one of the best run blocking Guards in the league. Add in his young age and durability, he is definitely going to get a fat contract.

"Picture Me Rollin"

by Mr MaLoR on Feb 13, 2012 12:31 PM EST up reply actions

You think you can keep Grubbs?

You guys have Ray Rice, Johnson, Webb (restricted) who else? Quite a few FA if I recall

by Majabe on Feb 13, 2012 2:10 PM EST up reply actions

I will be very surprised if we keep Grubbs. We gave Yanda (our 1st team All-Pro RG) big money, so I doubt we can give another OG the same, if not better money.

Unfortunate, but the nature of the business.

"Picture Me Rollin"

by Mr MaLoR on Feb 13, 2012 3:01 PM EST up reply actions

yep, we know it all too well. Would love to have Grubbs but know he will cost a ton

by Majabe on Feb 13, 2012 5:26 PM EST up reply actions

The Steelers are 1 of 10 teams who spend to the ceiling of the salary cap every year.
They so by draft success and rewarding players. Here are 3 UFA in the last 10 years. James Farrior from the New York Jets, Jeff Hartings from Detroit, and Ryan Clark from the Washington Redskins

by GeorgeQUAD on Feb 16, 2012 2:52 PM EST up reply actions

Sammy Lee Hill or Larry Grant would be amahzing

by NoVAPensFan on Feb 13, 2012 4:52 AM EST reply actions

you forgot

Leron McClain from KC

A man is innocent untill proven guilty...Even if it's Ben Roethlisberger!
'I rather have a German division in front of me than a French division behind me'..General George Patton
" I don't care if he has two horns and a tail, as long as he is anti-communist"..General Douglas MacArthur..
"The way to end our dependence on foreign oil is to keep our tires properly inflated"....B. Hussein Obama
"Government is not the solution to our problems, it is the cause of them" Ronald Wilson Reagan..40th President of the United States

by nycsteelerfan on Feb 13, 2012 7:08 AM EST reply actions

I've heard of those players...they're called fullbacks, right?

Fly by night, away from here
Change my life again
Fly by night, goodbye my dear
My ship isn't coming and I just can't pretend
RUSH

by Flying Polamalus on Feb 13, 2012 9:10 AM EST up reply actions

LeRon wants to be a ball carrier, not a FB.

"Picture Me Rollin"

by Mr MaLoR on Feb 13, 2012 9:33 AM EST up reply actions

I recall

that when he got the chance in B’more, he did not exactly embarrass himself.

Fly by night, away from here
Change my life again
Fly by night, goodbye my dear
My ship isn't coming and I just can't pretend
RUSH

by Flying Polamalus on Feb 13, 2012 6:43 PM EST up reply actions

Yea, but when he campaigned for it for about 6 months straight, and tried to convince everyone that he is a pro bowl RB, left Baltimore with the intentions of getting a HUGE contract, and ends up signing for 1 years with KC.

He is nothing special.

"Picture Me Rollin"

by Mr MaLoR on Feb 13, 2012 11:17 PM EST up reply actions

Folk?

I can’t believe he is an upgrade over Suisham.

anyone trying to contact me via my yahoo account should be aware it has been hacked

by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on Feb 13, 2012 9:05 AM EST reply actions

I personally can’t believe there is a kicker in the world who wouldn’t be an upgrade over Suisham.

Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?

by FrankWyt on Feb 13, 2012 3:15 PM EST up reply actions

Suisham isn't great

but there really are worse out there.

anyone trying to contact me via my yahoo account should be aware it has been hacked

by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on Feb 13, 2012 4:17 PM EST up reply actions

he cost us the baltimore game!

by nycsteelerfan on Feb 13, 2012 5:12 PM EST up reply actions

how is that?

by lamberts58 on Feb 16, 2012 1:30 AM EST up reply actions

Front office , myself and most of steeler nation have no confidence in his ability

so didnt give him the opportunity to try a long FG and so the Ravens were able to get the ball and drive down to get the winning TD
(loss is on the D but also on Sushi)

by Sch Lotan on Feb 16, 2012 5:30 AM EST up reply actions

paging Schwyaze Waters

Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Greg Lloyd, Andy Russell, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene, Andre Reed and Jerry Kramer
"Clemson should've stopped turning the ball over" Dana Holgorsen when asked about running up the score in the Orange Bowl

by WVPiratesfan on Feb 13, 2012 5:32 PM EST up reply actions

Great Series

This is a great series of posts.

Have you thought about what a good combined strategy may be to fill our needs? Combination of mid-level (affordable) free agents + draft picks (including trade up/down). It seems to me that there are too many immediate needs to fill on the team and getting three day-one starters (OG, NT, ILB) in the draft is asking for a lot (even from Colbert).

by Toronto Steeler Fan on Feb 13, 2012 9:24 AM EST reply actions

Working on it. Will have that up Friday or Thursday night

draftdatabase.wordpress.com
Follow @steelersrule124

by seton hall and steelers on Feb 13, 2012 2:47 PM EST up reply actions

No Grubbs?

Although he may be too expensive for you guys.

"Picture Me Rollin"

by Mr MaLoR on Feb 13, 2012 9:34 AM EST reply actions

Too expensive. Notice that all of these guys are relatively cheap

I love Grubbs in our system though

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Follow @steelersrule124

by seton hall and steelers on Feb 13, 2012 2:47 PM EST up reply actions

I'm not so sure about Grubbs being too pricey

Nicks, and sign in the first week of the FA frenzy. Then, teams panic and sign their own guys. Balt can’t sign Grubbs and he slips to week 4 of FA and the Steelers pull off a sneaky signing. He gets 5 yrs 30M. That’s what it costs us to have Kemo and Jon Scott. Could happen…….

by Majabe on Feb 13, 2012 6:27 PM EST up reply actions

meant..........Nicks, Meyers and Mathis go first week of frenzy for huge bucks

by Majabe on Feb 13, 2012 6:29 PM EST up reply actions

Well I would be one of the happiest men on the Earth if we could sign Grubbs

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Follow @steelersrule124

by seton hall and steelers on Feb 13, 2012 6:37 PM EST up reply actions

then we could take a guard in round 2 and LB in rd 1

by Majabe on Feb 13, 2012 6:38 PM EST up reply actions

If we could get Urbik back

that would be great. Slide Gilbert into the guard position, draft Mike Adams and our, sign Starks for a backup position and our line should be good. Would love that signing.

Then we could somehow trade back up into the 2nd round and get a linebacker thats better than Audie Cole and still get a NT, Ta’amu or Chapman.

Also since this is a FA post what do you think about Plax? We need a tall WR, he knows Ben well and I really think he has grown up. You really didn’t hear a lot from him when he was at the Jets, Holmes was the main instigator there. You know what you get with Plax and instead of drafting a WR we can focus our attention more to the holes on the team. The Jets used him as their 2nd WR and he produced just as good as Holmes did as the number one receiver. We all saw Vick have his best year in his 2nd year, the same could be for Plax if he accepts the role he’d have here. Just want to know your thoughts.

I love the Steelers.

by tannofsteel84 on Feb 13, 2012 9:47 AM EST reply actions

Here's the thing

No one knows if Colon can still play tackle after a ruptered achillies and then another season on IR

by WVPiratesfan on Feb 13, 2012 10:34 AM EST up reply actions

Exactly thats what kills me

Starks getting hurt doesn’t make anything better.

I love the Steelers.

by tannofsteel84 on Feb 13, 2012 11:19 AM EST up reply actions

The good thing though

Is that he should already be up and practicing. They should be able to assess his progress before the draft.

"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller
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by John Stephens on Feb 13, 2012 11:56 AM EST up reply actions

im ok with Plax this year

i was vehemently against it last year but circumstances have changed and he’d be a good sign this year. that would mean Ward and Cotchery are gone but with Plax we’d be ok. the question is whether he would accept a rotational 3rd receiver role, and whether he’d come cheaper than Ward (which is the main issue)

by steel.curtain.number2 on Feb 13, 2012 1:56 PM EST up reply actions

I doubt he'd be cheaper

so i dunno and yea that is the issue does he want to accept the rotational 3rd WR role and win or go to another team like the jets or worse and be the #2 WR and lose…. choice is yours. Hey maybe he can get with the patriots, now wouldn’t that be ironic! lol

I love the Steelers.

by tannofsteel84 on Feb 13, 2012 2:04 PM EST up reply actions

Didn’t plax say he wanted to play with vick in philly?

by IronJake on Feb 14, 2012 8:21 AM EST up reply actions

Could happen but he'd be in the same role as he would be here

and we’ve actually won super bowls you kno. I don’t know their cap situation though.

I love the Steelers.

by tannofsteel84 on Feb 14, 2012 11:36 AM EST up reply actions

He hasn’t grown up at all. Don’t want him anywhere near our young WRs.

Proud fan of Pittsburgh's professional sports teams and the Pirates too.

by Black&GoldTrain on Feb 16, 2012 7:51 PM EST up reply actions

We could definately use an upgrade at kicker

but instead of Barth or Folk, I would much rather see Phil Dawson. Dawson is a very good kicker with a strong leg and is used to the type of conditions he would face at Heinz Field. He might also be very attracted to playing for…well, anyone but the Browns. Super underrated only because he has spent his whole career in Cleveland.

by Kansas Steel on Feb 13, 2012 10:02 AM EST reply actions

Like Dawson but he's gotta be 36 which means the leg is going to slow down quite a bit

Talk about Browns I would want….Dqwell Jackson…beast. I know…no way we spend that kind of money but a man can dream.

by Majabe on Feb 13, 2012 1:53 PM EST up reply actions

Hanson sure hasn’t slowed down. Dawson and Hanson are like the same guy. There are kickers who have played till they were 44 years old and were still effective.

Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?

by FrankWyt on Feb 13, 2012 3:18 PM EST up reply actions

I think Hanson has always had a much bigger leg though

by Majabe on Feb 13, 2012 5:27 PM EST up reply actions

You might be right, but last year Dawson was 7 for 8 from 50+ with a long of 54
That said, Hanson appears to have been trusted to take a lot more kicks from 50+ (90, since 92, compared to only 27 since 99 for Dawson)

I’d still take the Dawson from ten years in the future if it means sending Suisham packing. Plus..imagine how much more miserable it would make Browns fans if he not only came here, but kicked the game winner in the Super Bowl or something. That’s gotta be worth something, right?

Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?

by FrankWyt on Feb 13, 2012 5:38 PM EST up reply actions

really? 7 for 8 from 50+

Wow, I didn’t know that. Have a feeling he will be too expensive though. We don’t like to pay anymore than $1.7 or so for a K

by Majabe on Feb 13, 2012 5:43 PM EST up reply actions

lol, that was my reaction as well. Yep. 7-8 from 50 7-8 from 40-49

Strangely though, he missed 2 from 20-29.

You may be right on the price though. I’d like to believe they’d be willing to spend more since kicker was a huge weakness for us. (not just missed kicks, but the domino effect of not trusting him, etc)

Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?

by FrankWyt on Feb 13, 2012 5:50 PM EST up reply actions

as in the Balt home game........yes agree!

What do we know about Ryan Succo? he was with Haley, is young, and would come cheap. made 24 of 30 or something like that.

by Majabe on Feb 13, 2012 5:55 PM EST up reply actions

He just signed a 5 year 14 million dollar deal. Obviously, it is a kicker contract, but I’m pretty sure KC wants to keep him. Most of his misses were between 40-49 though, whatever that means.

Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?

by FrankWyt on Feb 13, 2012 5:59 PM EST up reply actions

oh, never mind

either way give us a damned kicker we can rely on….circa Skippy (pre bathroom dispenser days)

by Majabe on Feb 13, 2012 6:03 PM EST up reply actions

agreed.

Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?

by FrankWyt on Feb 13, 2012 6:08 PM EST up reply actions

Vernon Carey

I’d like to see a Vernon Carey pick up, I was hoping we would have made a move two years ago the first time he was available. This time around might be a little cheaper due to his age, He’s getting up there but hes still better than 50% of what we got.

by ShamrockSteeler on Feb 13, 2012 11:28 AM EST reply actions

David Garrard

would be a good backup QB. probably will come cheap after missing the whole year and he’ll have a shot at a ring.

by steel.curtain.number2 on Feb 13, 2012 1:40 PM EST reply actions

Good idea!

And, we can bring back Tyrone Carter and watch Garrard run around him in practice everyday.

by Majabe on Feb 13, 2012 1:54 PM EST reply actions

My dream would be to sign

QB- Josh Johnson
G- Urbik
NT- Is the guy from Miami going to be a huge contract?
FB- McLain

by TorchM on Feb 13, 2012 2:54 PM EST reply actions

Solai

I think there will be more than a few teams considering him.

anyone trying to contact me via my yahoo account should be aware it has been hacked

by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on Feb 13, 2012 4:19 PM EST up reply actions

The guy from Miami will be a massive contract. Probably close to 10 million a year

draftdatabase.wordpress.com
Follow @steelersrule124

by seton hall and steelers on Feb 13, 2012 4:59 PM EST up reply actions

Well scratch him then.

I do think we will see 1 or 2 of any of the free agency moves discussed here. We can’t go into the draft with such strong needs for starters at OL, NT, ILB. Filling one of these spots with a vet really opens up our draft options.

by TorchM on Feb 13, 2012 5:27 PM EST up reply actions

Players that will get us another super bowl

Le’Ron McClain FB- Bring us that bluecollar toughness to our run game, blocking and running, decent hands out of the backfield, also played for Haley.

Rocky McIntosh ILB- Replace Farrior/Foote, still young, A U guy, bring more swag and big hits to the d.

Sammie Lee Hill NG-Cut hampton, this guy is young, can get him cheaper than what hampton costs, and only being 25, we do not need to spend a 1st,2nd, or 3rd on a NG

Kraig Urbik G- New start in the burgh can do him and the team some good, cut who we have, pick him up and then draft a guard in round one of two to be a starter.
Oline will be Gilert-Urbik-Pouncy-Rookie-Colon

Derrick Ward- let moore go, if 34 can’t go a guy like this can help redman, be a 3rd down guy, he has talent, but no chance he will play in Hou. Or I have always loved LenDale White, I wanted him out of college, I think he would look great in black and gold

Josh Johnson- Let dixon and the heafty lefty go, this guy is cheap and has talent, could be a change of pace guy with some wildcat, will learn from batch/big ben, then batch will retire, and next yr we can use a late pick on a qb

then in the draft

Round1- Mark Barron SS Bama—Devon Still PSU DE—Chase Minnifield CB Virginia
Round 2- Kelechi Osemele OG Iowa State—Dwayne Allen TE Clemson-David Wilson VT RB
Round 3- Audie Cole ILB NC state—Jared Crick DT/DE WIS—James Brown, OT, Troy
Round 4-Leonard Johnson, CB, Iowa State
Round 5- Lindsey DE Pitt
Round 6-William Vlachos, OG, Alabama —Coryel Judie CB A&M

by blackngoldblood7 on Feb 13, 2012 3:44 PM EST reply actions

This is the only Hefty Lefty I recognize

He’s the one playing QB, no really

by WVPiratesfan on Feb 13, 2012 5:35 PM EST up reply actions

Wow..that guy puts Lorenzen to shame.

Who is that? and is this an arena game or something?

Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?

by FrankWyt on Feb 13, 2012 5:39 PM EST up reply actions

It's a arena league that Lorenzen is now the commish of

again, no really

by WVPiratesfan on Feb 13, 2012 5:46 PM EST up reply actions

Lol, I just realized that that actually is Lorenzen. He appears to have gained some weight.

And double wow for the fact that he’s the commissioner.

Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?

by FrankWyt on Feb 13, 2012 5:53 PM EST up reply actions

He was the owner of some great nicknames

The Pillsbury Throwboy

by WVPiratesfan on Feb 13, 2012 5:55 PM EST up reply actions

That is definitely my favorite.
Tubby Gunslinger and round mound of touchdown were pretty good too. (the second one, because of the play on Barkley’s nickname)
I just looked him up on wiki, apparently he had more that I wasn’t aware of, like Qbese, and BBQ (big beautiful quarterback) and “he ate me” like the guy from XFL.

His nickname power rivals even that of Shaq

Can I get some hot sauce for my doughnut?

by FrankWyt on Feb 13, 2012 6:01 PM EST up reply actions

Battleship Lorenzen is my favorite

or Quarter-got-back

by WVPiratesfan on Feb 14, 2012 10:39 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah, he’s massive for a QB (or for anyone lol), but is no one going to say anything about the gut on the lineman next to him? Damn!

"If you havin' dragon problems I feel bad for you son, I got 99 arrows but my knee took one."

by Riddlah. on Feb 13, 2012 6:23 PM EST up reply actions

fat slobs playing with a kids football

by lamberts58 on Feb 16, 2012 1:32 AM EST up reply actions

What's

even more remarkable is that there are people in the stands paying to see this.

by pistil_stamen on Feb 16, 2012 1:45 AM EST up reply actions

Carl Nicks

We can’t afford him but would be nice.

Paul Soliai 28 6’4 355 lbs NT Dolphins

"you will hardly know who I am or what I mean"-Walt Whitman

by Pittsblitz56 on Feb 13, 2012 4:07 PM EST reply actions

I just had an odd thought

Is 6’ 0.4 " 304 lbs too small for an NFL guard? Brendan Labatte, the Bombers top O-lineman is a free agent (or will be). He probably wouldn’t make the grade but I know they can’t sign him because he wants $200k per year and he is being offered is $140k per year. He would need some guaranteed money up front but it would be chickenfeed by NFL standards.

anyone trying to contact me via my yahoo account should be aware it has been hacked

by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on Feb 13, 2012 4:31 PM EST reply actions

I misread the height

He is 6’ 4" and the 304 lbs is likely his weight when he joined the Bombers.

anyone trying to contact me via my yahoo account should be aware it has been hacked

by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on Feb 13, 2012 4:37 PM EST reply actions

Nice list

I could definitely see Henne, Urbik and maybe Shaun Ellis being signed. These are exactly the kind of FA’s the Steelers go after to fill holes. Sammie Lee Hill would be interesting as well. I remember his name being thrown around during his draft year.

by WolfpackSteelersFan on Feb 13, 2012 8:28 PM EST reply actions

Larry Grant

Did anyone watch him play against Pittsburgh, or did Patrick Willis suit up in #54 that night? He covered backs and tight ends with ease…25 yards down the field. If there is one player I want Pittsburgh to sign, that’s the guy.

by pistil_stamen on Feb 16, 2012 1:48 AM EST reply actions

If we could just make one signing

I think that would make the draft more simple. Larry Grant, Kraig Urbik either one of those would be great for the Steelers. Then we can focus on two positions in the draft. the first two rounds should be good for that.

I love the Steelers.

by tannofsteel84 on Feb 16, 2012 1:45 PM EST reply actions