Ralph Cindrich, the agent of former Steelers LB James Farrior, said his free agent client is in discussion right now with the Pittsburgh Steelers about retirement. Cindrich said this on FM 93.7 The Fan radio in Pittsburgh Friday afternoon.

Farrior, a free agent, was released by the Steelers this off-season in the team’s roster purging. WR Hines Ward was also released, only to return to Pittsburgh to announce his retirement after testing the free agency market.

Farrior played with the Steelers from 2002-11, earning two Pro Bowl bids and two All-Pro selections, both coming in 2004 and 2008. He was the Defensive Player of the Year runner-up to Baltimore’s Ed Reed in 2004. Originally drafted by the Jets with the 8^th overall pick of the 1997 draft, Farrior, in his prime, fit perfectly as an inside linebacker in a 3-4 defense. A great blend of athleticism and intelligence made him a captain on the Steelers, and was generally regarded as the team’s defensive leader for the last decade.

The Steelers have already moved on from Farrior, looking to replace him in the short term with veteran Larry Foote, and possibly long term with Stevenson Sylvester, a third-year pro from Utah.