It is official: Jason Worilds will be a Pittsburgh Steeler for 2014.
Worilds wasted no time in signing his Transition Tag, locking him in to Pittsburgh for the 2014 season and foregoing his right to negotiate with other teams.
Jason Worilds has signed his transition tag w/PIT worth $9.75M. No offer sheets can come now. He was a primary target for the Eagles ...
— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 4, 2014
Clearly Worilds anticipates a long-term deal being close with Pittsburgh, something we should all expect at this point given the Steelers desire to drive down Worilds' $9.754 million cap hit as well as Worilds' desire to get paid and be the starter.
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Worilds said early in the off-season that he had no interest in returning to Pittsburgh to be a backup, and the Steelers are unlikely to pay a backup (Woodley or Worilds) $10 million for 2014, nor are the Steelers likely to halt the development of 2013 first round pick Jarvis Jones by placing him on the bench.
All signs are pointing to a new era of Steeler outside linebackers and a departure of LaMarr Woodley soon. All there is left to determine is whether Woodley's whole salary will come off the books this season, or if the Steelers are planing to spread the hurt to 2015.
What are your thoughts on the Worilds deal, a possible extension, and the likelihood we have seen La'Marr Woodley's last snap in Black and Gold?