Kicker Shaun Suisham - Steelers 2011 Free Agent Free Agent Classification: UFA (unrestricted free agent) 2010 Salary Estimation: $1,010,000 Base - $1,010,000 Cap Charge Analysis: The NFL may be in lockout mode, but we are not so onward we go with our breakdown player by player of each of the Steelers 18 free agents and up next up for analysis is kicker Shaun Suisham. The Steelers released veteran kicker Jeff Reed following the week 10 loss to the Patriots and it came as no surprise. Reed had become a huge distraction as well as unreliable. His post game comments following the Patriots Read more [...]

The news came across a few hours ago that Pittsburgh has emerged as a possible landing spot for the soon-to-be no-longer-retired running back, Tiki Barber. Now I warn this is coming from the New York Post and midway through the article Mark Lepselte, Tiki's agent, said he has not spoken to any teams about Barber. That would include the Steelers as well. The first questions would be, is there any room for Tiki with the Steelers and would he even fit? The Steelers currently have Rashard Mendenhall entrenched as the starter and he certainly is not going anywhere. He is all set to carry the ball Read more [...]

Guard/Tackle Trai Essex - Steelers 2011 Free Agent Free Agent Classification: UFA (unrestricted free agent) 2010 Salary Estimation: $806,000 Base - $1,056,000 Cap Charge Analysis: Our free agent analysis have become quite popular so we will continue onward with our breakdown player by player of each of the Steelers 18 free agents and up next up for analysis is guard/tackle Trai Essex. Essex was originally drafted in the third round (93rd overall) by the Steelers in the 2005 NFL Draft and spent his first 3 years with Steelers as a reserve lineman that could play on both sides of the line Read more [...]

Ed Bouchette reported this morning that punter Daniel Sepulveda was also tendered a contract last week with the other 5 players. Once again that tender could mean nothing just like the Willie Colon, Matt Spaeth and William Gay tenders as Sepulveda has 4 years accrued and is scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent. The only way he becomes restricted is if the NFL decides to use the 2010 free agency rules once again meaning 4th and 5th year players are considered restricted free agents and not unrestricted free agents. The tender level placed on Sepulveda is not known, but is believed to be the Read more [...]

Running Back Mewelde Moore - Steelers 2011 Free Agent Free Agent Classification: UFA (unrestricted free agent) 2010 Salary Estimation: $1,475,000 Base - $1,925,000 Cap Charge Analysis: We motor on with our breakdown player by player of each of the Steelers 18 free agents and up next up for analysis is running back Mewelde Moore. Moore signed a three year deal with the Steelers early on in the free agency period of 2008 and has been a "do everything" type player for the Steelers since. His primary role during his Steelers career was on third downs and also spelling either Willie Parker Read more [...]

Center/Guard Doug Legursky - Steelers 2011 Free Agent Free Agent Classification: EFA (exclusive rights free agent) 2010 Salary Estimation: $395,000 Base - $395,000 Cap Charge Analysis: Onward and upward we go with our breakdown player by player of each of the Steelers 18 free agents and up next up for analysis is center/guard Doug Legursky. The play of rookie 1st round draft pick Maurkice Pouncey early in camp and preseason made the decision easy for the Steelers dub him the starting center over veteran Justin Hartwig. The Steelers also saw enough good things in Legursky to have confidence Read more [...]

Long Snapper Greg Warren - Steelers 2011 Free Agent Free Agent Classification: UFA (unrestricted free agent) 2010 Salary Estimation: $700,000 Base - $832,000 Cap Charge Analysis: Picking up steam now with our breakdown player by player of each of the Steelers 18 free agents and up next up for analysis is long snapper Greg Warren. In 2010 you did not hear the name of Greg Warren mentioned that much and that is a good thing as a great majority of his snaps on field goals, extra points and punts were right on the money. Warren only had 1 tackle in 2010 on special teams and 1 assist. The Steelers Read more [...]

Quarterback Dennis Dixon - Steelers 2011 Free Agent Free Agent Classification: RFA (restricted free agent) 2010 Salary Estimation: $470,000 Base - $513,000 Cap Charge Analysis: Onward we go with our breakdown player by player of each of the Steelers free agents as we hopefully head towards some sort of free agency soon. Next up for analysis is quarterback Dennis Dixon. With Ben Roethlisberger suspended for the first 4 games of the 2010 season and Byron Leftwich sidelined with a knee injury to start the season, Dixon was the starter by default as the Steelers entered the 2010 season. Dixon Read more [...]

Tackle Tony Hills - Steelers 2011 Free Agent Free Agent Classification: RFA (restricted free agent) 2010 Salary Estimation: $470,000 Base - $572,000 Cap Charge Analysis: As the labor situation draws on, we continue on now with our breakdown player by player of each of the Steelers free agents. Next up for analysis is tackle Tony Hills. Hills as been a huge disappointment since the Steelers drafted him in the 4th round of the 2008 draft out of Texas. While he seemed to make some improvements during a few preseason games, it was only a mirage. Hills received a chance early on in 2010 when Read more [...]

I know there is likely tons of confusion about the tenders the Steelers have offered Willie Colon, William Gay, Matt Spaeth, Dennis Dixon and Tony Hills, so I hope this post clears up your confusion. I will go player by player and explain each. These 5 players are the only free agents the Steelers have with 5 or less accrued seasons. Willie Colon - Colon has 5 years accrued and his scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent. The Steelers placed a 1st round tender on him just in case the labor issues are extended and both sides agree to use the 2010 free agency rules that made 4 and 5 year players Read more [...]

In addition to putting a first round tender on tackle Willie Colon March 1st, the Steelers have also tendered restricted free agents tackle Tony Hills and quarterback Dennis Dixon. Also tendered were unrestricted free agents cornerback William Gay and tight end Matt Spaeth. It is currently unknown what level these players have been tendered at, but they were likely the low level tenders that would require teams to give up a draft pick for the round the player was original drafted in as compensation if the Steelers failed to match any contract offers made by other teams. Both Gay & Spaeth fall Read more [...]

Defensive Lineman Chris Hoke - Steelers 2011 Free Agent Free Agent Classification: UFA (unrestricted free agent) 2010 Salary Estimation: $1,500,000 Base - $1,875,000 Cap Charge Analysis: The NFL Combine is over and we steam towards the draft and hopefully free agency. We continue on now with our breakdown player by player of each of the Steelers free agents. Next up for analysis is defensive lineman Chris Hoke. Hoke is a model of consistency and a type player willing to whatever is asked of him. Hoke contributed right off the bat in 2010 when starting nose tackle Casey Hampton injured Read more [...]

It may end up being fruitless depending on how the CBA labor negotiations go, but just in case the Steelers placed a first round tender on tackle Willie Colon Tuesday according to Jason La Canfora. Colon is currently scheduled to be an unrestricted free agent, but that could change depending on how the labor talks go. Consider this just a precautionary move right now. Colon was also deemed a restricted free agent last year after no new CBA was in place heading into the 2010 season and the Steelers tendered him a one-year contract offer of $2,521,000. He eventually signed the tender and suffered Read more [...]

I have been getting a few questions via email, Facebook and Twitter about the state of the Steelers offensive line going forward into 2011, so I thought I would address it a post as sort of a State of the Union type piece of who is under contract, who is not and so on. As always you can refer back to the week to week offensive line grading I did play by play of the through out the entire 2010 season. Maurkice Pouncey - There really should not be any full explanation needed here as Pouncey was superb as a rookie. He will need to get a bit stronger in 2011 and work on some technique issues, especially Read more [...]

Safety Ryan Mundy - Steelers 2011 Free Agent Free Agent Classification: RFA (restricted free agent) 2010 Salary Estimation: $395,000 Base - $395,000 Cap Charge Analysis: Onward we go into the offseason and we continue our breakdown player by player of each of the Steelers free agents. Next up for analysis is safety and special teams player Ryan Mundy. Mundy logged a little over 180 snaps on defense in 2010, with 140 of them coming in the final 3 regular seasons games. Mundy started in place of the injured Troy Polamalu at strong safety in week 15 against the Jets and week 16 against the Read more [...]