The Steelers signed 9 players to their offseason roster on Thursday including 7 players that were on that ended the season on the practice squasd. Those players were; TE Eugene Bright, WR Jason Chery, S Tuff Harris, DT Steve McClendon, RB Isaac Redman, RB Justin Vincent and LB Johnny Williams. Also re-signed were second-year defensive tackle Scott Paxson and first-year kicker Piotr Czech to their offseason roster both of who were with the Steelers in training camp this past year.
Following the upcoming NFL draft the Steelers will begin the process of signing the draft picks. As those draft picks sign, the likelihood of their salary counting against the top 51 salaried players begins. At the current time, the Steelers are right up against the cap limit of $127,000,00.00, thus some players will need to be released that are currently in the top 51 salaries. Below are a few players I think will be released sometime in May.
LS Greg Warren - This grizzly veteran long snapper will save the Steelers around $650,000 in cap money and assuming Jared Retkofsky is fully recovered by mini camp time from his motorcycle accident injury, they will do Warren a favor by letting him find a new home early on.
TE Matt Spaeth - The Steelers hope to come out of the draft with a backup for Heath Miller and FB/TE Sean McHugh, Dezmond Sherrod and a undrafted to be named tight end will all be called upon to lighten the load. Spaeth is still a good player, but just an odd man out with a cap savings of around $460,000.
CB Fernando Bryant - Although he recently signed a one year deal, it means absolutely nothing if the Steelers come out of the draft with two cornerbacks. Bryant best years are behind him and a salary cap savings of $745,000 is too much to ignore on a cash strapped team.
The savings alone with those three players would be around $1.75 million dollars. Some other players that are close to making this list are OL Jeremy Parquet and DT Scott Paxson. Not saying they will be May casualties, but do not be shocked if they are.
Steelers Inactives
QB Dennis Dixon (3rd QB)
CB Fernando Bryant
T Tony Hills
LB Bruce Davis
T Jason Capizzi
S Anthony Smith
DE Orpheus Roye
DT Scott Paxson
Cardinals Inactives
QB Brian St. Pierre (3rd QB)
CB Eric Green
FB Tim Castille
LB Victor Hobson
T Elliot Vallejo
T Brandon Keith
DT Alan Branch
TE Jerame Tuman
Here are some great reads that I came across today. These are stories on Steelers players you do not get to see very often.
Steelers' Chris Kemoeatu grappled with a career choice
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/01/steelers-guard.html
Steelers' Hoke always ready in reserve
http://www.sltrib.com/ci_11573219
Steelers' Smith opens up about son's illness
http://www.timesonline.com/articles/2009/01/27/sports/steelers/doc497fdd6fac487714256717.txt
Steelers' kicker Jeff Reed sees no trouble in paradise
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/sports_blog/2009/01/pittsburghs-ree.html
Steelers tackle Colon has come a long way since Hofstra
http://www.newsday.com/sports/football/ny-spcolon0130,0,5418839.story
Super Bowl redemption for ex-Penn State DT Scott Paxson
http://blog.pennlive.com/pasports/2009/01/super_bowl_redemption_for_expe.html
Steelers' Larry Foote wants to play for Lions
http://www.freep.com/article/20090129/SPORTS01/90129091
Steelers Inactives
QB Dennis Dixon (3rd QB)
CB Fernando Bryant
T Tony Hills
LB Bruce Davis
T Jason Capizzi
S Anthony Smith
DE Orpheus Roye
DT Scott Paxson
Ravens Inactives
QB Todd Bouman (3rd QB)
WR Terrance Copper
RB Jalen Parmele
LB Antwan Barnes
LB Robert McCune
T Oniel Cousins
T David Hale
CB Samari Rolle
Steelers Inactives
QB Dennis Dixon (3rd QB)
CB Fernando Bryant
T Tony Hills
LB Bruce Davis
T Jason Capizzi
S Anthony Smith
DE Orpheus Roye
DT Scott Paxson
Chargers Inactives
QB Charlie Whitehurst (3rd)
RB LaDainian Tomlinson
RB Billy Latsko
FB Mike Tolbert
LB Anthony Waters
G Kynan Forney
T Corey Clark
DT Ian Scott
Steelers Inactives
QB Dennis Dixon (3rd QB)
LB James Harrison
CB Fernando Bryant
T Tony Hills
LB Bruce Davis
OL Jason Capizzi
DT Scott Paxson
S Ryan Clark
Browns Inactives
DB Travis Daniels
S Hamza Abdullah
TE Kellen Winslow
TE John Madsen
TE Darnell Dinkins
WR Paul Hubbard
LB Leon Williams
DT Santonio Thomas
Steelers Inactives
QB Dennis Dixon (3rd QB)
CB Fernando Bryant
T Tony Hills
LB Bruce Davis
T Marvel Smith
S Anthony Smith
DE Orpheus Roye
DT Scott Paxson
Titans Inactives
QB Chris Simms (3rd QB)
DT Albert Haynesworth
DE Kyle Vanden Bosch
WR Paul Williams
WR Chris Davis
CB Tyrone Poole
RB Chris Henry
T Mike Otto
Steelers Inactives
QB Dennis Dixon (3rd QB)
CB Fernando Bryant
T Tony Hills
LB Bruce Davis
T Marvel Smith
DE Brett Keisel
DE Orpheus Roye
DT Scott Paxson
Ravens Inactives
WR Marcus Maxwell
RB Ray Rice
QB Todd Bouman (3rd QB)
RB Jalen Parmele
WR Terrance Copper
DB Evan Oglesby
T Oniel Cousins
G David Hale
Steelers Inactives
QB Dennis Dixon (3rd QB)
CB Fernando Bryant
T Tony Hills
LB Bruce Davis
T Marvel Smith
DE Brett Keisel
DE Orpheus Roye
DT Scott Paxson
Cowboys Inactives
QB Brooks Bollinger (3rd QB)
RB Marion Barber
WR Miles Austin
CB Mike Jenkins
G Joe Berger
T Doug Free
CB Courtney Brown
LB Steve Octavien
