Three year deal, max value of $7.25, $1.675 guaranteed, $5 million in first 2 years.
Reported on Twitter by Schefter and some of the beat writers...
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Three year deal, max value of $7.25, $1.675 guaranteed, $5 million in first 2 years.
Reported on Twitter by Schefter and some of the beat writers...
[QUOTE=phillyesq;559154]Three year deal, max value of $7.25, $1.675 guaranteed, $5 million in first 2 years.
Reported on Twitter by Schefter and some of the beat writers...[/QUOTE]
Guess it shows you who values Mclendon. Some posters on this board are still undervaluing him. I agree, however, that he needs to play end on our defense.
Seems fairly cheap. Maybe Spaeth is no longer our best offseason move.
[QUOTE=phillyesq;559154]Three year deal, max value of $7.25, $1.675 guaranteed, $5 million in first 2 years.
Reported on Twitter by Schefter and some of the beat writers...[/QUOTE]
Wonder what the first year cap hit will be on this new deal compared to what we gave him in his RFA tender (since we only have $800K leeway right now until we get more cap room in June when the Willie Colon release becomes official)?
[QUOTE=BigRob;559156]Guess it shows you who values Mclendon. Some posters on this board are still undervaluing him. I agree, however, that he needs to play end on our defense.[/QUOTE]
Play DE or change to a one-gap system where his talents aren't wasted occupying blockers
[QUOTE=Oviedo;559162]Play DE or change to a one-gap system where his talents aren't wasted occupying blockers[/QUOTE]
Yes, we should adjust the whole defensive system for Steve McClendon, a former undrafted free agent who was signed to a contract paying him at a level of an average to below average veteran starter. :roll:
[QUOTE=Oviedo;559162]Play DE or change to a one-gap system where his talents aren't wasted occupying blockers[/QUOTE]
Someone send Casey Hampton, Aaron Smith, and Brett Kiesel memos informing them that their entire Steeler careers were wasted because they were occupying blockers.
[QUOTE=phillyesq;559164]Yes, we should adjust the whole defensive system for Steve McClendon, a former undrafted free agent who was signed to a contract paying him at a level of an average to below average veteran starter. :roll:[/QUOTE]
No, we should change it because it no longer generates pressure and creates turnovers. McLendon would be just one of many who benefit from the willingness to change but it is unlikely to happen because of one person.
[QUOTE=RuthlessBurgher;559161]Wonder what the first year cap hit will be on this new deal compared to what we gave him in his RFA tender (since we only have $800K leeway right now until we get more cap room in June when the Willie Colon release becomes official)?[/QUOTE]
This has to put the Steelers perilously close to the cap. I suppose that a lot of the cap impact will be based on the incentives - the blurbs I saw had a [B]max[/B] payout of $7.25 million, so it's possible that the guarantees are lower.
[B]Steelers sign McLendon to three-year deal[/B]
APR 18
By Jamison Hensley | ESPN.com
The Pittsburgh Steelers reached a three-year deal with nose tackle Steve McLendon, thanks to a nudge from the Green Bay Packers.
A day after McLendon visited the Packers, the Steelers struck a multiyear deal with the restricted free agent that's worth a maximum of $7.25 million and includes a $1.675 million signing bonus, according to the NFL Network.
The Steelers had other options -- like re-signing Casey Hampton or giving Alameda Ta'amu a shot to start -- but keeping McLendon was the best one. Hampton turns 36 by the time the season starts and Ta'amu is a risk considering his off-the-field issue.
McLendon, 27, is hitting the prime of his career and has shown the ability to step up when Hampton has been hurt. But the Steelers committed to McLendon more on projection than on production. He has one career start and played only 139 defensive snaps last season.
The Steelers could have avoided all of this drama if they had put a second-round tender on McLendon, which would have cost the team $700,000 more this offseason. Still, in the end, the Steelers likely would've reached a multiyear deal with him anyway. The interest from the Packers just sped up the process.
[URL]http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/post/_/id/75552/steelers-sign-mclendon-to-three-year-deal[/URL]
[QUOTE=phillyesq;559167]This has to put the Steelers perilously close to the cap. I suppose that a lot of the cap impact will be based on the incentives - the blurbs I saw had a [B]max[/B] payout of $7.25 million, so it's possible that the guarantees are lower.[/QUOTE]
New deals for Sanders and McLendon likely means that Ahmad Bradshaw is likely out of the picture.
The $5 million that we gain from Colon in June is already earmarked for us to sign our draft picks.
Maybe the Packers weren't interested in McLendon at all. Maybe they wanted Bradshaw for themselves and saw us as their biggest competition for his services. Knowing that we were counting on McLendon to start (and seeing how we responded to Sanders & New England), maybe they showed interest in McLendon just so we would use up whatever remaining cap space we had, leaving Bradshaw to go cheese coutry. Pretty diabolical little theory, if true.
Actually, looking at the deal, if the signing bonus is indeed $1.675 million, then the yearly proration over 3 years would be $558,333. If we give him in base salary $715,000 for 2013 (the veteran minimum for a 4th year player), then his cap hit for this season would be $1,273,333, which would be less than the $1,323,000 RFA tender that we were intending to pay him for this season all along (again, I don't know the details of the contract breakdown for sure...just assuming that we'd do something like this, though). If Omar Khan was able to extend McLendon for 3 season instead of just one, and was able to save $49,667 (not much in the grand scheme of things, sure, but it is certainly better than going further into the hole with our current cap situation), then kudos to the front office. Solid move.
[QUOTE=RuthlessBurgher;559172]Actually, looking at the deal, if the signing bonus is indeed $1.675 million, then the yearly proration over 3 years would be $558,333. If we give him in base salary $715,000 for 2013 (the veteran minimum for a 4th year player), then his cap hit for this season would be $1,273,333, which would be less than the $1,323,000 RFA tender that we were intending to pay him for this season all along (again, I don't know the details of the contract breakdown for sure...just assuming that we'd do something like this, though). If Omar Khan was able to extend McLendon for 3 season instead of just one, and was able to save $49,667 (not much in the grand scheme of things, sure, but it is certainly better than going further into the hole with our current cap situation), then kudos to the front office. Solid move.[/QUOTE]
Nice work, I was doing that same math in my head... And while we don't have the numbers yet, I do know that salaries are usually lower in the first year (cuz it's the year the player receives the SB)... meaning, this move likely SAVED cap room for the upcoming season!
GREAT signing...
[QUOTE=Oviedo;559162]Play DE or change to a one-gap system where his talents aren't wasted occupying blockers[/QUOTE]
Kimo von Oelhoffen played an adequate NT for one year here before sliding over to DE for 5 more... with Ziggy Hood and Brett Keisel's deals both expiring after the 2013 season, you may eventually get your wish. This deal gives us a short term solution at NT and flexibilty in dealing with those contract situations longer term.
[QUOTE=RuthlessBurgher;559170]New deals for Sanders and McLendon likely means that Ahmad Bradshaw is likely out of the picture.
The $5 million that we gain from Colon in June is already earmarked for us to sign our draft picks.
Maybe the Packers weren't interested in McLendon at all. Maybe they wanted Bradshaw for themselves and saw us as their biggest competition for his services. Knowing that we were counting on McLendon to start (and seeing how we responded to Sanders & New England), maybe they showed interest in McLendon just so we would use up whatever remaining cap space we had, leaving Bradshaw to go cheese coutry. Pretty diabolical little theory, if true.[/QUOTE]
If diabolical is synonymous with smart, then I agree! Get rid of Complacent Casey, and lets get some new blood in there!
On another note, this is the kind of player the B&G has been good at finding and developing over the years to make up, to a large extent, for any questionable work in the draft... the Super Bowls are case in point. Longest run from scrimmage in SB history? Steeler UDFA Willie Parker breaking open a close game in SB 40. Longest INT return? Steeler UDFA and defensive POY James Harrison turning a 14 - 10 halftime deficit into a 17 - 7 lead. Without those plays and those players, we're still sitting on 4 Lombardis. Not saying McClendon is that kind of impact player, but that this is the kind of guy playing over his head, cap friendly productivity you have to have, and the Steelers have had, to win in today's NFL.
McL will be just fine at NT.
[QUOTE=Shawn;559199]McL will be just fine at NT.[/QUOTE]
Unless the opposition likes to run...
[QUOTE=B&GinNC;559195]On another note, this is the kind of player the B&G has been good at finding and developing over the years to make up, to a large extent, for any questionable work in the draft... the Super Bowls are case in point. Longest run from scrimmage in SB history? Steeler UDFA Willie Parker breaking open a close game in SB 40. Longest INT return? Steeler UDFA and defensive POY James Harrison turning a 14 - 10 halftime deficit into a 17 - 7 lead. Without those plays and those players, we're still sitting on 4 Lombardis. Not saying McClendon is that kind of impact player, but that this is the kind of guy playing over his head, cap friendly productivity you have to have, and the Steelers have had, to win in today's NFL.[/QUOTE]
So are you saying that 7th round pick David Paulson could ultimately be the guy that some folks here want Tyler Eifert to be (or does this only work with UDFA's and not late round picks...he was a 7th round comp pick after all of the regular 7th round picks were taken, so that's almost like being undrafted).
[QUOTE=RuthlessBurgher;559217]So are you saying that 7th round pick David Paulson could ultimately be the guy that some folks here want Tyler Eifert to be (or does this only work with UDFA's and not late round picks...he was a 7th round comp pick after all of the regular 7th round picks were taken, so that's almost like being undrafted).[/QUOTE]
He might not be saying it, but I am.
[QUOTE=RuthlessBurgher;559217]So are you saying that 7th round pick David Paulson could ultimately be the guy that some folks here want Tyler Eifert to be (or does this only work with UDFA's and not late round picks...he was a 7th round comp pick after all of the regular 7th round picks were taken, so that's almost like being undrafted).[/QUOTE]
Keisel was a seventh.
If McLendon becomes a solid starter at NT, then this looks like a good deal. If he gets blown away by run blocking OG's, not such a great deal.
[QUOTE=Chadman;559229]If McLendon becomes a solid starter at NT, then this looks like a good deal. If he gets blown away by run blocking OG's, not such a great deal.[/QUOTE]
McClendon's game is more Jay Ratliff than Casey Hampton. He will get blown off the ball some, but he also has quickness and pass rushing skills most NTs don't. Plus, he has position versatility. I think his best position is DT in our nickel defense. From there, he can penetrate and disrupt/pressure.
[QUOTE=steelblood;559244]McClendon's game is more Jay Ratliff than Casey Hampton. He will get blown off the ball some, but he also has quickness and pass rushing skills most NTs don't. Plus, he has position versatility. I think his best position is DT in our nickel defense. From there, he can penetrate and disrupt/pressure.[/QUOTE]
That's fine, so long as his role isn't to play the traditional 3-4 NT role. It is what it is now though- they've committed to him, so he's the guy. Ta'amu & Fangupo are security blankets.
Committed to him? With less than 2 mil in guaranteed money? I don't think so. This is a role player contract for a role player. Hell you'd pay a decent NT 7 or 8 million for one season, not three. If McClendon doesn't pan out, they can cut him next season for a cap hit of just over one million. I don't think that will be necessary, but we have not committed to him being the future at NT. In fact, I think the Steelers got a hell of a deal. McClendon has potential. If he turns out to be a decent starter or heavy rotation guy at NT and/or DE, this is an awesome bargain. In fact, McClendon's position flexibility gives us great options during the draft. It allows us to draft a DL (either DE or NT) if a very good one falls into our lap, or we can address more pressing needs and go with the DL group we have.
Hood and Keisel could be gone next year. If Ta'Amu gets his head on, he has plenty of talent to play the position. Our 2014 DL could be DE McClendon, NT Ta'Amu, DE Heyward. At this point, who knows?
[QUOTE=steelblood;559250]Committed to him? With less than 2 mil in guaranteed money? I don't think so. This is a role player contract for a role player. [/QUOTE]
Absolutely blood. That is why it is funny the way that some react over contracts here. Similar to the Foote signing. If we get a starter either via draft or another signing, then the guy is slotted nicely at a backup salary. If he starts then we have a very cost effective starter. Nothing to get worried about either way.
[QUOTE=Chadman;559229]If McLendon becomes a solid starter at NT, then this looks like a good deal. If he gets blown away by run blocking OG's, not such a great deal.[/QUOTE]
it's "lower-middle-class-d-line-starter" money.... it's a good deal. They could still take an NT in the first and I'd call it a good deal.
[QUOTE=steeler_fan_in_t.o.;559258]Absolutely blood. That is why it is funny the way that some react over contracts here. Similar to the Foote signing. If we get a starter either via draft or another signing, then the guy is slotted nicely at a backup salary. If he starts then we have a very cost effective starter. Nothing to get worried about either way.[/QUOTE]
shoulda read the whole thread... y'all beat me to it... and spot on with Foote, as well... these are "i'm not convinced you're starter quality, but, i'd like to have you around in case i can't find a starter" salary ranges...
I at times thought our Def played better with a more agile Hoke than times than Casey. But this is a similiar type contract to what Hoke probably had at his highest salary. So I think it is a fair deal with huge upside.
With the way the NFL is going, McClendon will probably see more snaps as a DT on a 4 man line than as a 3-4 NT.
Anyone know the numbers? How often are we even in a base defense anymore? Seems like we're always do the 4 man front Polka with the other team's OLine not generating any pressure.
[QUOTE=Bluto;559273]I at times thought our Def played better with a more agile Hoke than times than Casey. But this is a similiar type contract to what Hoke probably had at his highest salary. So I think it is a fair deal with huge upside.[/QUOTE]
I totally agree because Hoke was very much like McLendon and got great penetration.
Plus people still assume McClendon's poor vs. the run because they think he's 280 lbs. Dude's 330 these days! Hasn't been below 300#'s for a long time. Not sure why media guide still lists him at his weight coming out of Troy.
WilliamsonNFL Matt Williamson
Per an agent: McLendon base 2013 $900,000, 2014 $2.425M & 2015 $2.25M Cap hit in 2014 is $1,458,333
16 minutes ago
[B]Steelers OTAs: Al Woods second team nose tackle[/B]
By Michael Uhlhorn on May 28 2013
[IMG]http://cdn2.sbnation.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/13764821/20120825_lbm_ah3_322.0_standard_500.0.jpg[/IMG]
[B]Four-year pro Al Woods is getting consistent reps as the Steelers second-string nose tackle[/B]
Al Woods is still manning backup duties at nose tackle for Pittsburgh according to multiple reports coming out of the second session of OTA's.
This might come as a bit of a surprise to some who expected Hebron Fangupo or Alameda Ta'Amu to be the backup to new starter Steve McLendon, with Woods filling in as a backup DE, the role he played last season. This leaves Fangupo and Ta'Amu fighting not only each other, but Al Woods for a roster spot. Should be interesting to see how this plays out through training camp.
In other nose tackle news today, former-Steeler great Casey Hampton isn't looking to retire just yet, so you have to wonder if a June 1st reunion is in the works if the best backup the Steelers can muster is the very untested Al Woods. I support McLendon being the starter, but it would be nice to have some veteran depth behind him, and Casey Hampton could provide that once the Steelers have $5.5 million freed up on June 1 as the result of the Willie Colon release.
We should know soon if the Steelers are planning to bring Hampton back, and for whatever its worth, the Steelers tipped their hand with Max Starks by signing OT Guy Whimper, and they have yet to do anything in the way of bringing in a nose tackle from outside the organization.
[URL]http://www.behindthesteelcurtain.com/2013/5/28/4373392/al-woods-playing-as-second-string-nt[/URL]
[B]Steelers' McLendon steps up as No. 1 nose tackle[/B]
May 29, 2013
By Ed Bouchette / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
[IMG]http://db66abc2c256b763aaef-ce5d943d4869ae027976e5ad085dd9b0.r76.cf2.rackcdn.com/2013/148/445/steve-mclendon_420.jpg[/IMG]
What do you do when you combine nose tackles Casey Hampton, Jay Ratliff and Chris Hoke?
"You get the typical Steve McLendon," Steve McLendon said.
Meet the Steelers' new starting nose tackle. If you thought the old one who held that job the past 12 years played with confidence and candor, wait until you hear Hampton's successor.
"If y'all want to know the typical Steve McLendon, I can tell you," he instructed. "The typical Steve McLendon is I want to be powerful and strong like Casey, I want to be smart like Chris Hoke, and I want to be quick and fast like Jay Ratliff of the [Dallas] Cowboys."
Hampton made five Pro Bowls and Ratliff four as two of the best nose tackles in the league.
"Isn't that always the goal?" McLendon asked Tuesday after the team's fourth spring practice. "You don't come out here just to be a secondary guy. You come out here to be the greatest, that's how I look at it.
"I changed my whole my way of thinking this year. I'm no longer saying 'good,' I'm saying 'great' because if you speak greatness, greatness will come."
And why can't it come for McLendon?
Born in Ozark, Ala., he played at Troy and came to the Steelers in 2009 the same way James Harrison did, as an undrafted free agent.
He has it all over Harrison, though, because McLendon was cut four times by the Steelers -- once in 2009 and three times in 2010. He became a footnote in 2010 when he was released to make room for Ben Roethlisberger's return to the roster after his four-game NFL suspension. He also was cut once from the practice squad.
McLendon made steady progress, took over for the retired Hoke as Hampton's backup last season and now the job is his, along with a new three-year contract worth $7.25 million. His new deal came one day after he paid Green Bay a visit in April as a restricted free agent. The Packers were prepared to sign him.
Going undrafted and cut four times has motivated him "not a little bit, a lot."
"The only thing you can do is wear it like a coat, keep it on your shoulder, humble yourself. That's when you become successful, when you humble yourself, remember those things and push forward from those things."
At 27, McLendon has a chance to become an overnight sensation.
"Opportunities sometimes like this for a guy like myself are hard to come by,"
McLendon said. "That's why I have to play fast, play harder, play smarter, and just play with the gift God gave me."
McLendon played in 139 defensive snaps in 2012 behind Hampton's 503. According to ratings compiled by Pro Football Focus, Hampton had a minus-9.4 while McLendon had a plus-7.0 ranking, fifth best among Steelers defenders in 2012.
There is a difference, however, in playing 139 snaps vs. 600, and McLendon knows that.
"When you want to be an every-down guy, you have to be in better shape," McLendon said. "You just have to look at everything differently.
"This team has been built on greatness for so long.
"If you go upstairs, you've seen [photos on the office walls of] the guys who were here, they did great things. That's the look I'm looking at. I'm not coming here just to be good, I want to be great."
The Steelers still list McLendon at 280 pounds as they did before they cut him the first time.
He laughed about the discrepancy of 30 pounds or so, but said, "leave it at 280; that's what's going to fool everybody."
While he has gained weight over the past four years, he claims never to have prepared differently.
"I already prepared like a starter since Day 1. Even when I was getting cut, I still prepared like I was a starter. If you put yourself in the mindset of being a starter, one day you will be a starter. I never came in here thinking I was going to be a backup."
He talks a lot with Hampton, whom he said still wants to play somewhere this year. He continues to take advice from his mentor, who told him to "Remember to be humble, stay strong, stay firm in what you believe in, and, most important of all, just play football. It's still a game."
[URL]http://www.post-gazette.com/stories/sports/steelers/bigger-job-leads-to-bigger-thoughts-689499/#ixzz2Uh8CThnK[/URL]
[QUOTE]"If y'all want to know the typical Steve McLendon, I can tell you," he instructed. "The typical Steve McLendon is I want to be powerful and strong like Casey, I want to be smart like Chris Hoke, and I want to be quick and fast like Jay Ratliff of the [Dallas] Cowboys."[/QUOTE]
If y'all want to know the typical RuthlessBurgher, I can tell you. The typical RuthlessBurgher is I want to be rich like Bill Gates, I want to be smart like Stephen Hawking, and I want to be attractive to the ladies like Brad Pitt.
Just in case y'all were wondering. :p