Max Starks Speculation - Per PFT

[phillyesq]

Per PFT:

STARKS BIDING HIS TIME FOR FREE AGENCY?
Posted by Mike Florio on August 15, 2008, 3:34 p.m.
With a guaranteed one-year contract worth nearly $7 million and a shot at hitting in March 2009 a market that pays long-term contracts worth $7 million per year to so-so players, the buzz coming out of Steelers camp is that tackle Max Starks is merely going through the motions.

As one source put it, Starks’ training-camp performance has been among the worst on the entire team. Indeed, he’s still stuck behind Willie Colon at right tackle.

But it doesn’t matter for Starks; he’ll still get his money.

The reason he’s getting the money is because the Steelers opted to retain an opportunity to match any offers he might have gotten on the open market earlier this year via the transition tag, which provided a right of first refusal but no compensation if he had left. Use of the tag required tender of a one-year, $6.895 million salary.

And once Starks signed the tender after realizing that no other team was interested in taking the time to negotiate a deal that the Steelers could then bogart, the salary became fully guaranteed.

For roughly $500,000 more, the Steelers could have used the franchise tag on Faneca, and at a minimum could have gotten a draft pick or two by thereafter trading him.

In hindsight, that would have been the better move. And if anyone is looking for tangible evidence of how the unsettled ownership situation could be affecting the football operation, the decision to keep Starks for $6.895 million instead of Faneca for $7.45 million could be it.

I really hope this isn't true, but given the criticism of Starks' work ethic/conditioning in the past, I fear that it could be. You would think that he would be smarter about it; try to work hard, get a starting job, and then get an even bigger payday. Starks is certainly among my least favorite players, and this really isn't moving him any higher on my list.

[Ozey74]

Shame on Starks if this is true! If nothing else, I would feel guilty about letting my teammates down.

[SteelHoss]

Per PFT:

STARKS BIDING HIS TIME FOR FREE AGENCY?
Posted by Mike Florio on August 15, 2008, 3:34 p.m.
With a guaranteed one-year contract worth nearly $7 million and a shot at hitting in March 2009 a market that pays long-term contracts worth $7 million per year to so-so players, the buzz coming out of Steelers camp is that tackle Max Starks is merely going through the motions.

As one source put it, Starks’ training-camp performance has been among the worst on the entire team. Indeed, he’s still stuck behind Willie Colon at right tackle.

But it doesn’t matter for Starks; he’ll still get his money.

The reason he’s getting the money is because the Steelers opted to retain an opportunity to match any offers he might have gotten on the open market earlier this year via the transition tag, which provided a right of first refusal but no compensation if he had left. Use of the tag required tender of a one-year, $6.895 million salary.

And once Starks signed the tender after realizing that no other team was interested in taking the time to negotiate a deal that the Steelers could then bogart, the salary became fully guaranteed.

For roughly $500,000 more, the Steelers could have used the franchise tag on Faneca, and at a minimum could have gotten a draft pick or two by thereafter trading him.

In hindsight, that would have been the better move. And if anyone is looking for tangible evidence of how the unsettled ownership situation could be affecting the football operation, the decision to keep Starks for $6.895 million instead of Faneca for $7.45 million could be it.

I really hope this isn't true, but given the criticism of Starks' work ethic/conditioning in the past, I fear that it could be. You would think that he would be smarter about it; try to work hard, get a starting job, and then get an even bigger payday. Starks is certainly among my least favorite players, and this really isn't moving him any higher on my list.

Consider the source. Florio has to be one of the biggest Steeler detracters in the media.
He consistently attacks the team and individual players. I don't put much stock in anything he writes concerning the Steelers.

[BIG FAN]

Per PFT:

STARKS BIDING HIS TIME FOR FREE AGENCY?
Posted by Mike Florio on August 15, 2008, 3:34 p.m.
With a guaranteed one-year contract worth nearly $7 million and a shot at hitting in March 2009 a market that pays long-term contracts worth $7 million per year to so-so players, the buzz coming out of Steelers camp is that tackle Max Starks is merely going through the motions.

As one source put it, Starks’ training-camp performance has been among the worst on the entire team. Indeed, he’s still stuck behind Willie Colon at right tackle.

But it doesn’t matter for Starks; he’ll still get his money.

The reason he’s getting the money is because the Steelers opted to retain an opportunity to match any offers he might have gotten on the open market earlier this year via the transition tag, which provided a right of first refusal but no compensation if he had left. Use of the tag required tender of a one-year, $6.895 million salary.

And once Starks signed the tender after realizing that no other team was interested in taking the time to negotiate a deal that the Steelers could then bogart, the salary became fully guaranteed.

For roughly $500,000 more, the Steelers could have used the franchise tag on Faneca, and at a minimum could have gotten a draft pick or two by thereafter trading him.

In hindsight, that would have been the better move. And if anyone is looking for tangible evidence of how the unsettled ownership situation could be affecting the football operation, the decision to keep Starks for $6.895 million instead of Faneca for $7.45 million could be it.

I really hope this isn't true, but given the criticism of Starks' work ethic/conditioning in the past, I fear that it could be. You would think that he would be smarter about it; try to work hard, get a starting job, and then get an even bigger payday. Starks is certainly among my least favorite players, and this really isn't moving him any higher on my list.

Consider the source. Florio has to be one of the biggest Steeler detracters in the media.
He consistently attacks the team and individual players. I don't put much stock in anything he writes concerning the Steelers.

Exactly. Another "pundit", (aka) self professed knowledgeable A-HOLE.

[Jom112]

Consider the source. Florio has to be one of the biggest Steeler detracters in the media.
He consistently attacks the team and individual players. I don't put much stock in anything he writes concerning the Steelers.

I don't really see any biased that Florio has against the Steelers. He pretty much writes whatever gossip he can get his hands on.

I actually think I read last offseason an item he wrote where he mentioned that people think he shows favoritism towards the Steelers (The organization not individuals). I could be wrong though...

[BIG FAN]

Consider the source. Florio has to be one of the biggest Steeler detracters in the media.
He consistently attacks the team and individual players. I don't put much stock in anything he writes concerning the Steelers.

I don't really see any biased that Florio has against the Steelers. He pretty much writes whatever gossip he can get his hands on.

I actually think I read last offseason an item he wrote where he mentioned that people think he shows favoritism towards the Steelers (The organization not individuals). I could be wrong though...

You may just be wrong here Jom.
I have never noticed anything he writes as being good to our guys, or yours for that matter.(These days anyway) Do agree with that excellent statement of he writes whatever gossip there is.
Good perception there for a "lowly" bungle fan.

[buckeyehoppy]

Florio is just a Rona Barrett who covers pro football instead of Hollywood celebrities.

But, consider the locus of his criticism...Starks. It doesn't take a brain surgeon to know that Starks has pretty much been a waste of space in Pittsburgh and this season could be the cherry on top of his meager accomplishment for the Steelers.

It would be a tough pill to swallow for the Steelers, but biting the bullet and launching the player while eating his bloated contract might be the best thing they could do under the circumstances. If this guy can't be in game shape and win a starting spot on this OL, then he doesn't deserve to be around.

The FO really screwed the pooch on this one. It could be a very expensive lesson for a team in organizational transition.

[AkronSteel]

I'm not buying this story from PFT.

Is Max an overpaid, overweight tackle? Yes.....but I don't buy that he is tanking it on purpose b/c he knows that he can. I just think that he stinks. The guy just is not capable of playing at the high level that he is being paid. I didn't understand the contract then, and I definately don't like it now but what are we going to do? All that we as fans can do is hope that Marvel and Willie stay healthy and we don't have to watch this fat piece of crap play!

[kennyes]

PFT is the National Enquirer of the football world. It is and as always has been a source with questionable credibility.

[Flasteel]

I've been reading Florio's stuff since he was with NFLtalk.com and despite the fact that I don't always agree with everything he regurgitates, I have always enjoyed his writing. He makes no bones about the fact that most of what he writes is rumor and speculation (thus the name rumor mill), but every now and then he breaks stories and has information no one else has published. You just have to wade through the wash and see what has credibility before you take it at face value (like Terry Bradshaw's death )

I've seen the guy on both sides of the Steeler fence. As a matter of fact I used to think he was one of us; then he started getting called out for it and often times would print very negative things about the team...maybe trying to make a point that he's not biased (I dunno know).

Anyway, as far as Starks, I've been a big supporter since we drafted him out of Gainesville and he has been nothing short of a disappointment this training camp. By all accounts he busted his ass in the offseason and reported in tremendous shape, but he has sucked some major schlong in his attempt to regain the starting RT job. In all fairness, I don't think Zierlein ever intended for there to be a competition at the spot and Max has received almost no playing time there. But if he went out and gave his best effort in camp, I don't see anyway that Colon could hold him off based on the shape he's in. That tells me that Starks simply isn't giving it his best effort. That's not the same as tanking it on purpose, which is some pretty inflammtory shit for Florio to state, but I definitely agree that Starks is not sufficiently motivated.

If he wants to go out there and half-step it when his tenure with the team and a potentially huge pay-day is on the line, then I have little use for the guy and am very disappointed. That said, I don't know what's going on with him or in practice and it is a long season, so I'm willing to reserve judgment. Hopefully whatever five we field this season is an improvement over last year and that's all I really care about.