Steelers Free Agent Decisions: Casey Hampton

[feltdizz]

I transition tag him. He plays his best facing a contract. Keep the carrot (free agency) dangling on the string one more year and groom the hell out of someone.

I say move Kemo to NT.

I think he said/implied he would be very unhappy if tagged. Could make for a funky season or a real drop off in production..

This situation is like a flat tire on a holiday weekend.. you pretty much have to pay what the tow truck charges for a new tire or ride the spare..

OK, dizz. First, the baby learning to walk analogy (Steelers 2005 Colts playoff game). Now this one.

Are you like a sensai master who secretly posts on a Steeler board?
I'm an artist... I like to keep it visual and creative!

[hawaiiansteel]

The Steelers must tag him unless he wants to sign a three year deal reasonably. Hoke is ok...but he isn't Hampton. If we franchise him...we have to get a first round NT...unless we plan to pull a Starks. If we let him go...we have to get a first round NT. The only way we don't draft one is if we sign Hampton to a 3 year deal.

I think a 3-year contract is the way to go.

Yes, a 3-year contract would be ideal from the Steelers' perspective but if I'm Casey Hampton there is no way I sign a contract that's only 3 years in length. This is his last chance for a big contract, he will want at least 4-5 years and if the Steelers don't give it to him I'm sure there's another team that will.

[feltdizz]

Mister P. I think Casey's weight issue is exaggerated. Is his weight all we have as leverage? Just seems like we can't use film or a drop off in production as proof. Kind of lame to use weight against a NT.

[papillon]

I'd put the non-exclusive franchise tag on him. If he gets an offer, depending who its from their two first round picks in the future could be worth playing a season without a great NT. If their offer is reasonable, then match it and have Casey for the rest of his career. I don't see the downside in this scenario.

Pappy

[hawaiiansteel]

I'd put the non-exclusive franchise tag on him. If he gets an offer, depending who its from their two first round picks in the future could be worth playing a season without a great NT. If their offer is reasonable, then match it and have Casey for the rest of his career. I don't see the downside in this scenario.

Pappy

I think the possible downside to this scenario is that no other team will want to give up two 1st round draft picks for an aging NT and as a result Casey will receive no contract offers. Big Snack could then be unhappy with losing his chance for that last big payday and stage a holdout to show his displeasure. Do we want to risk that type of a distraction?

[Chadman]

"4. NT can play well into their mid 30's if they take conditoioning serious

Case for not resigning:
1. Has shown he doesn't take conditioning serious which will be more critical as he gets older
2. Will he be motivated after getting "last big contract" "

O- going to disagree with you on these first 2 points. Sam Adams & Ted Washington both played until mid to late 30's & were fat, out of shape blobs that filled in space. Yet, even so, they were highly effective 3-4 NT's because they simply occupied space & took on multiple blockers. This new found problem with the Steelers NT being only a '2-down player' is laughable. They are not there to rush the QB, it's not their #1 assignment. They clog the middle, take on multiple blockers, and free space for the ILB's. Hampton could do that at 380 lbs if he wanted to. Which leads to him 'not taking conditioning seriously'- when did his weight ever effect his level of play?

As for being motivated after his 'last big payday'- has he EVER looked like he dogged a season?

They guy doesn't get enough credit on this board. He's simply the #1 3-4 NT in the NFL today. Pay him as such, and draft a young guy to learn what it takes to play Steeler football from the best in the business. He's had 9 years in the Steeler Defense, in what is the most critical position for the scheme. How many of those years have the Steelers struggled on Defense?

[Mister Pittsburgh]

Mister P. I think Casey's weight issue is exaggerated. Is his weight all we have as leverage? Just seems like we can't use film or a drop off in production as proof. Kind of lame to use weight against a NT.

Maybe weight is the wrong word. But I think weight does go hand in hand with the right word which is conditioning. I look at the Colts & the Pats way of handling their rosters as the way we will have to do it as well now that we have a 100 million dollar QB. They don't retain old vets and pay them monster sized contracts. They start a lot more young players. I think Rooney is right on the money with this staff needing to get the young guys ready to go much sooner than we are used to. This isn't the Steelers with Kordell or Maddox at the helm. This is the Steelers with a franchise QB. The Steelers are constantly mentioned as having one of the best front offices in football, well now it is time to see just how good they are in getting creative with their roster.

I think Colbert allowing our defense to age without supplying the young guns to learn and step in when the old vets contracts are up is going to start hurting us.

Hampton is a 2 down player and I wouldn't overpay to keep him just because we don't have a young guy being groomed. Sorry, but with contracts due to Holmes, Timmons, Woodley looming in the near future, no way to I bow to the demands of Casey and he is going to look to cash in. If he gives the Steelers a hometown discount then we are talking about two different things here but I have a hard time seeing that happen.

[feltdizz]

Great points by Chadman and Mister P. I read MP first and agree on the money situation but doesn't the uncapped season give us more room? I'm asking, I have no idea.

I'm leaning towards Chadman though.. one of the main requirements of an NT is weight. I have yet to see his weight hurt his game. He is the number #1 NT in the league. We have seen what losing a dominant lineman does to a team. He is worth it.

[Shoe]

To all the comments about him being "the #1 NT in the league". I'm not necessarily disputing that (it's certainly arguable). But it's not like he is the best among a great group these days. I'm also gonna make a bit of a distinction, when you compare him to large monsters like Ted Washington and Sam Adams... Hampton is a stump. The other two were much rangier, and I would guess that that added ranginess can prolong your career when your legs leave you. Can you give me a stumpy NT (or any DT for that matter) who has been able to extend their career into their mid/late 30's)?

I'm for the one-year non-exclusive thing.

Overpaying for an aging star is something the Steelers don't do; it's what's kept us on top and competitive all this time... and I don't think you make that exception for Casey I like to eat lots of Hampton.

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

If you can't get a deal done...He has to be tagged. His opening day replacement will not come from the Steelers first pick. They might get a kid who can start later in the year but that is too big of a gamble.