Steelers | Clark agrees to terms

[papillon]

Two safeties, two WRs, a lineman and I hope it's all for depth and they don't pass on a playmaker on defense at 1.18. None of those signings really make me say, "that's a great signing" and as a matter of fact I have to assume that Sweed won't even be invited into camp this year.

Pappy

[Oviedo]

Well, put this down as the oddest start to FA in a long time in Steel Country.


Not a bad thing- stocking up the back-up talent, means the team can rotate in & out fresh players without much of a drop-off in talent.

It certainly looks like the FO is preparing for something come Draft Day....will Tomlin get the CB he wanted when he missed on Revis?

That cornerback could still be Earl Thomas as you have in your mock. I just hope it is not Iupati or another OL. Spiller would be exciting, but I really think it has to be a playmaker on Defense. I hope.

Given that we now have resigned Clark, it would seem like our safeties are set; Troy and Clark as starters and Allen and Mundy as the backups. We still need one good CB, so maybe that will be Thomas, but I'm thinking CB could now be addressed in Rd. 2 with McCourty, Kareem Jackson or Kyle Wilson.

You assume Burnett and Lewis aren't ready to take a step in Year 2. I don't know much about Lewis, but don't sell Burnett short.

[papillon]

Clark needs Troy to be successful, Allen is approaching or already is 30 (Clark also) and Mundy isn't the answer. The Steelers are simply creating depth at the position, they still need a safety for the future that can actually make plays on the ball. I still like Thomas in the first, actually, after these signings I like him more, because, Lebeau won't feel obligated to insert him into the lineup immediately.

This is how the Steelers operate, they create depth at positions with veterans and then draft their replacements to watch for a year or two and then step in.

Pappy

[SteelCzar76]

Clark needs Troy to be successful, Allen is approaching or already is 30 (Clark also) and Mundy isn't the answer. The Steelers are simply creating depth at the position, they still need a safety for the future that can actually make plays on the ball. I still like Thomas in the first, actually, after these signings I like him more, because, Lebeau won't feel obligated to insert him into the lineup immediately.

This is how the Steelers operate, they create depth at positions with veterans and then draft their replacements to watch for a year or two and then step in.

Pappy

In theory you are very correct Pap,...but it is beginning to look a lot like it's Odrick or whichever overrated "fat boy" (O-lineman) falls (Iupati/Trent Williams) for us this April. Followed by Gerhart in the 2nd round.

Tomlin (and Colbert) will justify not taking a CB because they drafted two last year, will not want to look like idiots,..and Tomlin "Loooves him some Big play Willie Gay !".

This desire to save face even despite a player's ACTUAL onfield performance (or lack thereof) is also why the pick will not be IMO,... a blue chip backer capable of supplanting Timmons. (Potsie's getting up there, but yet remains a far superior LB and football player than Timmons)

And after saying that,..do i really need to explain why they won't select Taylor or Thomas in light of Tomlin getting his "just a guy" Journeyman safety and the team bringing back Clark ?

But the funny part to me is,...after being so exposed in the secondary last season (at least to non Steeler fans),...i believe teams will continue to go after Clark and our corners even with Troy returning. As hey,..they still fear him (Troy) but the odds of him not being able to be everywhere at once and them being able to beat the rest of the group,..go a longer way towards them being successful against us than being frozen in fear of Troy.

[Lebsteel]

Clark needs Troy to be successful, Allen is approaching or already is 30 (Clark also) and Mundy isn't the answer. The Steelers are simply creating depth at the position, they still need a safety for the future that can actually make plays on the ball. I still like Thomas in the first, actually, after these signings I like him more, because, Lebeau won't feel obligated to insert him into the lineup immediately.

This is how the Steelers operate, they create depth at positions with veterans and then draft their replacements to watch for a year or two and then step in.

Pappy

Pappy, Will Allen is "only" 27, so he still has several prime years left, but as you say they are creating depth.

[Lebsteel]

Gerry Dulac of the Post-Gazette is reporting that Allen signed a 3-year, $4.4 million deal. ESPN is reporting that Randle-El signed a 3-year deal. Battle reportedly signed a 3-year $4 million deal while Clark reportedly signed for 4-years and $16-$17 million.

i guess the big question is how much of that is guaranteed? I would bet not much.

ESPN reports $14 million over 4 years
[url]http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=4976203[/url]

[SteelCzar76]

Well, put this down as the oddest start to FA in a long time in Steel Country.


Not a bad thing- stocking up the back-up talent, means the team can rotate in & out fresh players without much of a drop-off in talent.

It certainly looks like the FO is preparing for something come Draft Day....will Tomlin get the CB he wanted when he missed on Revis?

That cornerback could still be Earl Thomas as you have in your mock. I just hope it is not Iupati or another OL. Spiller would be exciting, but I really think it has to be a playmaker on Defense. I hope.

Given that we now have resigned Clark, it would seem like our safeties are set; Troy and Clark as starters and Allen and Mundy as the backups. We still need one good CB, so maybe that will be Thomas, but I'm thinking CB could now be addressed in Rd. 2 with McCourty, Kareem Jackson or Kyle Wilson.

You assume Burnett and Lewis aren't ready to take a step in Year 2. I don't know much about Lewis, but don't sell Burnett short.

Your boy Burnett may in fact pan out to be a more impressive player than Gay,...i'll give you that much. But just as i've seen him play in college,...i've also seen Lewis,...and he,... is,..... ridiculous. (And not in the Devin Hester sense)

Think Ike Taylor,...without the speed and athleticism.

[SS Laser]

I wonder if the Dolphins wanted to pay clark less or just a touch more? Like the jets did with Kemo so he stayed home? Or Porter call him and said stay in the burgh LOL

[hawaiiansteel]

I wonder if the Dolphins wanted to pay clark less or just a touch more? Like the jets did with Kemo so he stayed home? Or Porter call him and said stay in the burgh LOL

Steelers agree to 4-year deal with Clark, to terms with Randle El

By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, March 9, 2010


A flurry of activity at the Steelers' South Side practice facility Monday ended with the team agreeing to a four-year, $14 million contract with free safety Ryan Clark, the only starter that had hit the open market at the start of free agency.

The Steelers also agreed to terms with wide receiver Antwaan Randle El on a three-year deal that will bring the versatile pass catcher/return specialist back to Pittsburgh. Randle El had been with Washington before the Redskins released him last week.

Clark, who has been a starter at free safety since 2006, visited the Miami Dolphins yesterday and received an offer from them. But he told his agent, Joel Turner, that he wanted to stay with the Steelers.

Clark, who tied for the Steelers' lead in interceptions with three last season and was second with 89 tackles, is expected to officially re-sign with the team when he returns to Pittsburgh.

Clark's decision to stay with the Steelers all but assures that the team will lock up with multi-year contracts the three players on the roster it had targeted prior to the start of free agency.

The Steelers signed nose tackle Casey Hampton to a three-year, $21.3 million contract on Feb. 25. The Steelers used the franchise tag on Jeff Reed with the idea that the designation buys the two sides more time to work toward a long-term deal.

Clark and the Steelers appeared to be far apart on contract figures when they couldn't get a deal done prior to the start of free agency last Friday.

But they were able to bridge the gap enough to get a deal done, even though the Dolphins also made Clark an offer while other teams showed interest as well.

"He probably left money on the table, but it wasn't about the money," Turner said. "I think he just decided Pittsburgh was more home to him."

Randle El will make a homecoming of sorts when he officially signs with the Steelers.

Randle El, a second-round draft pick by the Steelers in 2002, made his mark here as a jack-of-all-trades player who excelled as a return man and slot receiver.

His versatility was such that Randle El threw the Steelers' only touchdown pass in Super Bowl XL -- a 43-yard strike to Hines Ward that accounted for the last score in a 21-10 victory over Seattle that delivered a long-awaited fifth Super Bowl title to the Steelers.

Randle El, 30, signed a seven-year, $31 million deal with the Redskins in 2006 but never lived up to expectations as a wide receiver or return specialist.

The additions of Randle El and Battle give the Steelers depth at wide receiver behind Ward, Santonio Holmes and Mike Wallace.

[papillon]

Clark needs Troy to be successful, Allen is approaching or already is 30 (Clark also) and Mundy isn't the answer. The Steelers are simply creating depth at the position, they still need a safety for the future that can actually make plays on the ball. I still like Thomas in the first, actually, after these signings I like him more, because, Lebeau won't feel obligated to insert him into the lineup immediately.

This is how the Steelers operate, they create depth at positions with veterans and then draft their replacements to watch for a year or two and then step in.

Pappy

Pappy, Will Allen is "only" 27, so he still has several prime years left, but as you say they are creating depth.

Hmmm...thanks Leb, is there another Allen that is a safety nearing 30? Regardless, as we've both mentioned, they're building depth at safety and I'm hoping Thomas is there and they take him. From what I've read he can play SS, FS and CB, if that's the case, then the value is too good to pass up and the versatility is something that Tomlin looks for in a player.

Pappy