PITTSBURGH - Former Saginaw High star LaMarr Woodley will get tagged by the Pittsburgh Steelers as a franchise player, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Woodley was in the final year of his rookie contract, which he signed after he was picked in the second round of the NFL draft. The contract paid him $500,000 last season.

He had 60 tackles, 13 sacks and two interceptions for Pittsburgh.

espn.com: By franchising the 2007 second round pick, the Steelers agree to pay the average of the top salaries at his position in 2011. Pittsburgh, however, is expected to sign Woodley to a long-term deal.

The Steelers have until February 23 to officially tag Woodley but with a new collective bargaining agreement still being negotiated, there is a chance the franchise designation will cease to exist after the current CBA expires on March 4.

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The big stories of the day were the Steelers placing the franchise tag on linebacker LaMarr Woodley - no duh – and defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau signing a one-year deal to remain with the team - double no duh.

Neither move comes as any surprise.

The Steelers' plan all along has been to franchise Woodley. Without a new CBA, the Steelers' hands were tied with Woodley in terms of negotiating a new deal.

Any deal he signed would have to have a base salary of no more than 120 percent of his base salary in 2010 – $550,000.

That meant the Steelers, to get a deal done, would have to give Woodley a ridiculous signing bonus to make up for the base salary.

That wasn't going to happen. So until a new CBA is in place, Woodley keeps the franchise tag.

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