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Thread: Outside free agent acquisitions the Steelers could make (cheap with coach connection)

  1. #1
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    Outside free agent acquisitions the Steelers could make (cheap with coach connection)

    Being as far over the cap as we are, it is pointless to even discuss most outside free agent signings. But perhaps we could sign a player or two on the cheap because they want to play with one of their former coaches once again. The following guys would provide us with some valuable experience at a price we should be able to afford, plus both of these guys should be in their prime years at age 29.

    Steve Breaston was recently released by the Chiefs. His best season was with Todd Haley in Arizona in 2008 (77-1006-3). He production declined in the next two seasons with the Cardinals after Haley left (55-712-3 and 47-718-1), but then Breaston and Haley reunited in K.C. in 2011, resulting in a 61-785-2 season. After Haley was let go by the Chiefs, Breaston disappeared (7-74-0 in 10 games last season, including 4 starts). I doubt many teams will be willing to pay big bucks for a guy who caught 7 balls last season, especially considering how strong the WR market appears to be in free agency. It certainly doesn't hurt that Breaston is also a Pittsburgh native and would likely have an interest in coming home while also reuniting with Haley. If we don't bring back Wallace or Burress, we'd be left with Brown, Sanders, Cotchery, and that's about it. We could draft a rookie and sign an inexpensive vet to fill out our WR corps...Breaston could possibly be that guy.

    Danny Smith came over from Washington to Pittsburgh, and his special teams captain just happens to be a free agent. Lorenzo Alexander was called the best special teamer he's seen by Mike Shanahan, and he was honored with a special teams Pro Bowl nod this past season, and was previously named the Redskins' special teams player of the year in 2011 as well. He's two-time Walter Peyton Man of the Year nominee because of his extensive charity work. He's an extremely versatile guy who has played...get this...inside linebacker, outside linebacker, defensive end, defensive tackle, fullback, tight end, offensive guard, and special teams (prompting the nickname "One Man Gang"). In Pittsburgh, he'd provide Keyaron Fox like depth at LB as well as a true leader for special teams to help spread coach Smith's message. He started 12 games in 2010, but has only started 1 other game in his other 6 NFL seasons combined, so he is not the kind of guy who would break the bank to sign.
    Steeler teams featuring stat-driven, me-first, fantasy-football-darling diva types such as Antonio Brown & Le'Veon Bell won no championships.

    Super Bowl winning Steeler teams were built around a dynamic, in-your-face defense plus blue-collar, hard-hitting, no-nonsense football players on offense such as Hines Ward & Jerome Bettis.

    We don't want Juju & Conner to replace what we lost in Brown & Bell.

    We are counting on Juju & Conner to return us to the glory we once had with Hines & The Bus.

  2. #2
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    Two potentially cheaper FA RB's I would kick the tires on is Mike Goodson from Oak and potentially Legarrette Blount.
    @_Hellgrammite

  3. #3
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    Lorenzo Alexander has the position flexibility of Tomlin's dreams. He puts Trai Essex to shame.

  4. #4
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    I have no idea who we could bring in, but I like the "can-do" tone of the thread. So much of the posts have been about what's wrong with the team or guys that we'll be losing.

  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mister Pittsburgh View Post
    Two potentially cheaper FA RB's I would kick the tires on is Mike Goodson from Oak and potentially Legarrette Blount.
    Now we're talking. I like both those guys, probably Goodson more. I wanted them to nab Blount late in the draft. Then when they didn't, I wanted them to get him in FA. When they didn't and TN cut him, I wanted them to sign him then, but TB did. I don't think Blount will ever be a star but he sure could help Pgh for a few seasons. Goodson will probably get enough attention that we can't afford him.

  6. #6
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    Two interesting ideas Ruthless, Breaston in particular. Coming off a very down year, he should come cheap, but he looks to have the ability to be a very good option in Haley's offense. One question on Breaston - do you know if he plays special teams?

  7. #7
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    I absolutely don't want Breaston. IMO, he's a Cotchery clone with bad hands. The Steelers should do what they've done in the past with this position...replenish through the draft.

  8. #8
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    If we would cut Troy to make room to sign Keenan Lewis, what safety off of this list would be somewhat affordable but a capable SS?

    James Sanders – ARI
    Rashad Johnson – ARI
    Chris Hope – ATL
    William Moore – ATL
    Emanuel Cook – BAL – (RFA)
    Sean Considine – BAL
    James Ihedigbo – BAL
    Ed Reed – BAL
    Jairus Byrd – BUF
    George Wilson – BUF
    Sherrod Martin – CAR
    Jeromy Miles – CIN – (RFA)
    Nate Clements – CIN
    Chris Crocker – CIN
    Raymond Ventrone – CLE
    Danny McCray – DAL – (RFA)
    Eric Frampton – DAL
    Charlie Peprah – DAL
    David Bruton – DEN
    Jim Leonhard – DEN
    Ricardo Silva – DET – (RFA)
    Amari Spievey – DET – (RFA)
    Erik Coleman – DET
    Louis Delmas – DET
    Charles Woodson – GB
    Quintin Demps – HOU
    Glover Quin – HOU
    Chris Harris – JAC
    Kyle McCarthy – KC – (RFA)
    Abram Elam – KC
    Jonathon Amaya – MIA – (RFA)
    Chris Clemons – MIA
    Andrew Sendejo – MIN – (RFA)
    Jamarca Sanford – MIN
    Josh Barrett – NE
    Pat Chung – NE
    Derrick Martin – NE
    Stevie Brown – NYG – (RFA)
    Kenny Phillips – NYG
    Yeremiah Bell – NYJ
    Eric Smith – NYJ
    LaRon Landry – NYJ
    Matt Giordano – OAK
    Michael Mitchell – OAK
    Colt Anderson – PHI – (RFA)
    Ryan Mundy – PIT
    Corey Lynch – SD
    Chris Maragos – SEA – (RFA)
    Dashon Goldson – SF
    Darcel McBath – SF
    Darian Stewart – STL – (RFA)
    Craig Dahl – STL
    Ronde Barber – TB
    Tanard Jackson – WAS
    Madieu Williams – WAS
    @_Hellgrammite

  9. #9
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    No to cutting Troy. Guys we are broke! We're lucky iF we can even sign our own people let alone a FA.
    The first order of business is getting Cap Compliant, then seeing which players of our own we can sign, at this point FA's will be down the list of priority's if we even have any room left to sign any.

  10. #10
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    Bouchette reporting that Steelers will talk to Breaston's agent at the combine. If he takes a qualified minimum deal, the Steelers could sign him and release Cotchery while realizing a decent cap savings. Not sure that he takes the minimum, but after a very down year, maybe he takes a one year deal to reestablish his value.

    Ed Bouchette@EdBouchetteBreaston's agent, Eric Metz, and [URL="http://www.planetsteelers.com/search?q=%23Steelers&src=hash"]#Steelers[/URL] will talk at Indy combine.

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