Steelers Reportedly Interested in Verner

[RuthlessBurgher]

Fuller won't last until our Round 2. He is one of the real risers in the draft eval process.

Of course, you still have Calvin Pryor in your sig mock (don't blame you...I had Pryor there as well in my initial sig mock), but Pryor has risen even higher than Fuller at this point. I expect Pryor to come off the board in the 20's now, so I don't see any way he falls into the mid-40's for us.

[steelz09]

If the Steelers had depth at CB...They could go into the season "hoping" a draft pick would win the starting CB spot at some point in '14. They need infusion immediately...Can't put that on a draft choice. There is no "support" for a CB learning on the fly. They will need to sign a starter capable guy.

It would be pretty irresponsible of the decision makers to go into the season with Allen, Taylor, Gay, & a draft choice. That draft choice would include a Dennard or Gilbert. One injury away from trouble. There is no guarantee Gilbert or Dennard start their 1st year. If Taylor remains with a paycut & continues his decline like last year...He may fall to the bottom of the depth chart. So we would have Allen & Gay starting with a CB who should have retired & a rookie who isn't ready to be a #3. I wouldn't feel comfortable with that thought process & I'm not even the one who pays the bills.

The Steelers better have 2 new faces in the secondary at the start of the season or they will struggle out of the gate. Coming off back to back 8-8 season...You better not struggle early. Here's an overview of the Top 3 things on Rooney list when he sat down with Cobert & Tomlin. #1...Back to back 8-8. #2 Missed playoffs 2 years in a row. #3 Empty seats in the stadium. I'm sure the Rooneys said "We have to correct this immediately...What do you need to get it done?" These guys have been doing this for awhile. When they look at the roster...I'm sure they understand the draft won't fix it overnight.

I think Ike stays one more year after taking a big paycut. Then, I think it's very possible that we still draft Gilbert or Dennard. That would leave us with:

Ike, C. Allen, Gilbert/Dennard, Gay at CB.

W. Allen, Polamalu, S. Thomas, Golden at S.

In this senario, FS is a priority in free agency. In the Steelers scheme, the FS lines up the secondary. It's much less likely a rookie start at FS than a CB. I think they can get much better value and sign a starting FS during free agency.

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

I think Ike stays one more year after taking a big paycut. Then, I think it's very possible that we still draft Gilbert or Dennard. That would leave us with:

Ike, C. Allen, Gilbert/Dennard, Gay at CB.

W. Allen, Polamalu, S. Thomas, Golden at S.

In this senario, FS is a priority in free agency. In the Steelers scheme, the FS lines up the secondary. It's much less likely a rookie start at FS than a CB. I think they can get much better value and sign a starting FS during free agency.

I felt the same way early about Ike. I'm now hearing the Steelers have approached him. They are actively putting out feelers for FA CBs. Where there's smoke...You know the saying. One could say that is to apply pressure to Taylor but I don't think that is the case. Taylor was the 3rd best CB on this team by the end of the season. I think they contacted Verner for the ceiling in FA & may make him an offer if they are close. They have also contacted Nolan Carroll & that may be the fall back plan. I think Taylor is gone.

I agree with FS. I would sign Malcolm Jenkins & Nolan Carroll. Still draft a CB in the 1st three rounds. Future would be set at DB.

[K Train]

Based solely on how fast worilds signed his $9.7 million deal i doubt they already have a deal in place

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

Based solely on how fast worilds signed his $9.7 million deal i doubt they already have a deal in place

Signing it that fast would be contrary to your assesment. By signing it Worilds took himself out of FA. He wouldn't sign it if they weren't close & he didn't want to be here long term. By the Steelers releasing Woodley tomorrow..They have to have some sense Worilds could be locked up. Releasing Woodley puts leverage in Worilds court.

[K Train]

Or he could take $10 million, mike wallace the season and sign a deal next year.

Sure theres some risk, but the odds of suffering a career ending injury are in worilds favor that he could sign his next contract at the age of 26 and hold the steelers hostage for $10 million this season.

[feltdizz]

Or he could take $10 million, mike wallace the season and sign a deal next year.

Sure theres some risk, but the odds of suffering a career ending injury are in worilds favor that he could sign his next contract at the age of 26 and hold the steelers hostage for $10 million this season.

unless Worilds is ready to retire I doubt he half asses like Wallace. Hell, I don't even think Wallace half assed it, he just isn't good at catching the ball in traffic if it isn't in his belly.

[phillyesq]

Or he could take $10 million, mike wallace the season and sign a deal next year.

Sure theres some risk, but the odds of suffering a career ending injury are in worilds favor that he could sign his next contract at the age of 26 and hold the steelers hostage for $10 million this season.

Worilds has a much shorter tracker record, and would have to perform on a one year deal to get a big payday. Wallace had some pretty prolific numbers until his last year with the Steelers.

[JUST-PLAIN-NASTY]

Or he could take $10 million, mike wallace the season and sign a deal next year.

Sure theres some risk, but the odds of suffering a career ending injury are in worilds favor that he could sign his next contract at the age of 26 and hold the steelers hostage for $10 million this season.

Players don't sign tags with the intension of playing the season on game checks. They want the long term deal with the security & upfront money. That's a huge risk on Worilds part to play the year out on his tag...Physically & financially. You think a player in his position has a better chance to put together a year where someone says 10 mil is cheap for Worilds? Or you think he has a better chance of putting together a year that has that 10 mil tag as too high? Add in the fact that a mid season knee injury could keep him unsigned at his value until after the '15 season....Both sides want to get a deal done. Worilds signed to get the deal done asap & so the Steelers could go on with the rest of the business.

[Captain Lemming]

$$$$$$

What is indisputable is that the Steelers never made Lewis an offer. Of course, once he signs with New Orleans, he's gonna say things like, "This is the only place I ever wanted to play." Why would that be surprising? That's where he's from and all his family lives there...and as would be expected, now, he's all in with that team.

I'm sure he did give the Saints a "hometown discount" over teams like the Browns that wanted him. But who really knows if he would have given the Steelers the same kind of deal if they'd made any indication they wanted him? I can find no evidence that the Steelers ever even talked to him about staying. Maybe he wouldn't have ever considered coming back. But maybe he would have.

I suspect, as you do, that the Steelers didn't really value Lewis that much, and that once they signed Gay, they believed they were set with Willie, Cortez, and Ike. They didn't anticipate Cortez's injury and slow start, and Ike's continued decline in performance.

"Even when I was in Pittsburgh I would go back and watch four or five Saints games just to get acquainted with what they were doing."
Lewis' affinity for the Saints almost cost him on draft day. "I almost didn't get drafted because I told all the teams my wish was to play for the Saints," he said. "I let that be known when I was coming out of college at the Senior Bowl."

Whether you believe him or not his comments about telling teams PRIOR TO THE DRAFT his desire to be a Saint seem legit. to me.

Come on people he WENT TO SAINT GAMES like a fan AS A STEELER!!!!!

It is like if you or I were drafted by the Saints and we became free agents and our beloved Steelers came calling.

The Steeler MIGHT have a chance if we were in dynasty mode, but 8-8 versus returning home to the team of your heart. That is a no brainer