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Ed: QB Dixon Not at Camp; Still Could Leave
Saturday, 30 July 2011 08:47
Written by Ed Bouchette
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Good morning,
Quarterback Dennis Dixon did not show up to sign his tender last night and remains a restricted free agent. Any other team still can sign him and he would cost them only a fifth-round draft choice, although the Steelers could match any deal he signed and keep him.
It's possible that could happen, but not likely. Dixon cannot practice until Thursday no matter what, so if another team would sign him – presumably to be their No. 2 quarterback – he would be unavailable to them for the next five days.
So why hasn't he signed with the Steelers yet? Because he has nothing to lose. He cannot practice with the Steelers either until next Thursday and the team is running such a basic offense right now because of the missed spring practices that Dixon would learn nothing – all he could do if he did sign was attend their meetings.
He might as well wait at home for the next five days in the off chance that an injury or something else could hit a team and it might offer him a better deal out of the blue. Dixon isn't concerned so much about money; he wants an opportunity and as long as 29-year-old Ben Roethlisberger remains healthy, Dixon, just three years younger, isn't going to get it with the Steelers, where he likely be stuck at No. 3 this season behind Byron Leftwich.
Dixon started the first two games of last season and the Steelers won them both. Without him, they might not have won the AFC North Division. He was frustrated that they put him on injured reserve with a knee injury that healed about three weeks later but it was a way for them to keep Charlie Batch.
Batch now is in danger of not making it again with Leftwich and Dixon healthy.
Onto some stuff:
--- The Steelers signed rookie quarterback Chris Dieker on Tuesday because they did not know until Monday that Dixon and all the other free agents could not practice until Aug. 4 even if they signed contracts. Have I called that a stupid rule?
--- With practices now being so precious, the loss of nearly half of the first practice of training camp had to frustrate Mike Tomlin and the Steelers. It's why Tomlin brought his team back onto the field even though it was apparent that the big, black cloud headed right toward them would chase them back off on Friday. Supposed to be good weather in the Latrobe area today.
--- The good fathers of what is called Unity Township, a township that surrounds Latrobe, must have gone on a public releations kick with the news media. The Steelers have held their training camp at Saint Vincent College for 46 summers now and it's always been referred to as Latrobe, Pa. Now the wording in many cases is changed to “Unity Township, near Latrobe.'' Send a letter to a student at Saint Vincent College or, right now, your favorite Steeler and you better mail it to Latrobe, Pa. And not Unity Township, Pa., if you expect to get it delivered on time.
--- The fog is so thick this morning that you cannot see the buildings across the fields at 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, Pa. However, it's supposed to be a day in which Mike Tomlin should be able to get in both his morning walk-through and his afternoon practice. Normally, he would practice the first 12 days or so of camp but in the new CBA, players must have a full day off every seven days. That's why they have off Monday. They traditionally would return Monday night for meetings but the new CBA won't allow for that and they must have the full day off. Wonder how many days they consumed during negotiations debating that one.
--- Don't read into the fact the Kyle Jolly and Chris Scott were the starting tackles yesterday other than those were the two most readily available. Tony Hills, a fourth-year tackle, is also a restricted free agent who cannot practice. Rookie Marcus Gilbert was working at left tackle, where they hope he ultimately will start.
--- Jonathan Scott will open the season as the Steelers starting left tackle, barring injuries. There really is no other plan, although Max Starks remains an outside possibility of being re-signed.
--- Still no signs of Tiki Barber. You'd think they'd like to get him in here so at least he can attend meetings and start learning their offense. No?
--- I wrote this morning that Cam Heyward's contract was $6.7 million over four years with $3.3 million in guarantees. It should be $3.3 million as a SIGNING BONUS. It's $5.3 million in guaranteed money.
--- YOU: Glad to have you and football back. It's a winning combination. I've been busy the past week, catching up on your stuff now. I see fans haven't changed (I'm one and I have my moments.) Already the angst has started. We expected the Steelers to sign the top free agents available even though there was no chance of it happening. BenR will get killed behind this offensive line. The CB situation is dire. You know the drill. Yet the Steelers lost the SB by six points. This after the offensive line was decimated. Aaron Smith out. TroyP playing on what appeared to be one and a half legs. And I don't know if Harrison had back trouble during the season, but two surgeries can't be good.
Though one can never predict injury, my thinking is that the Steelers should be considered in the mix if the team is reasonably healthy. Of course other teams have made themselves better. But so too are the Steelers simply by being healthier. They remain, in my opinion, within the "window."
Again, good to have you back. I'm heading out to the garden now to pick vegetables in an attempt to avoid being baked by this Maryland heat.
ME: Some Steelers fans not only have short term memory loss but like to think there really is no salary cap for their team.
--- YOU: The Ravens cut some key players on their team are you hearing any news about who they might sign in free agency and when do the Steelers start to look to next season and resign Wallace, Timmons, and Troy. Oh and I have always wondered do you like the title that Stan Savran has given you as the "Dean" of Steelers football?
ME: Trying to keep up with the Steelers and all that has happened the past week has prevented me from analyzing the Ravens' situation. I suppose there are other names Stan could call me, so I'll put up with that one.
Saturday, 30 July 2011 08:47
Written by Ed Bouchette
[url="https://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/index.php?option=com_signup&view=register&Itemid=1 08"]https://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/ind ... Itemid=108[/url]
Good morning,
Quarterback Dennis Dixon did not show up to sign his tender last night and remains a restricted free agent. Any other team still can sign him and he would cost them only a fifth-round draft choice, although the Steelers could match any deal he signed and keep him.
It's possible that could happen, but not likely. Dixon cannot practice until Thursday no matter what, so if another team would sign him – presumably to be their No. 2 quarterback – he would be unavailable to them for the next five days.
So why hasn't he signed with the Steelers yet? Because he has nothing to lose. He cannot practice with the Steelers either until next Thursday and the team is running such a basic offense right now because of the missed spring practices that Dixon would learn nothing – all he could do if he did sign was attend their meetings.
He might as well wait at home for the next five days in the off chance that an injury or something else could hit a team and it might offer him a better deal out of the blue. Dixon isn't concerned so much about money; he wants an opportunity and as long as 29-year-old Ben Roethlisberger remains healthy, Dixon, just three years younger, isn't going to get it with the Steelers, where he likely be stuck at No. 3 this season behind Byron Leftwich.
Dixon started the first two games of last season and the Steelers won them both. Without him, they might not have won the AFC North Division. He was frustrated that they put him on injured reserve with a knee injury that healed about three weeks later but it was a way for them to keep Charlie Batch.
Batch now is in danger of not making it again with Leftwich and Dixon healthy.
Onto some stuff:
--- The Steelers signed rookie quarterback Chris Dieker on Tuesday because they did not know until Monday that Dixon and all the other free agents could not practice until Aug. 4 even if they signed contracts. Have I called that a stupid rule?
--- With practices now being so precious, the loss of nearly half of the first practice of training camp had to frustrate Mike Tomlin and the Steelers. It's why Tomlin brought his team back onto the field even though it was apparent that the big, black cloud headed right toward them would chase them back off on Friday. Supposed to be good weather in the Latrobe area today.
--- The good fathers of what is called Unity Township, a township that surrounds Latrobe, must have gone on a public releations kick with the news media. The Steelers have held their training camp at Saint Vincent College for 46 summers now and it's always been referred to as Latrobe, Pa. Now the wording in many cases is changed to “Unity Township, near Latrobe.'' Send a letter to a student at Saint Vincent College or, right now, your favorite Steeler and you better mail it to Latrobe, Pa. And not Unity Township, Pa., if you expect to get it delivered on time.
--- The fog is so thick this morning that you cannot see the buildings across the fields at 300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, Pa. However, it's supposed to be a day in which Mike Tomlin should be able to get in both his morning walk-through and his afternoon practice. Normally, he would practice the first 12 days or so of camp but in the new CBA, players must have a full day off every seven days. That's why they have off Monday. They traditionally would return Monday night for meetings but the new CBA won't allow for that and they must have the full day off. Wonder how many days they consumed during negotiations debating that one.
--- Don't read into the fact the Kyle Jolly and Chris Scott were the starting tackles yesterday other than those were the two most readily available. Tony Hills, a fourth-year tackle, is also a restricted free agent who cannot practice. Rookie Marcus Gilbert was working at left tackle, where they hope he ultimately will start.
--- Jonathan Scott will open the season as the Steelers starting left tackle, barring injuries. There really is no other plan, although Max Starks remains an outside possibility of being re-signed.
--- Still no signs of Tiki Barber. You'd think they'd like to get him in here so at least he can attend meetings and start learning their offense. No?
--- I wrote this morning that Cam Heyward's contract was $6.7 million over four years with $3.3 million in guarantees. It should be $3.3 million as a SIGNING BONUS. It's $5.3 million in guaranteed money.
--- YOU: Glad to have you and football back. It's a winning combination. I've been busy the past week, catching up on your stuff now. I see fans haven't changed (I'm one and I have my moments.) Already the angst has started. We expected the Steelers to sign the top free agents available even though there was no chance of it happening. BenR will get killed behind this offensive line. The CB situation is dire. You know the drill. Yet the Steelers lost the SB by six points. This after the offensive line was decimated. Aaron Smith out. TroyP playing on what appeared to be one and a half legs. And I don't know if Harrison had back trouble during the season, but two surgeries can't be good.
Though one can never predict injury, my thinking is that the Steelers should be considered in the mix if the team is reasonably healthy. Of course other teams have made themselves better. But so too are the Steelers simply by being healthier. They remain, in my opinion, within the "window."
Again, good to have you back. I'm heading out to the garden now to pick vegetables in an attempt to avoid being baked by this Maryland heat.
ME: Some Steelers fans not only have short term memory loss but like to think there really is no salary cap for their team.
--- YOU: The Ravens cut some key players on their team are you hearing any news about who they might sign in free agency and when do the Steelers start to look to next season and resign Wallace, Timmons, and Troy. Oh and I have always wondered do you like the title that Stan Savran has given you as the "Dean" of Steelers football?
ME: Trying to keep up with the Steelers and all that has happened the past week has prevented me from analyzing the Ravens' situation. I suppose there are other names Stan could call me, so I'll put up with that one.
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