Plaxico will be a Steeler....

[hawaiiansteel]

Re: Plaxico will be a Steeler....

Last texts I got said he was on way to San Fran, but was not visiting the Jets tomorrow.

he is on his way to San Francisco, but does Plax really want to spend a whole season being frustrated with Alex Smith and Colin Kaepernick at QB?

[Snatch98]

Re: Plaxico will be a Steeler....

For the doubters. If we are in fact interested and I believe that we are plex must be legit. He was certainly legit for us and the giants. Ward isn't getting any younger and his signing doesn't mean the end of sweed or brown. Adding plex puts our offense on a whole different level because he has that sort of ability. We had heath in the redzone, now we may have heath and plex? Plus hines and mike? Seriously? Plax opens up everything. I'd love this signing and with his contract likely incentive laden, if he's not we cut em.

[flippy]

Re: Plaxico will be a Steeler....

Plax and Wallace pretty much guarantee taking both safeties out of the box.

Ward, Miller, Sanders, Brown will have so much more field to work.

And no one will be in the box to stop Mendy.

And Plax might be the perfect mentor for Sweed. Remember how Plax took a while to turn his tall, lanky, awkward body into NFL calibre talent.

[fordfixer]

Re: Plaxico will be a Steeler....

Cook: Reality will beat dream for Burress
Sunday, July 31, 2011
By Ron Cook, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
[url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11212/1164161-87-0.stm"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11212/1164161-87-0.stm[/url]

Steelers director of football operations Kevin Colbert made it easy Saturday to dream about Ben Roethlisberger dropping back to pass, being chased out of the pocket to avoid pressure, looking downfield and finding big-target Plaxico Burress far above the secondary crowd for a Steelers touchdown.

Too bad Colbert had to bring reality into it by mentioning the ugly word "terminations" at least three times.

Rough translation:

"If we bring Burress back, we'll have to get rid of a veteran or two to fit him under the salary cap."

I don't know about you, I like dreams a lot better than reality.

The Steelers' interest in Burress is intriguing and worthwhile. He spent much of Saturday at their Saint Vincent College training compound and met extensively with Colbert and coach Mike Tomlin, who wouldn't have wasted their time or his if they didn't want to do a deal with him and didn't think one was possible. Colbert talked about Burress being in great shape despite spending most of the past two years in prison on a New York gun charge. He talked about the "comfort zone" the organization had with Burress because everybody knows him, because he knows what to expect from them and because he still has many good friends on the team. He made it clear he didn't think Burress would be any kind of a problem in the locker room.

But ...

"There could be some further terminations," Colbert said.

Camp really doesn't begin until this afternoon when the Steelers have their first practice in pads, and the team already has terminated offensive tackles Max Starks and Flozell Adams and wide receiver Antwaan Randle El. Who is left to terminate? I mean, really?

Hines Ward? I can't imagine that. One of the defensive linemen? Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton or Brett Keisel? I wouldn't even think about getting rid of any of those guys, not even Smith, 35, who is coming off three major arm injuries in the past four seasons but still might be their best defensive lineman and is one of the best in franchise history. James Farrior? There's just no way; the man is 36 but is coming off perhaps his best NFL season and is the unquestioned team leader. Ryan Clark? I would think the team would rather add to the secondary than subtract even after doing a new deal with cornerback Ike Taylor last week.

Adding Burress just isn't worth it if one of those guys has to go.

That doesn't mean it wouldn't be wonderful to see Burress in a Steelers uniform. They are an aging team; see the names above. They are built to win now. Burress could help.

I share Colbert's belief that Burress wouldn't be a problem here or with any team he joins. He had a few minor issues when he was with the Steelers from 2000-04 and more significant problems, including his arrest and subsequent incarceration on the gun charge, when he was with the New York Giants from 2005-08. But he will be 34 Aug. 12. He has to have matured. Just as the Milledgeville, Ga., incident was Roethlisberger's scared-straight moment last year, the prison time was Burress' slap in the face. Sitting in his cell, he had plenty of time to think about what he was missing in football. He won't blow his next opportunity.

The Steelers didn't want to lose Burress as a free agent in the first place, but they had to make a tough salary-cap decision and elected to pay Ward the big money. The players loved Burress when he was here and many, including Roethlisberger, have lobbied to bring him back. Even young wide receivers Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown, whose playing time could be lessened with Burress as a teammate, have endorsed the idea. Those kids are smart. They know Burress could help the team win and teach them a lot about playing their position. They also know their time is coming.

It's nice to think the full-court press by Roethlisberger, Farrior, really close friend Byron Leftwich and the others will convince Burress to take less money from the Steelers than he could get with another team. It's nice to think he'd welcome a return to the NFL in Pittsburgh rather than in New York with the Giants, who courted him Friday, or the Jets, who are expected to make a big push for him perhaps as soon as today. It's a lot easier avoiding the spotlight here than it is in New York.

But those thoughts, too, might be more dream than reality.

The Jets are positioned better under the salary cap than the Steelers despite doing a new five-year, $50 million deal last week with Santonio Holmes, another former Steelers wide receiver with a troubled past. It would be hard to blame Burress if he took a significantly better offer from the Jets. NFL careers are so short. He's already lost two years.

I really hate to write this next sentence, but I must.

Reality, ya know?

I'm terminating that dream of Roethlisberger throwing touchdown passes to Burress.

Read more: [url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11212/1164161-87-0.stm#ixzz1Tf09gWSf"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11212/11 ... z1Tf09gWSf[/url]

[anger 82&95]

Re: Plaxico will be a Steeler....

Is Crash not residing on earth anymore?

[phillyesq]

Re: Plaxico will be a Steeler....

After reading all the reports of his visit yesterday (a few meals, hours on campus) it seemed like he was going to sign. I was almost surprised when he did not. To my surprise, I actually found myself disappointed. I was never a big fan of Plaxico, and I think it was because for much of his time here, Plax was out performed by Ward, who is smaller and slower. Plax had so much talent, but he never quite played up to it. In 2002, he was spectacular; during the rest of his time, he was perhaps above average, but more potential than results.

In any event, I'd like to see him come back. Especially if Sanders is having problems with the foot, Plax will slide in nicely as a third receiver.

[Steelhere10]

Re: Plaxico will be a Steeler....

I really don't understand this, the team decided to let one problem receiver who was a harder worker
and younger go for nothing. And now interested in bringing another problem wr. That is older and work ethic is not so good (according to past reports). I'm not against it, but it does have me scratching my head. Another question ? Where does he fit, no way does he start before Wallace. Do you start aguy who have not been on the team in years over Ward?

[steelerkeylargo]

Re: Plaxico will be a Steeler....

Jets offered him almost 750 K more than Pittsburgh.

[Notleadpoisoned]

Re: Plaxico will be a Steeler....

Look at the current roster and tell me when was the last time the Steelers actually signed a big name free agent? James Farrior? Ryan Clark? It's simply not the organization's style.

[steelblood]

Re: Plaxico will be a Steeler....

oops. I think the Steelers beat writers have egg on their faces again. First, Jagr was a done deal, now Plax.

[fordfixer]

Re: Plaxico will be a Steeler....

Steelers Notebook: Money is the reason Burress didn't return
Monday, August 01, 2011
By Gerry Dulac, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
[url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11213/1164346-66-0.stm"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11213/1164346-66-0.stm[/url]

In the end, the Steelers really could not afford to sign Plaxico Burress, not when they are scrambling to get under the salary cap.

So Burress decided to return to the city where he used to play, but it wasn't with the New York Giants. He is back in New York with the Jets, where he joins another former Steelers receiver, Santonio Holmes.

The Jets announced Burress had reached an agreement in principle on a one-year contract on Sunday, one day after he had a brief courtship with the Steelers at their Saint Vincent College training camp.

"He was one of the guys," said inside linebacker Larry Foote, one of Burress' friends on the team. "When you got a quarterback like Ben [Roethlisberger] and this organization, he was serious about returning. But I'm quite sure it came down to money."

ESPN reported Burress signed a deal worth $3,017,000 -- all of it guaranteed -- with the Jets. The Steelers, who are struggling to get under the cap of roughly $120 million, were not in position to offer Burress a similar deal to return.

The Steelers did not want to sign Burress to a one-year deal and were seeking some type of multi-year arrangement.

"He really wanted to come here I know," said backup quarterback Byron Leftwich, who had been working out with Burress and was one of the players who had lunch with him on Saturday. "He loved coach [Mike] Tomlin and he really enjoyed his time here. You didn't have to sell him on returning."

"I think he was really considering it," said linebacker James Farrior, another Burress friend. "It was one of his main options. When you get guys of his caliber, you don't want them to leave the building [without offering a contract]."

Burress will be 34 on Aug. 12 and was recently released from prison after serving 20 months on a gun possession charge. He played five seasons with the Steelers, catching 261 passes for 4,164 yards and 22 touchdowns, before signing in free agency with the Giants after the 2004 season.

The Steelers wanted to bring him back as their No. 3 receiver and a big target in the red zone.

Now, his second chance at the NFL comes with a team that was interested in him a few years ago before he went to prison.

Burress met with the Steelers on Saturday after sitting down with Giants coach Tom Coughlin on Friday. Burress mentioned he would be interested in playing for several teams, including the Jets. But it appears Burress was going to sign with the Jets all along because he didn't need to meet with general manager Mike Tannenbaum and coach Rex Ryan to make his decision.

"I think it would have been pretty sweet," wide receiver Mike Wallace said about the possibility of playing with Burress. "We would have had to spread it out a little more, but I would have welcomed him with open arms and found a spot for him. We would have been excited about it."
Gay agrees to contract

The Steelers made sure they retained their top three cornerbacks from last season when they agreed to a one-year contract with nickel back William Gay.

Gay, a restricted free agent, cannot begin practicing with the team until Thursday under the new rules set forth by the league. Punter Daniel Sepulveda also agreed to a one-year contract.

With those players out of the way, the Steelers will try to get contracts for quarterback Dennis Dixon, a restricted free agent, and running back Mewelde Moore, an unrestricted free agent, as early as today.

Also, former New England Patriots tight end Daniel Graham, who visited the team Saturday, left without signing a contract. He is going to visit other teams. The Steelers are looking for a No. 2 tight end to replace Matt Spaeth, who signed with the Bears.
New rules

The Steelers practiced in pads for the first time Sunday, part of the new player-safety rules that restrict padded practices in training camp and the regular season.

Two-a-day practices in pads have been eliminated at camp by all NFL teams and only 14 practices in pads can be held during the regular season. Teams are restricted to one practice in pads per week for the first 11 weeks, then just one practice in pads in three of the final five weeks of the regular season.

Pro Bowl nose tackle Casey Hampton believes the restrictions will extend his career.

"Guys are going to play 15 years easy, now; I definitely feel that way," Hampton said. "Because the way practices and things are set up ... Mike [Tomlin] always has done a great job in the past taking care of us. But it's even better now.

"I couldn't even imagine if I came in under his system. If I'd been playing this long, I can't imagine how much better my body would feel."

Hampton begins his 11th NFL season since being a No. 1 pick in 2001 and often comes out of the game in the Steelers' nickel and dime defensive packages. He believes the new rules will benefit the Steelers, who have eight defensive starters who are 30 or older.

"If you can stay healthy, you never know how long you can play," Hampton said. "We got a lot of older guys. We build our team through the draft. We don't bring a lot of new guys in or things like that. We've always been a close team and we've always had guys around who know the way we do things. I think it's a lot easier for us than other teams."
Who's that 78?

Ben Roethlisberger wore the No. 78 jersey number of former teammate Max Starks during the afternoon practice. Roethlisberger did it as a tribute to his former starting left tackle, who was released last week.

"We were the last two of our draft class," Roethlisberger said. "Max's locker was next to mine for seven, eight years. I wore it in honor of Max. I'm not going to [discount] the possibility he might not come back. Who knows?"
Injury update

Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (foot), tackle Marcus Gilbert (hamstring), wide receiver Limas Sweed (hamstring), cornerback Crezdon Butler (quad) and cornerback Keenan Lewis (heat-related illness) did not practice. ... Because the players are off today, coach Mike Tomlin put them through a 2 1/2 hour practice in the heat. "Nothing wrong with getting a little work in," Tomlin said. The Steelers will resume practice Tuesday. The afternoon session at 2:55 p.m. is open to the public.

Read more: [url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11213/1164346-66-0.stm#ixzz1TkZWemFM"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11213/11 ... z1TkZWemFM[/url]