Big Snack on the Outs?

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  • Jooser
    Legend
    • Jul 2008
    • 5102

    Big Snack on the Outs?

    Well, that's what PFT is "speculating" about:

    Casey Hampton on the outs?
    Posted by Mike Florio on September 2, 2009 7:32 AM ET
    As the huge roster reduction from 75 to 53 approaches (the deadline is Saturday at 6:00 p.m. ET), some veteran players could be on the bubble.

    One such player, according to Jason La Canfora of NFL Network (i.e., don't blame us), possibly is Steelers nose tackle Casey Hampton.

    Asked during a Monday chat whether he sees any potential surprises on the cut-down horizon, La Canfora wrote, "One player I am sniffing around on right now is Casey Hampton. [Editor's note: That's one hell of an image with which to start the morning.] Steelers could use some cap room, he may not be [someone] they would extend at this point. [I'd] think a trade is more likely, but some people I know close to the situation say they would not be stunned if a move of some sort was made."

    Wow.

    Last year, Hampton showed up for training camp well above his target weight, and he was held out of practice until August 10. (Thanks, Rotoworld.) He went on to start 13 regular-season games and three postseason contests, including the Super Bowl.

    This year, Hampton showed up within his proper weight, and he has started each of the three preseason games. And while he's entering the final year of his contract, at a salary of $3.075 million, the Steelers typically don't move guys that they might not be planning to re-sign. Instead, the Steelers allow them to finish out their deals, and then to leave.

    As word of La Canfora's opinion has made the round, Hampton addressed the matter after practice on Tuesday.

    "Oh, they're going to cut me today?" Hampton said, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

    But Hampton then addressed his uncertain future, given that defensive end Brett Keisel was picked to receive a five-year deal -- and Hampton wasn't.

    "If they let me get to free agency, everybody knows what it's going to be," Hampton said. "There ain't nothing to even talk about."

    If La Canfora's "sniffing around" Hampton yields other than the smell of Twinkie crumbs, Hampton might be a free agent six months before he otherwise planned to be.
    ​2019 MNFE CHAMPION
  • aggiebones
    Pro Bowler
    • Jan 2009
    • 1427

    #2
    Re: Big Snack on the Outs?

    It would be 100% ignorant to cut him. He's talented enough to get the job done there this year. Cutting him leaves a gapping hole. They don't need cap room for anything now. They can win another Super Bowl now while doing nothing.
    Let him walk and draft a high rookie at NT. Hoke can start next season then he rookie takes over. Cutting Hampton now could spell disaster.

    Comment

    • phillyesq
      Legend
      • May 2008
      • 7568

      #3
      Re: Big Snack on the Outs?

      I really think that there is no way this happens. One of the local writers, I can't remember which one (probably Lolley or Wexell) said that the FO just laughed at the rumor when they heard it.

      Comment

      • Oviedo
        Legend
        • May 2008
        • 23824

        #4
        Re: Big Snack on the Outs?

        Hampton is ticked because he knows there is a high probability that he will get tagged next year if there is no CBA and it is an uncapped year. He wants a payday with guaranteed money and he knows with no CBA the Steelers hold all the cards. However this illustrates that I really wish we would have drafted a legit NT this past draft.

        I think discussions of moving Hood there would be a waste of his talent.
        "My team, may they always be right, but right or wrong...MY TEAM!"

        Comment

        • RKSteel
          Backup
          • Oct 2008
          • 368

          #5
          Re: Big Snack on the Outs?

          This is the reason not to watch sports shows. First, they never accurately report about the Steelers, then they start rumors to generate buzz.

          According to Post Gazette today, the Steelers are actually designing plays to keep Big Snack on the field on some passing downs because teams were running out of 3WR sets in short yardage situations. Won't cut a guy when you are designing plays with him in mind.

          Comment

          • SteelHead
            Backup
            • Jan 2009
            • 207

            #6
            Re: Big Snack on the Outs?

            0% chance of Big Snack not being a Steeler this year....

            This type of reporting is laughable at best.

            Comment

            • pfelix73
              Hall of Famer
              • Aug 2008
              • 3458

              #7
              Re: Big Snack on the Outs?

              I wish they would've drafted a NT too, but they didn't. Remember we were looking at Ron Brace as that option.

              Canning Hampton is laughable. Where do these bozos get this stuff? Are they out of things to write about?

              6- Time Super Bowl Champions......
              IX X XIII XIV XL XLIII

              2012 MNF Executive Champion

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              Comment

              • Jooser
                Legend
                • Jul 2008
                • 5102

                #8
                Re: Big Snack on the Outs?

                I don't think he's going anywhere either. I think that Florio and company should start reporting on Soap Operas instead of sports actually. Here's what the Post-Gazette had to say about it:

                Hampton senses his time is up with Steelers
                No contract talks in progress
                Wednesday, September 02, 2009
                By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

                Casey Hampton laughed yesterday and so did coordinator D!ck LeBeau over the "report" on the NFL Network that the four-time Pro Bowl nose tackle could be cut or traded before the start of the season.

                That has as good a chance of happening as did the signing of Michael Vick by the Steelers.

                What's not a laughing matter is that this could be Hampton's last season here and, the way he spoke yesterday, it likely will be his last with the Steelers.

                Let Hampton connect the dots.

                "Yeah, it's coming down to that," Hampton said. "If they don't do contracts during the season, then that'll make me a free agent."

                And ...

                "If I get to free agency, man, I mean everybody knows what it is. So I don't need to say something about that. If they let me get to free agency, everybody knows what it's going to be, so there's no need to even talk about it."

                Did someone say talk? There has been nothing of the kind on a contract extension for Hampton, one of six starters who will play under their final contract year in 2009. He actually will earn less in salary this season than last, more than $700,000 less. His salary for 2009 is $3,075,000. It was $3.8 million last season.

                At that, he looks like a bargain, even as he turns 32 years old tomorrow. He is one year older than defensive end Brett Keisel, who now makes more than Hampton after signing his new contract Monday for five years and nearly $19 million with a $5 million signing bonus.

                The Steelers also could put the franchise tag on Hampton next season, which would require a one-year contract of more than $6 million.

                "They ain't going to do that," Hampton insisted. "It ain't going to happen."

                Hampton does not want to think about why the Steelers signed his linemate -- who has not made a Pro Bowl --and not him, and he does not want to think about what might happen after the season.

                "All that don't matter, man," Hampton said. "My main focus is going back to the Super Bowl. I ain't no selfish guy, I've never been a selfish guy since I've been here. I've always been a team guy, and my main focus is to get back to the Super Bowl, helping these guys and showing them how to work and get back to it. We can't get complacent like we were last time. That's my goal."

                Yet there are times he just cannot help himself.

                "Being here this long and just being here and playing for them this period of time, I'm not going to lie and say it doesn't bother me because I do want to be here. You know what I'm saying? And I would like the security of being here, but I understand it's a business."
                Hampton's role expands

                Hampton might no longer have to carry around a tag as a two-down player because the Steelers have expanded his role.

                Offenses long ago found a way to get the 350-and-something run-stopper off the field and thwart the Steelers' strategy with their nickel and dime defenses. They would send three receivers onto the field, the Steelers would respond with a nickel and dime defense, sending Hampton to the sideline, and then the offense would call a run.

                LeBeau has put in a package in which Hampton stays on the field in some shorter passing situations.

                "A lot of teams last year tried to put us in a nickel defense and stuff like that, run the ball on us," Hampton said. "So they have new packages where I play on third-down defenses a lot more, so I'm looking forward to it."

                That does not sound like plans for a guy they want to get rid of.

                Read more: [url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09245/994809-66.stm#ixzz0Pxsg40Om"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09245/99 ... z0Pxsg40Om[/url]

                Read more: [url="http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09245/994809-66.stm#ixzz0PxsXgfOS"]http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/09245/99 ... z0PxsXgfOS[/url]
                ​2019 MNFE CHAMPION

                Comment

                • RuthlessBurgher
                  Legend
                  • May 2008
                  • 33208

                  #9
                  Re: Big Snack on the Outs?

                  Originally posted by pfelix73
                  I wish they would've drafted a NT too, but they didn't. Remember we were looking at Ron Brace as that option.

                  Canning Hampton is laughable. Where do these bozos get this stuff? Are they out of things to write about?

                  Well, since Vick and Favre are both on rosters now, I guess they have run out of topics that bore the crap out of the masses!!!
                  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.

                  Comment

                  • 100$handshake

                    #10
                    Re: Big Snack on the Outs?

                    If Casey's replacement were currently on the roster I could see this happening. As it is, the team will need to get used to him not being around because next year, he won't be.

                    Comment

                    • Shoe
                      Hall of Famer
                      • May 2008
                      • 4044

                      #11
                      Re: Big Snack on the Outs?

                      At this point in his career though, Hampton is what he is: a big, strong fatboy. Back in the day, when he was more mobile, he was more of a factor than a 10' x 10' area.

                      As to the comment that we should've drafted a NT... that's bad thinking. What if they thought no NT was worthy of picking? You shouldn't just pick players cuz you think you need them... they should be actually good.

                      This actually adds to my thought that the organization (i.e. Tomlin) wants to shift to a 4-3 defense. Keisel, IMO, is a 4-3 End. Ziggy is a 4-3 Tackle (ideally). Aaron Smith has another year or two, at Tackle.

                      I believe Woodley is a 4-3 End more than a 3-4 LB, especially as he ages. Silverback can project well to a 4-3. Farroir will hold the Middle down for a year or two. Timmons is a prototype 4-3 OLB.

                      All the front 7 pieces are in place. The secondary is well-stocked with the Tampa-2 types at Corner (Gay, Ike, Deshea for a year).
                      I wasn't hired for my disposition.

                      Comment

                      • Discipline of Steel
                        Hall of Famer
                        • Aug 2008
                        • 3882

                        #12
                        Re: Big Snack on the Outs?

                        Originally posted by Shoe
                        At this point in his career though, Hampton is what he is: a big, strong fatboy. Back in the day, when he was more mobile, he was more of a factor than a 10' x 10' area.

                        As to the comment that we should've drafted a NT... that's bad thinking. What if they thought no NT was worthy of picking? You shouldn't just pick players cuz you think you need them... they should be actually good.

                        This actually adds to my thought that the organization (i.e. Tomlin) wants to shift to a 4-3 defense. Keisel, IMO, is a 4-3 End. Ziggy is a 4-3 Tackle (ideally). Aaron Smith has another year or two, at Tackle.

                        I believe Woodley is a 4-3 End more than a 3-4 LB, especially as he ages. Silverback can project well to a 4-3. Farroir will hold the Middle down for a year or two. Timmons is a prototype 4-3 OLB.

                        All the front 7 pieces are in place. The secondary is well-stocked with the Tampa-2 types at Corner (Gay, Ike, Deshea for a year).
                        They might want to shift to 4-3 but you dont fix what aint broke.
                        sigpic
                        Crush your enemies, see them driven before you, hear the lamentations of their women.

                        Comment

                        • steelz09
                          Administrator
                          • Jan 2008
                          • 4675

                          #13
                          Re: Big Snack on the Outs?

                          RaShon Harris could grow into the NT position. 6-4 300+ pounds as a rook
                          Tomlin: Let's unleash hell and "mop the floor" with the competition.

                          Comment

                          • Shoe
                            Hall of Famer
                            • May 2008
                            • 4044

                            #14
                            Re: Big Snack on the Outs?

                            Originally posted by Discipline of Steel
                            They might want to shift to 4-3 but you dont fix what aint broke.
                            It's not a case of it being broke; in any scheme, it's the talent within the defense that makes it (e.g. Steel Curtain = 4-3; I actually think a switch wouldn't be that bad an idea, with so many copycats in the league going 3-4 now).

                            It's more a case of this cast running it's course, and the reinforcements that have been brought in recently (Woodley, Hood, Gay, Timmons) really fitting a 4-3. Plus, LeBeau isn't gonna be here forever.
                            I wasn't hired for my disposition.

                            Comment

                            • stlrz d
                              Legend
                              • May 2008
                              • 9244

                              #15
                              Re: Big Snack on the Outs?

                              It doesn't matter how many teams switch to the 3-4 if they aren't any good at evaluating those "tweener" guys who translate to OLB in the 3-4 scheme. Or ILBs who can play side by side with another ILB.

                              Lots of teams switched to the 3-4 in the 90s thanks to the success they saw teams like the Steelers having with it. But they ultimately failed and went back to the more conventional 4-3.

                              Comment

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