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Hampton softening stance on franchise tag
By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The agent for Casey Hampton said Tuesday that the veteran nose tackle wants to sign a long-term contract with the Steelers even if the team places a franchise tag on him.
The two sides have been working toward a new deal, but the Steelers only have until 4 p.m. Thursday to use a tag that would prevent Hampton, an unrestricted free agent, from hitting the open market March 5.
A franchise tag, which Hampton has said would be a point of contention with him, could significantly extend the negotiating period for the Steelers and Brian Overstreet, Hampton's agent.
"All you can do is take people at their word, and the Steelers committed to us that they want to get a deal done long term," Overstreet said. "All we can hope is that they're serious about it. Both sides are working real hard to get it done, and hopefully, it happens."
Hampton, 32, told the Tribune-Review in late January that he's opposed to the Steelers tagging him and that "it's going to be a problem if I get franchised."
But the five-time Pro Bowler seems to have softened his stance in part because of his desire to stay with the team he has been with his entire career.
"I don't think he's going to be excited if he gets franchised," Overstreet said. "That's something that's just a part of the business, and hopefully, it won't come to that. He wants to be there, and he wants a long-term deal."
If the Steelers use a franchise tag on Hampton, they would have to offer him a one-year deal worth $7,742,500 — or a salary that is 120 percent of what he made in 2009.
The tag would effectively prevent others from bidding on Hampton — any team that signed the ninth-year veteran would have to give the Steelers a pair of first-round draft picks. The Steelers also would have the right to match any offer made to the 6-foot-1, 325-pounder if they used a nonexclusive franchise tag on him.
The Steelers used a franchise tag on left tackle Max Starks last year and later signed him to a four-year contract.
"As an agent and a player, you hate that tag," Overstreet said. "As a team owner, it's one of the chips you can use in negotiations. It's part of the (collective bargaining) agreement, and it's just something that can happen."
The Steelers don't comment on contract negotiations.
Director of football operations Kevin Colbert said recently that signing Hampton, free safety Ryan Clark and kicker Jeff Reed to long-term contracts is the Steelers' top priority in regard to their own free agents.
All teams get an additional transition tag — players that are transitioned have to be offered the average of the top-10 salaries at their position last year — since a new collective bargaining agreement isn't in place.
Hampton, a first-round draft pick of the Steelers in 2001, made the Pro Bowl this past season after recording a career-high 2.5 sacks and 42 tackles.
"He's been a great player there," Overstreet said, "and not many people can say they've played nine years and have been to the Pro Bowl over half the years they've been playing."
By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
The agent for Casey Hampton said Tuesday that the veteran nose tackle wants to sign a long-term contract with the Steelers even if the team places a franchise tag on him.
The two sides have been working toward a new deal, but the Steelers only have until 4 p.m. Thursday to use a tag that would prevent Hampton, an unrestricted free agent, from hitting the open market March 5.
A franchise tag, which Hampton has said would be a point of contention with him, could significantly extend the negotiating period for the Steelers and Brian Overstreet, Hampton's agent.
"All you can do is take people at their word, and the Steelers committed to us that they want to get a deal done long term," Overstreet said. "All we can hope is that they're serious about it. Both sides are working real hard to get it done, and hopefully, it happens."
Hampton, 32, told the Tribune-Review in late January that he's opposed to the Steelers tagging him and that "it's going to be a problem if I get franchised."
But the five-time Pro Bowler seems to have softened his stance in part because of his desire to stay with the team he has been with his entire career.
"I don't think he's going to be excited if he gets franchised," Overstreet said. "That's something that's just a part of the business, and hopefully, it won't come to that. He wants to be there, and he wants a long-term deal."
If the Steelers use a franchise tag on Hampton, they would have to offer him a one-year deal worth $7,742,500 — or a salary that is 120 percent of what he made in 2009.
The tag would effectively prevent others from bidding on Hampton — any team that signed the ninth-year veteran would have to give the Steelers a pair of first-round draft picks. The Steelers also would have the right to match any offer made to the 6-foot-1, 325-pounder if they used a nonexclusive franchise tag on him.
The Steelers used a franchise tag on left tackle Max Starks last year and later signed him to a four-year contract.
"As an agent and a player, you hate that tag," Overstreet said. "As a team owner, it's one of the chips you can use in negotiations. It's part of the (collective bargaining) agreement, and it's just something that can happen."
The Steelers don't comment on contract negotiations.
Director of football operations Kevin Colbert said recently that signing Hampton, free safety Ryan Clark and kicker Jeff Reed to long-term contracts is the Steelers' top priority in regard to their own free agents.
All teams get an additional transition tag — players that are transitioned have to be offered the average of the top-10 salaries at their position last year — since a new collective bargaining agreement isn't in place.
Hampton, a first-round draft pick of the Steelers in 2001, made the Pro Bowl this past season after recording a career-high 2.5 sacks and 42 tackles.
"He's been a great player there," Overstreet said, "and not many people can say they've played nine years and have been to the Pro Bowl over half the years they've been playing."
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