Steelers football blog

Polamalu will have to wait to get paid

Within a span of three weeks, the Steelers handed out more than $138 million in contracts to their second-ranked defense, and the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year didn't get one cent.

Troy Polamalu will become an unrestricted free agent following the season if the Steelers don't get a deal done with the three-time All-Pro safety within the next two weeks.

And with the Steelers so close to the salary cap this year, Polamalu likely will have to wait until after the season to get a long-term deal.

Either way, Polamalu isn't talking specifics. (continue)

"I'd love to be here; I'd love to retire a Steeler," Polamalu said. "All comments regarding the contract stay between the Steelers and my agent. Sorry."

The Steelers want to keep Polamalu but might have to put the franchise tag on him in March. The franchise tag for safeties next year is projected to be about $9 million. Polamalu is in the final year of a deal that paid him $6.6 million a season.

"To be honest, it is part of the (collective bargaining agreement) that all of us agreed on," Polamalu said of the franchise tag. "It's part of the system."

LB Timmons gets six year deal

The Steelers today signed linebacker Lawrence Timmons to a six-year, $50 million contract. Timmons, the first draft choice in Mike Tomlin's first year as coach in 2007, had one year left on the contract he signed as a rookie. He now is signed through 2016.

That signing also likely will be the last contract extension the Steelers do this year, which means there will be no extension negotiated for safety Troy Polamalu this year, the last year of his contract. Polamalu could become a free agent in March. However, the Steelers also could put the franchise tag on him to prevent that. They did that with linebacker LaMarr Woodley this year and then signed Woodley to a six-year, $61.5 million contract. Woodley was drafted in the second round after Timmons in 2007. (PPG)

Steelers sign WR Jericho Cotchery

The Steelers agreed to terms with veteran wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery on a one-year contract today according to a Steelers` spokesman.

Cotchery, who was released by the Jets last week, visited the Steelers on Sunday but left without a contract. The receiver also met with the Ravens yesterday.

The Steelers have been looking for a veteran wide receiver to go along with wide receiver Hines Ward to complement their young group that consists of Emmanuel Sanders, Antonio Brown and Mike Wallace.

Safety Ryan Clark used his Twitter account to applaud the signing.

"We welcome Jericho Cothery! Any man willing to put his hand in the pile is always welcome! Going to be a lot different from the Jets though!" (continue)

No WR signings for Steelers yet

Wide receiver Jerricho Cotchery left the Steelers without a contract, leaving them right back to where they started at the position, having taken two swings and apparent misses to adding a veteran from outside to their group.

And that concerns some, including the only true veteran who practiced Monday for the first time since February.

"Looking at our wide receiving corps -- great talent, we have no experience," said Hines Ward, who officially joined his 14th training camp after coming off the physically-unable-to-perform list prompted by June thumb surgery. (continue)

LaMarr Woodley signs six year deal

Outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley has signed a six-year, $61.5 million contract with the Steelers.

The 6-foot-2, 265-pounder received a $22.5 million signing bonus, making the new deal the highest-ever for a Steelers defensive player.

Woodley's contract is the second-highest in franchise history, next to only the eight-year, $102 million deal that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger signed in 2008.

"No added pressure at all," Woodley said today. "People are going to expect a lot out of you because of the money you signed for, but you should expect a lot of yourself anyway regardless of the money you sign for.

"I`m a competitive person, and if I didn`t sign that contract I`d still go out and give my all. Last year, I didn`t have a (long-term) contract but I still went out and gave my all because that`s the kind of person I am." (continue)

Burress breaks bread with Steelers twice

Plaxico Burress dined twice with the Steelers at Saint Vincent College today and while he did not talk to the press, it appears it may come down to an AFC championship game matchup for his services: the Steelers vs. the New York Jets.

The Jets, who previously had not been reported to have interest in Burress, now do. And they have the room under the salary cap to make a big pitch. Burress reportedly enjoyed playing in New York, even though he spent two years in jail there on a gun charge before his release the past June. But the Steelers have veterans who have remained friends with Burress throughout the years, and his wife, Tiffany, is a Pittsburgh native. (continue)

Colon and Scott re-up with Steelers

The Steelers have shored up their situation at offensive tackle after agreeing to contracts in principle with Willie Colon and Jonathan Scott.

The two had been unrestricted free agents, and they agreed to terms on the same day that the Steelers released left tackle Max Starks. They can't officially sign their new contracts before 6 p.m. Friday.

"The last 48 hours have been tough," said Colon, who had attracted interest from other teams. "I'm speechless. I never really wanted to leave."

The signing of Colon makes it likely that Flozell Adams will move back to left tackle while Scott while serve as a swing tackle.

The Steelers signed Adams last July and moved him to right tackle to play in place of Colon. (continue)

Steelers resign k Suisham

The Steelers nailed down another one of their core priorities among free agents when they came to terms with kicker Shaun Suisham, the team announced this afternoon.

Terms of the deal were not immediately available. Suisham joined the Steelers at mid-season after they released long-time kicker Jeff Reed. Suisham made 14 of his 15 field goal tries in the final seven regular season games but missed one from 43 yards in the playoff game against Baltimore and a 52-yarder in the Super Bowl against Green Bay.

The Post-Gazette reported that Suisham and cornerback Ike Taylor, who came to terms on Tuesday, were among four players who were priorities for the Steelers in free agency. The others are tackles Willie Colon and Jonathan Scott, although Colon appeared headed elsewhere.

The Steelers are negotiating with Scott's agent and also have told tackle Flozell Adams they want him back. (continue)

Steelers sign Ike Taylor to 4 yr deal

All along, the Steelers privately expressed confidence that they would re-sign Ike Taylor, and late Tuesday they came through by agreeing to a four-year contract with their best cornerback over the past decade.

Money terms were not immediately available.

Taylor, who told one member of the organization early this week that he would be back, will return for his ninth season. He cannot officially sign his contract until 6 p.m. Friday and cannot join his teammates in practice at training camp until Aug. 4, per a new rule under the collective bargaining agreement.

The Steelers were involved in negotiations with several more of their veteran free agents but had not yet come to terms with anyone but Taylor as of last night. Earlier in the day, they announced the signings of 18 undrafted rookie free agents within an hour after each NFL team could do so at 10 a.m. Tuesday. They then turned toward their own free agents to begin talks, especially with several key players among the 14 unrestricted they hope to re-sign this week. (continue)

Tiki Barber to Steelers?

Speculation about free agent signings and depth charts are weightless until the NFL's lockout of its players remains in effect. Transactions are prohibited, as is contact between teams and players.

So, take this news with a grain of salt.

Sports Illustrated's Peter King, in his weekly column on SI.com, explains his opinion that former Giants running back Tiki Barber will sign and play the coming season for Steelers. (continue)