Ryan Clark lobbies Eric Weddle to play for us

http://steelerswire.usatoday.com/20...umber-to-eric-weddle-to-come-to-the-steelers/

Like the article says, if the price is right....do it.

 

I can see him in a Steeler uniform. 3 or 4 year deal. He wants to go to a Super Bowl contender ding! Would solidify the safety position for a run. Time is of the essence now. Then they can concentrate on the corner position.

 

is he that good? I have to admit I know very little about him cause the only time I watched the chargers is when we play them or they are in the playoffs. the playoffs never seemed to happen.lol

 

He is a solid tackler, he had 115 combined in 2013 and in 2014 he had a 114, his production went down in 2015 mainly because he was in the doghouse but still he had 78 combined, he's usually good for a couple a picks a year, I do think his pride wont allow him to play for chump change but a 3 year 15-20 mill deal would probably work fine for him to get a fresh start with a new team that's a playoff contender....

 

They would be better off spending that money on a CB, instead of a safety who is 31 and coming off a injury.

 

I'd be leery of age and injury as well, but I'll be damned if D Will didn't change a little of that thought for me.

 

It's funny you say that I just read this article and it kinda says the same thing:

http://www.boltsfromtheblue.com/201...aybe-the-chargers-are-right-about-eric-weddle

 

I was against this signing but now I may not be. I think coming to Pit just might light a spark in his play since he knows we are capable of winning a championship. Just need a few pieces here and there so if the price is right...

 

Yeah that is the key if the price is right, he says he wants a championship and wants to go to a team that will compete for the next 3-4 years....well here we are we have an open spot take less!!!!! I have been back and forth on this signing but the more I look at it I like it. This is a good group of safety's in this years draft, do we really expect to draft one and start him????? No, I think not but maybe you never know. I like the fact that we would have two vet guys there and draft a guy and get him ready to take over for one of them if injury or if Mitchell doesn't re sign.

 

yup. We do need to draft but we also need guys that are ready to go now and Weddle is one of them. It's all about $$$ though. Our D is very close to being good. Offense needs to stay healthy and thats it.

 

If he fits our price range I feel this is our best option and draft a guy like we did with Shark but let's hope we can develop him so he could be ready in a year or two to be a starter. Weddle and Mitchell, would open the door for us to draft a guy like Apple or Fuller as well in the 1st, although I am not high on Fuller anymore. Vet leadership could be the key in helping one of them plus Golson too......

 

If Weddle is healthy and fairly priced, he could be a big piece of the defense being "good".

Big "ifs" though.

 

This article is from November. Interesting now that the subject has come back up.

http://espn.go.com/blog/san-diego-c...ding-eric-weddle-to-steelers-makes-some-sense

 

I am "okay" with Weddle, but I think that is exactly how I feel. Okay. I think some other things need to happen before I would sign him to play with the Steelers.

1. I think we need to resign our own guys first if we can. I don't mean everyone, but the guys we want back. Foster or Weddle? Foster. McLendon or Weddle? McLendon. Gay or Weddle? Gay. That is not to say he isn't valuable, but I want to stay status quo before we try to fix a position through free agency.

2. I think we need to have an idea about how we want to progress with the draft based on our evaluations. I think it is easier based on BPA options to get a 1st round safety at 26, then to get a shut down corner. By that I mean, that I think you have a higher chance of getting a difference maker at S because so many teams focus on the CB position.

3. I think we need to consider the overall team need for speed. If the choice is a rookie with speed who may make some mistakes, but will make some plays as well vs. an older guy who won't make mistakes who is slow, but also can't make plays due to lack of speed....I think you go with speed. To me this is soft of like comparing Timmons with Shazier if you were doing a draft and could only have 1. Which would you take?

4. I would like to have some grasp, and having not evaluated him I cannot do this myself, of how much of an upgrade he really is to say Allen and Golden, especially when you consider that Golden probably saves you 3-4 million you could use to strengthen a different position.

 

True... But he took his sweet time getting there hahahaha

 

In that article it said Weddle is looking to continue to be one of the top paid safeties, that's not happening with the Steelers.

 

To me this is something that will happen. No secret MT has a crush on EW, and he's hinted at his signing since last season. IMO this would be a huge get if he can stay healthy. Brings a lot to the team, but his age scares me. I see it happening, and won't be surprised when it does. Weddle wants a shot at a title and that may help our cause as well. Wasted many years in SD, but their weather was nice so.....

 

He was overpaid for his wasted years!

 

I kinda see what your saying but lets look at these guys for one second:

Foster- I think we have a lot of money already invested in the oline in Pouncey, Gilbert and hopefully Decastro gets a long deal. If Foster is looking for a payday I think he has to looks elsewhere.

McLendon- DT is a very big need but most here feel he is better suited for a DE role. He hasn't really done much for me to want him over EW, I look to upgrade this position in the draft and/or FA. I also feel McCullers and Walton can give us the same production as McLendon.

Gay - I agree here, I think we re sign him.

I think we have to upgrade the secondary and if the price is right EW could be a good start. We already are going to have youth back there in Golson, Cockrell and maybe an early pick??? Having two vet S would really help the D big time imo.

 

He claims the team made him sit out with a groin injury, he was against it saying he was ready to play, he can play strong safety or free so for the right price take a shot, not many experienced free agent CBs going to play for weddle type money, dont count on this team spending big money on a big name free agent CB, that just wont happen....

 

What type of pay day would Foster be getting at this stage of his career? I'm not saying he isn't worth anything, but he's looking at a deal that's more than likely 2mil a year at most. I bet we can get him for less and should sign him if that's the case:

I disagree with almost all of this regarding McLendon. I don't think he is better suited for a DE role. He does fine at NT, but because he is a solid athlete should be able to play 1,3 and even 5 tech some of we need him to. He could be a very versatile guy for us and we should look to resign him if he's at 4mil a year or less. He could play base NT and spell Tuitt/Heyward in the nickel. McCullers had been underwhelming so far and Walton may or may not make the team next year.

Yes on gay. Totally agree.

Agree on Weddle too. If we can get him for a solid price 5-6 mil a year or so and lock him in for 3-4 years it would go a long way to shoring up our secondary. Then we could focus on corners and pass rushers to round out the defense. If we make the right moves this offseason and pick a couple good players in the draft, the next 4-5 years could be really exciting for us.

 

a lot of guys say they want to go to a championship contender, but they want paid too. this is probably his last payday.

i think i'd rather bring gay back and draft a guy like darian thompson and also bring back golden. thompson will be the future and seems like he could be good enough for us to win with. golden is the safety net that is also getting better. ramon is slow, i'd rather we try finney out and save the 2 mil. plus that he would cost and allow our fine o=line coach time with the youth while he's here. that 2- 3 mil that foster would cost can go towards AV down the line or helping sign gay and golden back. i don't want to go all in for the next two years while ben still has 4-5 to go. we can upgrade ramon pretty easily.

 

by the way darian thompson broke the record of interceptions in the mountain west held by none other than eric weddle.