Kevin Colbert, Mike Tomlin On Hand At Michigan St. Pro Day

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Head Coach Mike Tomlin and Steelers General Manager Kevin Colbert are in attendance for Michigan State’s Pro Day, according to Josh Katzenstein of the Detroit News.

Another reporter described Pittsburgh’s attendance as “all hands on deck”. The most notable prospect on the Steelers radar is CB Darqueze Dennard. Dennard measured a 36-inch vertical jump today. He also was marked at 11-2 on his broad jump. That number ties the longest broad jump at the combine, which was 11-2 by Lache Seastrunk.

Aside from Dennard, there are definitely other prospects that will draw the Steelers interest today. Safety Isaiah Lewis and LB Max Bullough to name a couple. Here is the list of other prospects who preformed for scouts today.

OLB Denicos Allen, OT Henry Conway, DE Denzel Drone, LB Kyler Elsworth, OT Fou Fonoti, OG Dan France, DL Tyler Hoover, QB Andrew Maxwell, PK Kevin Muma, DL Micajah Reynolds and OG Blake Treadwell.

Here’s a look at Darqueze Dennard doing drills for NFL scouts.

Report: Ike Taylor Took A $4.25 Million Salary Reduction

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Jason La Canfora reports that Ike Taylor has renegotiated his contract with the Steelers. La Canfora states that Ike’s new deal is for one year at $2.75 Mil. His previous base salary was $7Mil. Doing the math here, that’s a $4.25 Mil pay cut for Taylor. The Steelers are still on the hook for his signing bonus money of almost $5 Mil, that doesn’t just go away, but clearing $4.25 Mil in cap space is as good as the team could hope for.

If this is true, it takes Ike’s 2014 cap number from $11,942,404 down to $7,692,404. It’s hard to say if the Steelers reported interest in various CB’s helped negotiations or not. Either way, Ike certainly must have known that he was going to see a reduced value if he hit the crowded free agent market.

The Steelers now have some cap room to work with for signing free agents…namely their own.

Ike Taylor Implies That He’s Signed A New Deal

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Ike Taylor has just posted on his Twitter account that the ink is drying, presumably on a new deal that will keep him a Steeler for the remainder of his career. Stay tuned for updates.

 

Report: Steelers To Release LaMarr Woodley On Tuesday

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According to Adam Schefter, the Stelers plan to release LaMarr Woodley at 4:00 PM on Tuesday, the official beginning of the new league year. Woodley’s representation has confirmed that he has been told he will be released.

The team will designate Woodley a “June 1st” cut. This will allow the team to accelerate the remaining guaranteed balance to next year, as opposed to all of it accelerating immediately. Woodley carries a $13.59 salary cap number this year, and the team will be responsible for that number until June 2nd. This will not help clear any space to sign free agents immediately. After June 1st, his base salary will come off the books, freeing up $8 Mil in cap space for 2014.

The $8 Mil in cap space will help sign the rookie pool, summer insurance signings, and more.  After June 1st, the team will carry a dead money charge of $5.59 Mil this year from the release, and $8.58 Mil in 2015. The team also saves $25 and a half Mil they would have had to pay during the remainder of his contract.

Larry Foote Wants To Play For A Contender Next Year

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ESPN reporter Josina Anderson reports that LB Larry Foote, who was released by the Steelers last Wednesday, has no immediate plans to retire. Foote told the reporter in a phone interview that he intends to keep playing, and wants to play for a contender next year.

The veteran linebacker went on to say that he also hopes that he doesn’t have to wait to be signed until summer, because it’s hard to work out and prepare for that long without knowing if you’ll play. While it’s possible that a team will pick him up before then, it’s unlikely. Due to his age, and the fact that he’s coming off a year on IR, he will likely be an insurance policy for a team down the road, if he gets signed at all.

Steelers Reportedly Inquired About CB Nolan Carroll

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Jason La Canfora reports that the Steelers are one of the teams that have inquired about free agent cornerback Nolan Carroll. Carroll was drafted by the Dolphins in the 5th round of the 2010 draft.

The Steelers may have sincere interest in Carroll, as he wouldn’t command a top CB contract.  However, reported interest this weekend might just be agent speak for ‘they called’.

Carroll is 6’1″, 205 lbs. He struggled in coverage periodically last year, but was a difference maker at times. He had 3 interceptions and 2 sacks during the 2013 season. For what it’s worth, ProFootballFocus had him ranked 58th in their cornerback grades last year.

Teams Being Told That Rashard Mendenhall Is Retiring

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*Updated* Former Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall is set to retire according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The former 1st round draft pick played five seasons for the Steelers before signing with the Arizona Cardinals in 2013.

Mendenhall hinted at possibly retiring last month in an article at The Huffington Post. The article was a bit…unusual, but the subtext was hard to miss. The former Steelers back who was much maligned for his “dance moves”, finishes his career with 4,236 rushing yards, 39 total touchdowns and an average of 3.9 yards per carry.

Safety Ryan Mundy (FA) and QB Dennis Dixon (Bills PS) are the two remaining active players from the Steelers 2008 draft class.

Mendenhall’s agent Mike McCarthy confirmed the reports via his twitter account.

 

Lastly, here’s Mendenhall’s (rather wordy) explanation of why he’s retiring. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rashard-mendenhall/rashard-mendenhall-retirement-_b_4931316.html

Report: Steelers Interested In Free Agent CB Alterraun Verner

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The Steelers have reportedly expressed interest in free agent cornerback Alterraun Verner, according to Titans beat writer Jim Wyatt. Wyatt notes that several other teams have also expressed interest in the free agent defensive back. This report makes sense, much more sense then the rumor that surfaced earlier about the Steelers alleged interest in TE Jermichael Finley.

Verner was drafted by the Titans in the 4th round in the 2010 draft. He had 49 total tackles and 5 interceptions last year. It was also his first pro bowl appearance.

Bill Polian, in tandem with ESPN, recently rated free agent cornerbacks. Here’s what he had to say about Verner.

“Verner may not have top-end size or speed, but he is an excellent starting-level cornerback who plays with terrific toughness and a willingness to be physical. He has the strength and balance to be physical at or near the line of scrimmage without losing his feet with very good ball skills and on-ball production and an understanding of opposing route concepts. He lacks the elite short-area quickness and burst to match up against slot receivers but can ably handle perimeter cornerback duties. He is good at the point of catch, playing his technique through the catch and disrupting receivers. At age 25 and playing a premium position, he could cash in on the open market above this grade level.”

Verner will command a decent contract, but could possibly be had for an amount the Steelers could afford. Certainly a considerably lower 1st year cap hit than Ike Taylor’s current one. Here’s what Verner said last week about taking a hometown discount with the Titans.

“It is not like I want the Titans to spend all of their salary cap just to keep me,” said Verner. “It is not like I need $10 or I need $11 million, or I need to be one of the top five highest-paid corners in the league. I want them to be able to sign other guys to help the team.

“But I also want to feel respected, and the way Tennessee has operated and the way they have paid veteran players, they have set the tempo on how they value players. So if they don’t offer me something that shows they value me, I feel like it is a slap in my face.”

Whether or not the Steelers are sincerely interested is hard to determine. While it’s a possibility, it’s also very likely that expressed interest is a just negotiating tool.

Time To Navigate The Murky Waters Of Free Agency Tampering

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It’s that time of year again. The weekend before free agency officially begins, where teams can tamper with free agents, without actually tampering. Starting at 12:00 pm est Saturday and ending with the start of the new league year at 4:00 pm est on Tuesday, the legal tampering window is open.

In the past, there was confusion about what teams were and were not allowed to do regarding negotiations with pending free agents (not their own of course). The NFL released a memo to all teams this year, to try to clarify what they weren’t so clear on in the past. The memo, provided by NFL network reporter Albert Breer, stated that a team may “express its position as to signing bonus, length of contract, amounts of signing bonus and yearly compensation”, but it “cannot make an offer” or “enter into a written or oral agreement of any kind”.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter shared more specific rules and outlines  for clubs during the tampering period on Facebook. Here is what Schefter had to share-

“During the three-day period commencing at 12 noon, New York time, on Saturday, March 8, and ending at 3:59:59 p.m., New York time, on Tuesday, March 11, clubs are permitted to contact, and enter into contract negotiations with, the certified agents of players who will become Unrestricted Free Agents upon the expirations of their 2013 Player Contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 11. However, a contract cannot be executed with a new club until 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 11.

1. During this negotiating period, a club is permitted to:
a. Submit a written summary of the club’s negotiating position to a certified agent;
b. Express its position as to signing bonus, length of contract, amounts of signing bonus and yearly compensation, and other items;
c. Adjust its negotiating position in response to a certified agent’s position; and
d. Engage in an oral exchange of positions.

2. A club must express that it is stating a negotiating position, not making an offer. No part of the exchange of information is binding on either party.

3. A club cannot:
a. Execute a contract;
b. Submit a draft of an NFL Player Contract to a certified agent or the player;
c. Make an “offer;”
d. Enter into a written or oral agreement of any kind, express or implied, or make promises or representations of any type concerning the terms or conditions of employment to be offered to any Unrestricted Free Agent for inclusion in a Player Contract after the start of the new League Year;
e. Provide assurances of intent as to the future execution of an NFL Player Contract;
f. Announce an agreement or an agreement in principle; or
g. Discuss or make travel arrangements for a player.

During this negotiating period, a prospective Unrestricted Free Agent cannot visit a club (other than the player’s current club) at its permanent facility or at any other location, and no direct contact is permitted between the player and any employee or representative of a club (other than the player’s current club). If a player is self-represented, clubs are prohibited from discussions with the player during the negotiating period.

Furthermore, clubs (other than the player’s current club) may not discuss or make any travel arrangements with prospective Unrestricted Free Agent players, their certified agents, or anyone else associated with the player until the expiration of those players’ contracts at 4:00 p.m., New York time, on March 11.

The three-day negotiating period applies only to potential Unrestricted Free Agents; it does not apply to players who are potential Exclusive Rights Players or Restricted Free Agents, or to players who have been designated as Franchise Players or Transition Players.”

So in summary, teams and agents can essentially do everything but fill out a contract. 🙂

Will Allen’s Contract Details And Steelers Salary Cap Update

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The Steelers re-signed veteran free agent safety Will Allen on Wednesday, but the contract details were not available.  According to reports, his deal was indeed what I expected, a one year dear for the veteran minimum, with no signing bonus. The minimum for Allen this year is $955,000.

Knowing this, I can give you a pretty accurate update on the Steelers salary cap situation. Allen’s $955,000 base salary will displace $420,000 from the current Top 51, making his signing effectively count for only $535,000. Factoring that in to the numbers I provided yesterday after the restructure of Antonio Brown, the Steelers should have a hair under $2.5 Mil in available cap space at the time of this writing.

Going into free agency, the team is going to want to have more money to play with than that. As you’d expect, we should be hearing news on Ike Taylor very soon. Either a reduction in his 2014 salary, or his release. I would imagine he will agree to some form of contract renegotiation that frees up a minimum somewhere in the neighborhood of $3 Mil. The restructure of Lawrence Timmons’ contract is also an easy option for the team to clear more cap space. While they may go for a full restructure to free up almost $4 Mil, I’m expecting that they won’t want to do that right now.