Should the Steelers extend Ryan Clark contract?

I guess Ed Bouchette was asking Clark's agent if the Steelers approached them about a contract extension because he's a free agent after the 2013 season, their response was they haven't been approached yet. I say no new contract let him leave he's 34 years old don't need to tie up money in a player that old. The NFL is a passing league now and Clark is better at run support than pass coverage.

 

The NFL is a passing league now? He's been here since 2006. Wasn't it a passing league then? It's not like he's coming from the 90s. And he has been successful in pass coverage every single year that he's been here. Including last year. When was his decline? I'm sure it will happen eventually, but it hasn't started yet. Also, his game is not based on speed, so it's not like he will fall to pieces if he loses a step. We should be able to keep him for less than we're paying him now. He's a fantastic player and leader, and since he joined the team, our defense has been garbage without him. I say extend him if at all possible.

 

yes,at least one more and i'm not opposed to two if he stays healthy. we don't want to go to young to quick.

i'd do the same with keisel if he wants another year and two if he stays healthy. we may see it this year, but a nice healthy fresh legs rotation approach would be nice, at both spots if the young guys earn the playing time.

we have worn older starters out with capable guys sitting on the bench by playoff time. we have some young guys that could really help eliminate that aspect if they pan out.

 

Yeah what was that statistic last year about the team's win/loss record without Clark in the lineup? I not saying back up the brinks truck but by no means is it a have to be made decision right now.

 

i believe they will play it like ike talked about doing. he said he knows he will have to take a pay cut with his age. i believe keisel and clark will get on board with that. 1.5- 2.5 mil. range would be a good number for these guys per year.

what did foote get? isn't he around this range?

 

that's in that ball park. don't we actually have alittle more cap room then first thought now? i'd try to extend one of them this year.

 

i don't think any of ike,clark or keisel would go anywhere else after here. i've been wrong before though.

 

This should apply to Clark along with Ike and Keisel...if they keep playing well...why not? As said Clark has been gold since he's been here. As long as the money is reasonable and its short term or even year to year deals...and that these guys understand that they are not guaranteed a starting spot/etc. I'd love to have a guy like Clark or Keisel to be a backup once their time is up.

 

I love Clark and appreciate the kind of loyalty he displayed by remaining with the Steelers when the Fins were offering more money. Unlike Wallace, the weather in South Beach and a bigger contract couldn't entice Clark to leave the greatest franchise in all of sports.

Having said that, I don't think the Steelers re-up both Clark and Troy, especially if the youngsters, Shamarko and Golden develop into quality players. I think this season will tell the tale.

 

Plus, if we do let him walk after 2013, who will replace him? As of this moment in time, there is no one on the roster that could carry his jock. No one on the roster that's even starter quality, let alone as good as Ryan Clark. So, a free agent? That would be very unusual for the Steelers. A rookie? That would be unheard of for the LeBeau's Steelers.

We have Robert Golden, who people see as a potential up and comer, but he still hasn't proven squat. You don't let a proven vet who can still play walk for a guy like Golden, who (right now) has shown nothing but a couple decent plays against scrubs in preseason, some position versatility, and some college tape good enough to let him go undrafted. Don't get me wrong, I like the guy. I have hope that he can develop into a player. But he has a long way to go before he can start for this team. He has to show massive improvements from last year. He's earned praise for his effort and the difficult tasks he's been put through, but he still hasn't done anything on the field to merit starting for an NFL team. Then we have Shamarko Thomas, who is a natural SS, and I believe was drafted to be SS. He might have the ability to play FS, but I'm somewhat doubting they try and teach the guy two positions his rookie season. DCS is SS material, and not progressing like we hoped anyway. Probably #5 on the depth chart right now at best.

The only way we let him walk is if Golden blows up this year. He'd have to light up the preseason like Timmons did in 2008 (against starters), or fill in at FS this year if Troy or Clark goes down and play very well. Otherwise, Clark stays. Hell, even if we draft a free safety with the #1 overall pick in 2014, we'll need Clark to transition him.

 

Hate to make this such a boring thread, and continue the love-fest,
But it`s well deserved!
Ryan Clark is the perfect example of how the Steelers use free-agency to maximum effect.
Been a tremendous player for us, and the ONLY, knock I would have against him, is that his game suffers because of the new rules regarding "defenseless recievers, etc.", but he has adapted well to those rules.
Not his fault, that the rules were changed, and he STILL gets unfairly penalized for hitting hard, but completeley legal!
I see no reason at all, why we wouldn`t want to keep him. (at a reasonable salary, of course).
GO STEELERS!

 

If Heath Miller doesn't have a Monster year last year, Ryan Clark would
have been your team MVP, And you don't want him back on Steeler terms?
He is about the only few Steelers I personally get excited watching anymore.

 

YES he needs to be extended... he is the heart and soul of our D and our D leader. we win with him ...lose without him (ie Denver )

HINES

 

Everyones forgetting the big white elephant in the room. Now that Denver's a playoff team,that means he has to sit on the games played in the mile high city, this has burned us in the past. I agree on re-signing him because he deserves it, but we are handicapped when it comes to one and done playoff time.

 

LOL first thing i thought too.

 

I completely agree with Wardismvp.


[X-Files music]

 

Sorry I don't want a 35 year old safety in Clark and Troy also is getting older you can't have 2 starting safeties in their mid thirties if Clark leaves so what it's better a year too early than a year too late. After 2013 season find a safety in free agency that's younger if Clark re-signs he will want a 2-3 year deal I doubt he will sign a 1 year deal. Maybe Shamarko Thomas will be ready to take his spot in 2014.

 

It's better a year too early than a year too late? How? If it's "too late", I guess that means we played him but his play dropped off. I suppose worst case scenario there is he struggles in coverage (for the first time), but is still strong in run support (that ain't going away). A year too early means he's off the team completely and we have no one capable to replace him. Uh, THAT'S WORSE. Until we have someone ready to start for him, and like I said earlier, right now we sure don't, we will struggle much more with him gone than with him playing at age 35. Hell, Anthony Smith was in his athletic prime, wasn't he?

Thomas might be a player by 2014, but they'd have to groom him for FS for him to take over for Clark. He is built like and plays like a SS, and we have an injury-prone SS about the same age as Clark, so it makes sense they'll be trying him there. I haven't read anything to make me think he's going to FS (or equal time on both). Possible, but I haven't heard it. Anyone else?

And seriously, what do you mean you don't want a __ year old safety? Who says we can't have two safeties of a certain age? Yeah I get that at some point age will catch up and they'll start slowing down, but you are saying you want to cut him whether he slows down or not, just because of his driver's license. That's nuts. Getting older means planning for a replacement, not automatically sticking the replacement in, and not just kicking him off the boat and playing with 10 men.

 

they have said our safeties know(learn) both spots. thats why golden will cover either spot unless C-S makes the team. he's actually the next oldest guy after troy and clark in the safety spot. that could go a long way and more reason to re-up clark.