STEELERS BLACK -N- GOLD POST
A Pittsburgh Steelers Blog from the heart of Steelers Nation.

by Ramona Dye

Our Steelers who have never been very vocal in the NFL free agency have become the busy-bee.

Our Steelers have re-signed Ryan Clark to a four-year, $14 million dollar deal.

"Coach Tomlin talked with me about being a nomad, a journeymen, but if I finish my contract here, that's eight years in the same place, and that's an accomplishment. I didn't want to leave. My neighbors didn't want me to leave. They didn't want to get new neighbors."

                                ~Ryan Clark

Steelers signed free-agent safety Will Allen to a three-year deal. en's deal is worth $4.495 million with $975,000 to sign.

Pittsburgh also signed wide receiver Arnaz Battle to a three-year deal. Battle's deal is worth $3.975 million with $975,000 to sign.

Both Allen and Battle have links to the Steelers' coaching staff. Allen spent the past six seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he once worked with current Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. And former San Francisco 49ers special teams coach Al Everett, now Pittsburgh's special teams coach, recommended Battle to Tomlin.

Battle is expected to help the Steelers as a backup wide receiver and offer help on special teams. He started 38 games for the 49ers from 2005 through 2007 and caught 141 passes during that span.

Allen, who lost his starting job in Tampa Bay, and Battle, whose playing time was reduced in San Francisco, should upgrade the Steelers' deficient special teams. Their four kickoff return touchdowns allowed last season led the NFL.

"That's what I'm good at, that's what they saw in me, I'm a good safety and a good special teams player."

                                        ~Will Allen

The Steelers are also bringing in offensive tackle Jonathan Scott, who played the last two seasons in Buffalo under new Steelers offensive line coach Sean Kugler. Scott started eight games last season but wasn't given even the lowest tender offer to stay with the Bills.

Now for news on Antwan Randal El.

Bringing back Randle El and signing Battle suggests the Steelers may not be counting on former second-round draft pick Limas Sweed next season. He was taken off the active roster late last season for reasons not fully explained by the Steelers, who still haven't commented on the move.

Randle El figures to be the Steelers' No. 3 receiver, although he could find himself in stiff competition for that job by second-year receiver Mike Wallace, who had six touchdowns among his 39 catches as a rookie.

Let's hope that this will help answer some of the problems we had last season. I am looking forward to the upcoming draft and hopefully our Steelers can take this team back to the top of our division and into the play-offs.

As Always, Here We Go!

by Ramona Dye

Steelers have been active in free-agency by re-signing DL Casey Hampton, while franchise tagging K-Jeff Reed. Steelers will continue looking for help at WR, CB, OL and LB positions.

Steelers are among the most patient teams in league, and sometimes wait out others to pick up players who are cast off in June.

Things could get interesting in the next few months.

As Always, Here We Go!!!

by Ramona Dye

Steelers have tendered starting tackle Willie Colon to a one-year, $2.5 million contract.

Based on the size of the contract tendered to Willie Colon (a restricted free agent) another team would have to forfeit a first-round draft choice to the Steelers if they wanted to sign him.

Colon, drafted by Pittsburgh in the fourth round of the 2006 draft, has played in 50 games, starting every one.

Many claimed Heath Miller could become a victim of a salary cap cut at the end of this season. This is one of the most outrageous things said that I have heard in the whole off-season.

Since joining the Steelers as a drafted rookie, Miller has racked up 21 touchdowns on 168 catches for 1,932 yards, an 11.5 yards per catch average. But it is his blocking skills which are most valuable to the Steelers. Last year he caught 48 passes for 514 yards and three touchdowns.

"There is no better place to play football than the city of Pittsburgh, and to be a part of two of the six championships is special." -- Heath Miller   

Miller brings much more to the field as a tight end than fan-popular players with big names like Anthony Gonzalez or Antonio Gates, players who make the Pro Bowl. Not only can he catch, but also Heath is a tremendous blocker. Heath adds an extra lineman to our sometimes sluggish offensive line.

"Pro bowls have nothing to do with the best tight ends going to the Pro Bowl," Arians said in 2008. "It's the guy with the most catches who goes. Those are glorified wide receivers. I've said it every year, Heath's the best tight end in the AFC." -- Bruce Arians

The Steelers and Heath have come to terms on a contract extension that runs through the 2014 season. Terms of the deal have yet to be be released.

In getting a contract done, the Steelers avoid any effects from a new NFL Labor agreement which could include an uncapped year. 

During his college career, Heath earned consensus first-team All-American honors. Miller caught 41 passes for 541 yards with five touchdowns. 

In his last season playing at the University of Virginia, a season when he won  the prestigious Mackey Award as the nation's top tight end, Heath played the whole season with a sports hernia. Heath showed us the kind of toughness that screams Steelers football. 

While a few feel Matt Spaeth is a capable back-up, he might not make the team this season as McHugh can also play fullback role and has much better hands than Spaeth.  Don't get me wrong, I want Spaeth to stay with our Steelers but if we are gonna get rid of a TE let it not be Heath!

As Always, Here We Go!

                                    Give Me Three More

By Ramona Dye               

Our Steelers signed three more draft picks on Thursday, bringing under contract receiver Mike Wallace, a third-round pick from Mississippi,  defensive lineman Ra'Shon Harris, a sixth-round pick from Oregon and center A.Q. Shipley, a seventh-round choice from Penn State.

              Steelers sign David Johnson

By Ramona Dye         

Our Steelers have signed draft pick David Johnson to a three-year contract.  Johnson, the second of two picks the Steelers made in the seventh round, caught 22 passes for 356 yards and five touchdowns his senior season at Arkansas State. The 6'2, 260 lb TE  was the final pick the Steelers made in the draft.  

With the signing of Johnson, our Steelers have only two remaining players unsigned from the 2009 NFL Draft, defensive end Ziggy Hood (first round) and guard Kraig Urbik (third round).

                                  Starks Signs 4 Year Deal

By Ramona Dye                                                                                  

Our Steelers have signed starting tackle Max Starks to a four year, $26.3 million dollar contract with a $10 million signing bonus.

Our offensive line now has a crucial player in place for the next couple of seasons. Starks gets his money and the Steelers trim about $3 million off our salary cap.

Starks was the starting RT on the 2005 Super Bowl team. Due to weight issues the next two seasons Tomlin gave his job to rookie Willie Colon in 2007. After Marvel Smith continued to have problems throughout the 2007 season, Tomlin gave Starks the opportunity to finish out the year at LT.

A back injury to Marvel Smith forced the Steelers to put the franchise tag on Max, which made him the highest paid backup OL on the team. 

After only 5 games, Smith went down due to his back problems. Once again Max stepped in to the LT spot.

Max performed well as the team went on to win their record sixth Super Bowl title.

During the 2008 season, Starks lined up against Pro Bowl caliber LBs and DEs almost every week. Yet he surrendered the second LEAST number of sacks. I'd say that's pretty impressive.

Following the season, once again, our Steelers placed the franchise tag on Starks, which set his salary for 2009 at approximately $8.5 million according to the collective bargaining agreement.

Starks has taken some criticism for accepting an extra $1.55 million in guaranteed money in lieu of free agency during an uncapped year, but the deal must have made sense to him. And it's a good deal for the team, as it frees up cap space. A win all the way around for us.

Since he was due eight with the franchise tag, we're getting him for an extra year at less than half price. Plus the last two seasons (worth about $16 million) are optional.

As always, Here We Go!