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LLT
07-04-2010, 03:36 AM
Taylor could earn lucrative payday with big season
By John Harris, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, July 4, 2010



Whenever cornerback Ike Taylor contemplates his NFL future, he envisions finishing his career with the Steelers.

"Deep down in my heart," Taylor said, "I want to retire as a Steeler."

However, as the team's only defensive starter eligible to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, Taylor, 30, could put himself in line to receive a big free-agent payoff. And that might be too rich for the Steelers, who have yet to offer a contract extension.

"I've been here seven years," said Taylor, the only active starting cornerback in the league to win two Super Bowls. "I'm a Steeler all the way. But it's on them if we can agree — be on the same page. If not, I've gotta move on."

Taylor will not be a holdout when training camp opens July 30. Some players use the threat of holding out as a bargaining chip during negotiations, but Taylor — who restructured his contract the previous two offseasons to allow the Steelers to sign Pro Bowl linebacker James Harrison and running back Rashard Mendenhall — will report with his teammates.

"Ike is going to honor his contract," said Herman Francois, Taylor's uncle with whom he went to live with in ninth grade. "That's the way he's been taught. He's going to come to work."

Francois acknowledges, however, that the possibility of becoming a free agent appeals to Taylor.

"This is why you play (pro) football, to have this opportunity to see what the market looks like," said Francois, who runs Taylor's camp. "People are thinking that life is over (if Taylor doesn't re-sign with the Steelers), but it's not.''

Taylor is entering the final year of a $23.75 million contract extension (including $15.5 million over the first three years) that he signed in September 2006. Those numbers pale in comparison to the free-agent deal awarded in March to unrestricted free-agent cornerback Dunta Robinson: six years, $57 million.

A year ago, free-agent corners Dominique Foxworth, Ronald Bartell and Jabari Greer signed multi-year deals for $27.2 million, $25 million and $22 million, respectively.

"There's going to be a lucrative market for somebody like Ike Taylor when you see how much corners get paid when they become free agents," said Mike Triplett, who covers the Saints for the New Orleans Times-Picayune.

Triplett realized how highly teams value free-agent cornerbacks when New Orleans was shopping for one last offseason. The Saints signed Greer after Bartell opted to remain with St. Louis.

"There were guys you never heard of making five years, $27 million, and they weren't even close to being Pro Bowlers," Triplett said. "It was nuts.''

Saints Coach Sean Payton said teams are reluctant to lose top cornerbacks to free agency because there aren't many of them available.

"It's a position that's hard to find in free agency," Payton said in April.

It remains to be seen if the Steelers value Taylor enough to offer him a new contract.

In his career, Taylor has tallied nine interceptions, 88 passes defended and 415 tackles. He established a franchise record by grabbing interceptions in three consecutive playoff games, his biggest occurring against Seattle in Super Bowl XL, and he has never missed a game due to injury.

Since becoming a starter in 2005, Taylor is the only Steelers cornerback who's proven to be big and fast enough to shadow one receiver for an entire game. Taylor has neutralized Cincinnati's Chad Ochocinco, a former team nemesis. Last year, Taylor was directly responsible for allowing one touchdown catch on his side of the field.

Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau stopped short of calling Taylor irreplaceable. But LeBeau, a former cornerback who will enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame next month, holds Taylor in high esteem.

"I believe Ike to be the best tackling corner in the league," LeBeau said. "Over a period of seven years, Ike will grade out with any corner that's playing. If I had my pick, I'd take Ike because he's always going to tackle, he's always going to be in shape, and he's never going to do anything that's contrary to the team concept. His pluses are inordinately larger than any minuses.

"I know Ike wants to be here. And I would think that ownership would want the same thing. We would miss him if he were not here."

Agent Joel Segal wouldn't comment about the status of negotiations, but Taylor said he expects talks will intensify when the Steelers are ready.

"They move at their own pace," Taylor said. "There ain't no forcing them. They've been doing it for years, so why change now? I respect that."

Per team policy, Steelers management doesn't comment on the contract status of players.

Francois, who speaks daily with Taylor, believes his nephew has a good chance of re-signing with the Steelers because of his history with the organization.

Taylor's nickname? Little Rooney, which references his close relationship with Steelers owner Dan Rooney.

"Yeah, it's a business," Francois said, "but I see them sitting at the table like a family, talking and working it out."

Taylor sees himself in an enviable position.

He can remain with the Steelers, the team that took a chance on him in the fourth round of the 2003 draft and developed him. Or, upon becoming a free agent, he can live every NFL player's dream and attempt to break the bank.

"This is where I want to be, but it's on them," Taylor said. "Either they want me around, or they don't want me around."

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_688896.html

Butch
07-04-2010, 06:00 AM
I like Ike and even though he may drop a lot of Int's he is a real gamer and would hate to see us lose him to free agency. It is good to find out that they call him little Rooney that bodes well for us keeping him. Hopefully we get him locked up this year.

Good find LLT.

HometownGal
07-04-2010, 06:05 AM
I know I'd sure like to see Ike retire a Steeler, but as the article so states - with the current market out there with regard to FA corners, I don't know if the Steelers can make him an offer that is consistent with what other FA corners are making. I've always had the utmost respect for him, not only as a player but as a human being. Fingers (and toes) crossed that the Steelers and Ike can come to some sort of an amicable agreement and he stays in the black 'n gold where he belongs. :pray:

solardave
07-04-2010, 06:13 AM
The sad thing is he will probably move on. I'd like to see him retire here but the business side is rough.

LLT
07-04-2010, 06:47 AM
I would like to see ike come back....but more than anything i would like to see our secondary become MUCH more than it is right now. We desperatley need a young shutdown corner.

Galax Steeler
07-04-2010, 07:13 AM
I wouldn't mind seeing him come back but I hope his is alot better then he was last year. He did not play like he was capable of playing.

ALLD
07-04-2010, 07:20 AM
If he gets any kind of big payday he needs to donate some of that to Polomalu's favorite charity. Polomalu in the game makes the entire secondary legitimate with our LBers. No Troy in the game like last season and we have a difficult time competing with the lowest teams in the league.

steelpride12
07-04-2010, 08:14 AM
I like Ike A lot. I don't mind that he drops the ball alot, sure it would be nice to see a turnover, but hey that's why he plays that position. Ike can be one shut down corner and when he plays that way it really helps out that secondary and defense. I hope we can sign and keep him even with the tough market with corners.

hotrodder07
07-04-2010, 10:07 AM
Since Ike became a starter, he's been one of my favorite players. He may not put up the numbers that other CBs do, but he's definitely a shut-down corner in my eyes. He's gone up against the likes of Moss, Ocho Cinco, etc., and he has done so very well.

It really sounds like Ike wants to stay, but I just don't know if the Steelers will pay him the money that other teams will offer. Hopefully he would be willing to take slightly less money to stay with the team that drafted and developed him, but that doesn't often seem to be the case for NFL players. I guess only time will tell.

Austin87
07-04-2010, 10:10 AM
Ike deserves a big payday but unfortunately I doubt we'll be able to give it to him.

Woodley will be the priority next year. They'll need to get a deal done with him before they can look at Ike.

Devilsdancefloor
07-04-2010, 11:06 AM
i really like ike alwasy have he has the steelers attitude on and off the field. I really hope they can work a deal out this no cba is killing alot of contracts being extended. I hope he retires a steeler!

stillers4me
07-04-2010, 11:13 AM
I've always like Ike's hard work and great attitude. He's made some great plays ( and some not so great ones) but all in all, he's earned those two rings. And he's never been in any kind of trouble off the field that I can recall. I can understand why the Rooney's think so much of him.

fansince'76
07-04-2010, 11:50 AM
First things first - I want to see a new CBA get put in place and a lockout/strike in 2011 be avoided. That's the 800-lb gorilla in the room right now and everything else is up in the air personnel-wise until that is resolved, IMO.

steelpride12
07-04-2010, 12:58 PM
Ike just has that attitude that need's to be on the Steelers. Ive always liked what he had to say and his actions prove that on the field. He has two Super Bowls W's and both well deserved!

xX-TSK-Xx
07-04-2010, 02:52 PM
I can't see Ike leaving. This is the guy who has reworked his contract multiple times to benefit the team. He is definitely a team first guy. I suspect he will get a reasonable deal, for both sides, and end his career in the Black and Gold.

Killer
07-06-2010, 11:14 AM
I like Ike

Steelers | Ike Taylor will not be a training camp holdout

Pittsburgh Steelers CB Ike Taylor, who will become an unrestricted free agent after the 2010 season, will not be a holdout when training camp opens, according John Harris, of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. "Ike is going to honor his contract," said Herman Francois, Taylor's uncle. "That's the way he's been taught. He's going to come to work."

steelpride12
07-06-2010, 11:33 AM
See this is one thing that players on the Steelers do I love compared to many other teams. You don't see 2+ players crying and holding out for camp just for dollar signs! Ike has respect for his contract and knows he will get a payday soon enough. Good for this!

SteelerEmpire
07-06-2010, 12:26 PM
In addition, he's never gotten in trouble with negative headlines as far as breaking the law is concerned. He's a shut down corner. He doesn't have WR hands, but hey, that's probably why he's a corner. We have Troy on his side of the field to catch pics...
But the Steelers did let Rod Woodson go back in the day... Rooney said," he was the one player that he "really" did not want to go" (yet he let him go anyway)... Woodson went on to the Ravens and won the SB...

BlastFurnace
07-06-2010, 12:47 PM
We need to keep Ike, no question about it. I hope the Steelers have learned their lesson on thinking someone can step in and play CB just because they play well in a handful of games like Gay did in 2008. The sticky point will come with the development of Lewis at CB. If he develops and BMAC plays well this season, it will be interesting what happens with Ike. I still think we need to sign him.

SteelCityMan786
07-06-2010, 01:12 PM
I know I'd sure like to see Ike retire a Steeler, but as the article so states - with the current market out there with regard to FA corners, I don't know if the Steelers can make him an offer that is consistent with what other FA corners are making. I've always had the utmost respect for him, not only as a player but as a human being. Fingers (and toes) crossed that the Steelers and Ike can come to some sort of an amicable agreement and he stays in the black 'n gold where he belongs. :pray:

Its going to be interesting considering the current state of the economic climate of the NFL and I wonder what effect the salary cap rule will have on them should it be reinstated come 2011 or 2012 (Whenever they officially get the deal signed).

zulater
07-06-2010, 02:06 PM
I like Ike, but I'd be very reluctant to give him a long term contract coming off last season. Maybe he had some sort of unreported injury nagging him last season? But whatever, after the second Bengals game and up until the season finale against the Dolphins where he again looked like a reasonable facsimile of his former self Ike played the worst football of his career. When he wasn't giving up long completions or dropping interceptions he was clutching on to recievers and drawing flags!

Like I said before maybe he had some sort of injury he was playing through that the Steelers know of that would account for such poor play? If not then I really have to take a wait and see attitude before I endorse any kind of lucrative extension if I'm the Steelers. Good guy or not you gots to be able to do the job first and foremost, and for much of last season Ike was very much lacking.

Soufjerzz
07-06-2010, 09:13 PM
Hopefully Ike plays big in his contract year and pulls down 12 ints and runs 4 back for TD's, earning him a HUUGE payday.
















From the Redskins

steeldevil
07-06-2010, 09:28 PM
Hopefully Ike plays big in his contract year and pulls down 12 ints and runs 4 back for TD's, earning him a HUUGE payday.
















From the Redskins

I was about to say that then the steelers would not be able to give him what he would demand. Then I saw the rest of your comment.... :lol: :lol: :lol:

El-Gonzo Jackson
07-07-2010, 01:26 PM
Steelers wont break the bank for Ike. Its why Lewis and Burnett were drafted and Mc Fadden brought back. If he signs a reasonable deal he will remain a Steeler otherwise..........next.

KyleJDavison
07-07-2010, 05:13 PM
First things first - I want to see a new CBA get put in place and a lockout/strike in 2011 be avoided. That's the 800-lb gorilla in the room right now and everything else is up in the air personnel-wise until that is resolved, IMO.

I think that you hit the nail on the head. If there is a new CBA and it is more in the favor of the owners, we won't be seeing the money being thrown around as much. I think it will change how the free agency market works. I find it hard to believe that FA and the contracts for the draft picks will not be addressed and looked out.

The Duke
07-08-2010, 03:25 PM
Steelers wont break the bank for Ike. Its why Lewis and Burnett were drafted and Mc Fadden brought back. If he signs a reasonable deal he will remain a Steeler otherwise..........next.

I hope he does this

stay for the wins Ike! Look at the deal hampton took. And he too will be rewarded for staying