katmandu
01-18-2012, 09:45 AM
(http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/17/rooney-steelers-dont-want-to-tear-things-apart/)
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on January 17, 2012, 6:43 PM EST
(http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/17/rooney-steelers-dont-want-to-tear-things-apart/)
http://nbcprofootballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/c-hampton-b-keisel.jpg?w=250
Getty Images
Steelers club president Art Rooney recognizes this will be a challenging offseason (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11280/1180323-66-0.stm?cmpid=steelers.xml).
The team has salary cap issues and a number of veterans that cost more than they are worth. Their aging defense (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/08/steelers-age-shows-up-at-wrong-time/) needs to be re-tooled.
Rooney told Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette the Steelers will not “tear things apart” and start over from scratch.
“Obviously, we have some decisions to make with certain players and their contracts,” Rooney said.
Let’s run through a few of them.
Hines Ward (http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/701/hines-ward): Rooney has already spoken with Ward about his future. Ward will likely have to take a pay cut (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/11/hines-ward-says-he-would-take-a-pay-cut-to-stay-in-pittsburgh/) just for a chance to stay.
Chris Hoke (http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/635/chris-hoke) and Aaron Smith (http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/642/aaron-smith), defensive linemen: Local reports indicate Hoke will retire. Smith also seems likely to retire if the Steelers don’t bring him back. Both players are free agents. Smith has meant so much to the team, the Steelers could offer him a low-cost one-year deal to see how he looks in camp.
Casey Hampton (http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/645/casey-hampton), nose tackle: He’s due almost $5 million and is coming off an ACL injury at age 35. Hampton is a candidate to get released if he won’t take a pay cut.
Ryan Clark (http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/979/ryan-clark), safety: The 32-year-old is still playing at a high level and relatively affordable at $3 million. We’d expect him to be back.
Read more:http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/17/rooney-steelers-dont-want-to-tear-things-apart/
Posted by Gregg Rosenthal on January 17, 2012, 6:43 PM EST
(http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/17/rooney-steelers-dont-want-to-tear-things-apart/)
http://nbcprofootballtalk.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/c-hampton-b-keisel.jpg?w=250
Getty Images
Steelers club president Art Rooney recognizes this will be a challenging offseason (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11280/1180323-66-0.stm?cmpid=steelers.xml).
The team has salary cap issues and a number of veterans that cost more than they are worth. Their aging defense (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/08/steelers-age-shows-up-at-wrong-time/) needs to be re-tooled.
Rooney told Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh-Post Gazette the Steelers will not “tear things apart” and start over from scratch.
“Obviously, we have some decisions to make with certain players and their contracts,” Rooney said.
Let’s run through a few of them.
Hines Ward (http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/701/hines-ward): Rooney has already spoken with Ward about his future. Ward will likely have to take a pay cut (http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/11/hines-ward-says-he-would-take-a-pay-cut-to-stay-in-pittsburgh/) just for a chance to stay.
Chris Hoke (http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/635/chris-hoke) and Aaron Smith (http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/642/aaron-smith), defensive linemen: Local reports indicate Hoke will retire. Smith also seems likely to retire if the Steelers don’t bring him back. Both players are free agents. Smith has meant so much to the team, the Steelers could offer him a low-cost one-year deal to see how he looks in camp.
Casey Hampton (http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/645/casey-hampton), nose tackle: He’s due almost $5 million and is coming off an ACL injury at age 35. Hampton is a candidate to get released if he won’t take a pay cut.
Ryan Clark (http://www.rotoworld.com/player/nfl/979/ryan-clark), safety: The 32-year-old is still playing at a high level and relatively affordable at $3 million. We’d expect him to be back.
Read more:http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/01/17/rooney-steelers-dont-want-to-tear-things-apart/