Pittsburgh Steelers show interest in Jermichael Finley

[LLT]

Pittsburgh Steelers show interest in Jermichael Finley
Posted June 05, 2014

By Bryan Rose


The New England Patriots met with free agent tight end Jermichael Finley last week, but the former Pro Bowler has not yet found a home for the 2014 season.

Finley, coming off what many considered to be a potentially career-ending neck injury, was recently cleared by the surgeon who performed his operation and is looking to get back on the gridiron.

Read More...http://nfl.si.com/2014/06/05/oakland-raiders-pittsburgh-steelers-jermichael-finley-injury/

[GBMelBlount]

We could really use another weapon at TE...

[st33lersguy]

Before his injury, he was inconsistent and unreliable. No thank you

[HollywoodSteel]

It depends on the price tag. I heard on the NFL Radio channel that he bought a $10 million insurance policy against a career ending injury, so if he never plays another down of football he could cash in on this. I doubt he's gonna flush that down the toilet for vet minimum. He's a great pass catching TE but not the greatest blocker, which again is fine at the right price. But we probably can't compete with Oakland if they really want him. They have a lot more cap space than we do, and it might be too great a risk to spend what little we have in case we need to sign someone later due to injury.

[KeiselPower99]

Wonder if there is an interest due Spaeth still nursing the foot injury?

[Steelerette]

The "Steelers are interested" is all conjecture and totally overblown. He went to his surgeon, the one that operated on his neck, for a post-op checkup to get the clear to play football. His surgeon is the same guy that the Steelers have on retainer as the team's neurosurgeon.

So technically he "visited a Steelers team doctor". But there is no expression of interest from the Steelers. Typical Rapoport garbage.

As far as Finley's $10mm policy... he has to be disabled from playing. If he's recovered to the point where he can play and teams express interest in him... to be sure he could collect he needed to retire like yesterday. If he tries to collect at this juncture the insurance company is going to fight him tooth and nail, and he might lose, and that would wind up not only costing him for a legal defense, but exposing him to fraud allegations should he return to the game after trying to collect. He's probably only going to collect if he can't get cleared by any team doctors to make the team.

[GBMelBlount]

Thanks Stelerette, M.D., Esquire. :)

I do agree with you though.

Still, we need another TE imo.

Heath is solid and consistent but we have nothing else.

I say we grab him off the garbage heap and spin the wheel. :grin:

[Steelerette]

I don't know. Spaeth will never be an all-star of course but over the years he's become quite a good blocker with some decent hands, and my hunch is that the team would rather have that than Finley who's a great catcher but not so good blocker.

Unless of course Waters sucks, Blanchflower needs to go to the IR/PS, and they're just so done with Paulson... then I guess we could go 1) Miller 2) Finley 3) Spaeth

[GBMelBlount]

I don't know. Spaeth will never be an all-star of course but over the years he's become quite a good blocker with some decent hands, and my hunch is that the team would rather have that than Finley who's a great catcher but not so good blocker.

Unless of course Waters sucks, Blanchflower needs to go to the IR/PS, and they're just so done with Paulson... then I guess we could go 1) Miller 2) Finley 3) Spaeth

With our offensive line issues the last 10 years blocking tight ends have been a necessity.

Hopefully that changes...

[Shoes]

No thanks…just another one who complains about not getting the ball. I'll take Blanchflower at#2, he can block, catch and plays pissed. Draft Millers replacement next year.

[Mojouw]

No idea what the state of Finley's medicals are, but assuming he is in shape and further play in the NFL wouldn't potentially kill him, he would be a massive upgrade over anyone not named Heath currently on the roster at TE.

Maybe not the best blocker, but he creates a mismatch where-ever he goes. True that he may drop a few, but Finley would be a nightmare out of that trips formation with a TE split out that the Steelers seem obsessed with running.

But maybe they have something with Branchflower...people around here seem very excited about him. But I have to wonder if represents the sheer physical match-up problem in the receiving game that Finley would (or at least has in the past)?

[Steelerette]

I don't know, we've dabbled with injury plagued TEs before with little success, John Allred, Jay Riemersma

[HollywoodSteel]

The "Steelers are interested" is all conjecture and totally overblown. He went to his surgeon, the one that operated on his neck, for a post-op checkup to get the clear to play football. His surgeon is the same guy that the Steelers have on retainer as the team's neurosurgeon.

So technically he "visited a Steelers team doctor". But there is no expression of interest from the Steelers. Typical Rapoport garbage.

As far as Finley's $10mm policy... he has to be disabled from playing. If he's recovered to the point where he can play and teams express interest in him... to be sure he could collect he needed to retire like yesterday. If he tries to collect at this juncture the insurance company is going to fight him tooth and nail, and he might lose, and that would wind up not only costing him for a legal defense, but exposing him to fraud allegations should he return to the game after trying to collect. He's probably only going to collect if he can't get cleared by any team doctors to make the team.

I was thinking the same thing about the insurance policy, and they brought it up in the discussion on NFL radio. The upshot is, they weren't sure exactly what the terms of the policy was, but only that it's clear he still really wants to play football otherwise he'd have a legit claim.

[GBMelBlount]

No idea what the state of Finley's medicals are, but assuming he is in shape and further play in the NFL wouldn't potentially kill him, he would be a massive upgrade over anyone not named Heath currently on the roster at TE.



THIS.

The way I look at it we are currently below average at TE and WR (at least day 1 of season).

IF we picked up Holmes and Finley on the cheap I think we would be instantly upgraded day 1 of the season.

Otherwise we may be looking at 6-8 games for Ben to be firing on all cylinders.

These stopgap moves could really help prevent us from being on the bottom looking up halfway through the season again this year.... .

[Texasteel]

I was thinking the same thing about the insurance policy, and they brought it up in the discussion on NFL radio. The upshot is, they weren't sure exactly what the terms of the policy was, but only that it's clear he still really wants to play football otherwise he'd have a legit claim.


Don't know for sure either, but if he has been cleared to play by a Dr. the insurance might not pay off. Would it be a case of, no one is interested rather than, he can't play because of the injury.

[Devilsdancefloor]

Before his injury, he was inconsistent and unreliable. No thank you

i agree PASS

[Shoes]

Besides Finley's medical issue, the bigger problem could be his attitude in the locker room…..same goes for Holmes. The team seems to have rookies and vets with good sensibilities about them. No need to throw two turds on the cake. I'd be very surprised if the Steelers touch either one of these guys.

[Mojouw]

I can't speak to Finley's attitude specifically, but I do think he does piss and moan a bit when not getting the ball. Though to be fair, almost everyone in the Packers offense does. Too many talented mouths to feed.

As to inconsistent, Finley caught 70% of his targets in 2012 - his last non-injury season. http://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/play_finder.cgi?request=1&match=summary_all&year_min=2012&year_max=2012&team_id=&opp_id=&game_type=R&playoff_round=&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&quarter=1&quarter=2&quarter=3&quarter=4&quarter=5&tr_gtlt=lt&minutes=15&seconds=00&down=0&down=1&down=2&down=3&down=4&ytg_gtlt=gt&yds_to_go=&yg_gtlt=gt&yards=&is_first_down=-1&fp_gtlt=gt&fp_tm_opp=team&fp_ydline=&type=PASS&type=RUSH&is_turnover=-1&is_scoring=-1&no_play=0&game_day_of_week=&game_location=&game_result=&margin_min=&margin_max=&order_by=yards&pass_target_id=FinlJe00

I don't think Finley will happen. The medicals are likely not going to be great and Finley is not the type of second TE the Steelers prefer. My only argument is that there is no scenario where Finley does not immediately make the roster more talented and potentially explosive in the passing game.