Steelers open up contract talks with Ike Taylor.

[zulater]

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/s_721276.html

Great news, take care of Ike then you can use the franchise tag on Woodley until you can get him to ink a long term deal. :thumbsup:

[tube517]

If he does leave, they will just trade for him in 2012 and bring him back

[fansince'76]

The team is free to negotiate with Taylor and can use a franchise tag to retain his rights until 11:59 p.m. on March 3, when the current collective bargaining agreement ends. If the Steelers sign Taylor to a long-term deal before the deadline, they won't have to use a franchise tag, which is the average of the top five players at that position. Last year, the franchise tag for cornerbacks was $9.566 million.


Damn cheap Rooneys. :chuckle:

[GodfatherofSoul]

A quiet cornerback is a great cornerback. I sometimes forget he's still on the team!

[Merchant]

If we don't get a deal done with Ike.. we're in trouble. Big trouble.

[BigNastyDefense]

I really hope we can resign Ike. He's one of the better corner's in the NFL. He might not get a lot interceptions, however if he could catch the ball consistently, he'd be a wide receiver.

[ALLD]

He is playing well in his contract year. I am sure the Rooneys will offer him a fair deal. He might command a higher price as a three-time Super Bowl winning FA.

[VTsteel]

Timing's a bit peculiar . . . Wonder if it's a motivational ploy?

[BigNastyDefense]

Timing's a bit peculiar . . . Wonder if it's a motivational ploy?

Normally I would say yes. However, the CBA expires at 11:59 PM on March 3rd.

Free agency cannot start until a new CBA is in place, and we can only resign or franchise/transition tag players until March 3rd. It will be easier to get a long-term deal done with Ike Taylor and then franchise tag Woodley. Otherwise, we could risk losing both players when a new CBA gets done.

[Craic]

Timing's a bit peculiar . . . Wonder if it's a motivational ploy?

That was my first thought as well. But yeah, I think the CBA does have something to do with it. That, and all that is probably going on, is the Steelers Lawyers and Ike's agents are probably exchanging emails feeling each other out-and Ike has nothing to do with it. So in the end, I don't think it is that big a deal.

[Psycho Ward 86]

Ike Taylor: The best cornerback nobody's ever heard of

[tube517]

Swaggin

[Devilsdancefloor]

love ike i might bust his chops for being related to dwight stone some how, but i like swaggin

[86WARD]

If Ike could catch...oh man...oh man........

[stillers4me]

Ike checkin' in from Dallas...

http://yfrog.com/2c4gkz

[tube517]

Only in Dallas aka Jerryville :chuckle: