He signed for four years, $13.6 million. Wow. I mean... just... wow. That's amazing. If we're looking at him to be our featured back for the next four years, this is a bargain. If we're looking at him to be our featured back for the next two years, it's still a bargain. Look at it this way: If Randle-El signed the same deal last off-season, would anyone have been upset? I, for one, would've done the Snoopy Dance. If we had let Willie play out this year, he would've signed with someone else for 5 years and $30 million, even if he pretty much tanked the season. After all, Randle-El only caught 35 passes last year and the Redskins gave him $27 million.
Next off-season, he would've been too expensive. Just like Randle-El this off-season, just like Ike Taylor's going to be next off-season. Unless we somehow, miraculously, get him signed. And we should've extended him last off-season. But that's a story for another time.
I had maintained that the Steelers would not dump Duce Staley with Parker being a possible free agent at the end of this season. Now, with Parker signed through 2009 (though really 2008, but that's a story for another time) Staley's situation is more complicated. I think he stays, but that's just one man's opinion. So, while we're at it, here's who I think makes the 53 man roster.
Quarterbacks: Rothlisberger, Batch, Boyd. Omar Jacobs gets immediately signed to the practice squad, if he clears waivers.
Running Backs: Parker, Haynes, Krieder, Staley, Humes. They're going to keep Staley because Cowher likes him and he feels bad about not getting Duce a carry in the Super Bowl. He's actually more expensive to dump at this point than to keep. If he's inactive most of this season like last season, they'll dump in after the season. However, the smart money is on Humes to be inactive every week.
Tight Ends: Miller, Tuman, Charles Davis. The two guys who are guaranteed to make the team and the most recently drafted guy. Pretty standard.
Wide Receivers: Washington, Ward, Wilson, Reid, Holmes, Morey. Quincy Morgan and Lee Mays ain't gonna make it. Washington has improved (though there's NO WAY they're going to give him the #2 job), Wilson and Ward are Wilson and Ward. Holmes, Reid, and Morey are going to be involved on special teams. And we didn't draft Reid and Holmes to cut them.
Offensive Linemen: Smith, Faneca, Hartings, Simmons, Starks, Essex, Kemoeatu, Colon, Philips, Okobi. Barrett Brooks was cut before camp started. He's the only one that's really in play, because the other guys were either drafted recently and play multiple positions, or have naked pictures of Kevin Colbert and Bill Cowher with a donkey (yes, that was directed at Chukky Okobi).
Gardocki's your punter, Reed's your place kicker. That puts us at 29 out of 53.
Cornerbacks: Coclough, McFadden, Taylor, Townshend. They may keep another guy, but I don't know who that is. Especially since there are so many good...
Safeties: Polamalu, Ryan Clark (going to be the starting FS), Smith, Carter, Logan. They spent too much on Clark to not start him. Polamalu's set. The other two free safeties (Smith and Carter) will contribute on special teams (anyone see the hit Smith had in the Philly game as a Gunner? AWESOME!). And Logan will be active in the Dime, Penny, and Nickel packages.
Defensive Linemen: Keisel, Hampton, Smith, Nua, Kirschke, Hoke. Here's where they could possibly throw another guy in the mix and put him on special teams. Someone like the guy they drafted out of Miami. But, you've got the three starters and their three back-ups.
Linebackers: Haggans, Porter, Farrior, Foote, Harrison, Frazier... And, uh, three other guys. Maybe only two. Possibly Rian Wallace in there. I love Wallace, I think he's good for the Steelers, but they don't seem to share that opinion. So there's that. I'm nervous about the fact that there are only six linebackers I think we should keep. And, it's really, really, really, really weird that the one position we're thin at is linebacker. Then again, our starters haven't missed a lot of regular season time in the last few years, so we may be okay if Frazier or Harrison has to step in for a few games. At least I hope so.
I also hope that we keep 7 linemen and 8 linebackers because we've got more talent in the line, but Cowher might stick with tradition on this one. I guess we'll find out Saturday.
Oh, and We Have a Pre-Season Game Coming Up:
I don't care what happens. I think the 53-man roster is already set (obviously, since I just set it). But I would really like for us to win. Just so that we win one in the pre-season and get it out of the way. We're not playing too many starters, the starters that will be in aren't going to be in for long, and I think our 2nd and 3rd string guys are better than the 2nd and 3rd string guys on every other team in the league. Like I said, we've got a deep team.
If our 1st team plays as long as their 1st team, and so on with the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th teams, I say we win. And that's all that really matters.
Well, that and that no one gets hurt.
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