The open market is not too far away. The Steelers have been contending with their cap issues much of the offseason, but their free agents have always been in the back of their brains the whole time. It’s a pretty extensive list including restricted and unrestricted free agents
Restricted:
The Steelers have the ability to offer these players a one-year tender and another team would have to surrender draft picks if they attempted to sign.
WR Mike Wallace — RB Isaac Redman — FS Ryan Mundy — TE David Johnson — OG Ramon Foster — CB Keenan Lewis — DT Steve McLendon — OT Jamon Meredith — WR Derrick Williams — OG Dorian Brooks
Unrestricted:
The Steelers must offer and sign these players to a contract before free agency opens or they will be able to negotiate with any team that’s in the market for their services.
OT Trai Essex — QB Charlie Batch — WR Jerricho Cotchery — CB William Gay — P Daniel Sepulveda — DE Aaron Smith — OT Max Starks — QB Byron Leftwich — OL Doug Legursky — QB Dennis Dixon — RB Mewelde Moore
So how much are these guys worth to the Steelers?
Restricted Free Agents
WR Mike Wallace (Projected: $6-7 million/year)
Wallace is the elephant in the room right now. Should the Steelers take a swing at signing him or take the first round pick from whomever wants him the most? Wallace deserves a new deal and could have a big payday if the Steelers decide to let him hit the market rather than try and lock him up. Wallace will more than likely test the waters even if the Steelers show him an offer. Lots of current players, like Ben Roethlisberger, have restructured their contracts in hopes of freeing up enough Benjamin’s for a Wallace deal.
RB Isaac Redman (Projected: $2 million)
Redman is still questioned as to whether he is a featured full time back. With his limited playing time, there’s a strong chance that the Steelers won’t offer him money even though he will more than likely carry the running game with Mendenhall more than likely starting on the PUP list and slowly making his way back into the depth chart. They could probably get him on a two-year deal for about $2 million per until he can prove he’s the real deal.
FS Ryan Mundy (Projected: $1.25 million)
Mundy is an interesting backup. He’s a solid safety and sees quite a bit of playing time when Polamalu and Clark need rest – either a quick breather or several weeks due to injury. He’s not worth a ton of money, but there is some good value in what he brings to the team as a consistent backup.
TE David Johnson (Projected: $1.75 million)
Johnson has grown a ton over the past season with his run and pass blocking. He certainly isn’t paid for his hands as he struggled with some dropped passes. It’s unclear what Haley will want the structure of this offense to look like. Will he keep Johnson around as that FB/TE, or will they go for a ‘true’ FB? Either way, they will probably keep him around offer less than $2 million.
OG Ramon Foster ($1 million)
Part of the offensive line carousel, Foster moves in and out of the guard positions. The offensive line may ‘suck’ to many a yinzer, but you have to give the line credit for being able to have versatility in moving from one position to the next and not self implode. Foster has a chance at starting this season. Not sure if the team will take a chance at offering a much larger contract than what he already has.
CB Keenan Lewis ($1 million)
Lewis has been projected by some to start opposite of Taylor this season. He’s taken a long time to develop…. God has he ever. Even with the idea of him starting at the #2 corner, he hasn’t impressed enough to warrant a significant contract. Probably a million or less with only a couple years tagged on to prove himself.
DT Steve McLendon ($900,000)
McLendon did alright filling in for Smith, Keisel, and Hampton when they were out at various times. He’s never really impressed and is much to be desired in the ‘splash’ play area. Again, the Steelers seem content with keeping guys who can step in and perform at a base level that doesn’t hurt the team too much. Tomlin isn’t that crazy when he says ‘Starters in waiting.’
OT Jamon Meredith
WR Derrick Williams
OG Dorian Brooks
If you said ‘Who?’ to any of these names, you would be right. The team has tendered other players for ‘future’ contracts in the WR and OL positions, so I’m not sure if any of these men will get anything offered when it’s time. It will be the bare minimum for any of these guys. IF they get an offer…
Unrestricted Free Agents
QB Charlie Batch ($800,000-900,000)
‘Charlie, Charlie, Charlie!!!’ I don’t care how old he is. The guy is about a consistant and solid backup as you can get. I was at that Rams vs. Steelers game. It was the first time Charlie had hit the field in a long time, and he looked like he had taken the snaps all season long. The Steelers would be stupid to not bring him back. Batch loves this team and city so much that he’ll come back for the minimum if they offer it to him.
QB Byron Leftwich ($0)
Never healthy. Never productive. Leftwich will be gone with no offer.
OT Trai Essex ($1 million)
Essex had been let go but was brought back when the line struggled. He didn’t play that much when he did. Maybe he’ll be offered a million, but more than likely won’t get an offer at all. Change is a comin’ for this Steelers line when it comes to the unrestricted fellows.
WR Jerricho Cotchery ($2 million)
I don’t want him to replace Hines Ward. I don’t want him to replace Hines Ward. I don’t want him to replace Hines Ward. I don’t want him to replace Hines Ward. Ok now that is out of my system, there’s a strong chance that Cotchery will become the new role player that Hines Ward become in the latter part of his career with the Steelers. It’s still up in the air as of the time writing this piece what the Steelers will do with Hines. I think Cotchery’s offer will be dependent upon what they do with Ward. Ditch Ward and the offer will be above $2 million. Keep Ward and it will be around $1 million.
CB William Gay ($2.5 million)
Gay beat out the lackluster McFadden this season for the second spot on the CB roster. He did fine in most games. Still has yet to find an identity of what type of back he is – other than making us bite our nails when a deep ball is thrown his way. The Steelers will want to make sure they keep him around or fear having their #1 passing defense come tumbling down in 2012.
P Daniel Sepulveda ($975,000)
Just give him a minimum offer and hope his legs don’t fall off. ‘Nuff said.
DE Aaron Smith ($1 million)
Smith will either retire or the team will release him/not offer a contract. Injury prone the last couple years and aging, the team will look for younger talent in the draft and groom 2nd year man Heyward by giving him more snaps. It’s been fun Aaron. IF he’s given an offer it will be no more than a million.
T Max Starks ($1.5 million)
Starks probably would have been offered the number above were he to not injure his ACL. Tough to say what kind of state he’ll be in by the time camp rolls around. He’s Ben’s ‘favorite’ but that may not be enough for the Steelers to take a chance an offer him anything over 2 million.
OL Doug Legursky ($1.75 million)
Dougie boy. The Rudy of the Steelers. Guy has heart and plays hard. See him up close and he is filthy ripped for a small guy. He’s strong, yet not quite strong enough. He’s good, but not quite good enough. But as is the case with most of these guys on the line – he’s versatile enough to be important to this team. I see him signing a multi year deal in the area of $1.5-2 million.
QB Dennis Dixon ($0)
His time is up. Never productive enough as a backup. It may be crazy to think of getting rid of two out of your three backup QB’s, but Dixon will want money. The Steelers can spend it better elsewhere.
RB Mewelde Moore ($1.75 million)
Moore is a good third down back. He always has been. Barron Batch could take over that role if he comes back strong from his training camp ACL tear. There are certainly enough backs in the Steelers’ arsenal to fill the spot. The Steelers will more than likely give him a decent offer with that kind of uncertainty. But will he sign?
Preview provided by Craig Gottschalk. For more Pittsburgh Steelers coverage, visit Nice Pick, Cowher.