Pittsburgh Steelers will likely host Dan Connor

Former Carolina Panthers linebacker Dan Connor received his walking papers from the Dallas Cowboys after both sides failed to agree on a new deal. The Cowboys wanted to restructure Connor’s contract and cut some more cap space, but they ended up cutting cap space in a different way by releasing him. Yeah, it sounds like Connor didn’t exactly want to take a pay cut on the two-year $6.5 million deal the backup LB signed.

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Connor ended up starting due to injuries to Sean Lee and Bruce Carter, but he was quite poor and uncharacteristically bad in run defense. An incredible downhill run-stopper with the Panthers, Connor looked nothing of the sort with the Cowboys last season, and he looked almost as bad as Brady Poppinga out there in run defense.

But Connor has plenty of upside after showing his talents with the Panthers earlier in his career. With better coaching and a better environment, there is a good chance of success for him due to his ability against the run (barring last year’s poor performance). According to Jason La Canfora, Dan Connor will likely visit the Pittsburgh Steelers in the near future.

I think Connor is better as a 4-3 MLB than a 3-4 ILB when comparing his play with the Panthers and with the Cowboys, but it may have just been one off year for the Penn State product. A steady tackler with excellent technique, Connor will come on the cheap and could be the Steelers answers to the slot next to star Lawrence Timmons at inside linebacker.

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