Joe Bendel: Steelers face a number of tough decisions

Joe Bendel
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, February 9, 2006

Bucking tradition, Bill Cowher did not hold his annual "exit meeting" with his players this week. He let them scatter after celebrating their Super Bowl XL victory in the streets of Pittsburgh on Tuesday afternoon.

This should come as no surprise, given the postseason with a Super Bowl victory for the first time in Cowher's 14 seasons.

The Steelers coach, however, will meet with his player-personnel staff in the coming days to discuss the Scouting Combine, player performances and free agency.

The combine, featuring the top college prospects, runs from Feb. 22-28 at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. Free agency begins March 3.

Eleven Steelers players become unrestricted free agents on that date, including wideout Antwaan Randle El, free safety Chris Hope, cornerback Deshea Townsend, tight end Jerame Tuman, defensive end Brett Keisel, running back Verron Haynes, defensive end Kimo von Oelhoffen, quarterback Charlie Batch, wide receiver Quincy Morgan, offensive tackle Barrett Brooks and linebacker Clint Kriewaldt.

These players are entitled to sign with any NFL team if the Steelers don't sign them before the March 3 deadline.

Also, two Steelers players are restricted free agents -- cornerback Ike Taylor and wide receiver Sean Morey -- meaning those players would receive a qualifying offer (as predetermined by the league's Collective Bargaining Agreement) and could negotiate with any other team until April 15. If either of those players would receive an offer sheet from a different team, the Steelers would have "first right of refusal" and be able to match the offer.

If the Steelers choose not to match the offer, they could receive draft-pick compensation.

There is also the issue of re-working the contract of Pro Bowl center Jeff Hartings, who will count $8.12 million against the salary cap under his current deal, and, potentially re-working a deal with backup tailback Duce Staley, who is scheduled to make $2.5 million next season and count $4.37 million against the cap. Staley is signed for three more seasons.

If the Steelers can strike a deal with Hartings and possibly Staley, coupled with the $5.35 million they won't have to pay retired tailback Jerome Bettis, they'll have room to maneuver.

But how they maneuver is yet to be determined.

Randle El, who is reportedly coveted by his hometown Chicago Bears, had an MVP-like performance in the Super Bowl, passing for the game-clinching, 43-yard touchdown to MVP Hines Ward, making a big third-down catch in the second quarter and tackling the Seahawks' Kelly Herndon 20 yards short of the end zone on his interception return midway through the third quarter.

If the Steelers lose Randle El, who returned two punts for touchdowns and averaged 15.9 yards on 35 catches last season, they could target other wideouts in free agency, look to re-sign Morgan or take one in the draft the weekend of April 29-30.

Hope and Townsend, both of whom were instrumental members of a defense that ranked fourth in the NFL, should draw interest around the league, particularly Hope, 25, who played well on Super Bowl Sunday.

Townsend, who will be 31 at the start of next season, does not fall under the "expendable" list, but the Steelers have young cornerbacks ready to play in Bryant McFadden, and, to a lesser extent, Ricardo Colclough.

Von Oelhoffen, who will be 35 next season, said after Sunday's game that he wanted to return to the Steelers, but the team likely will have to throw some money at Keisel, a special-teams demon who appears to be ready to step into a starting role.

Haynes, 26, a third-down back, played well this season and showed no ill-effects of previous knee problems. And, with the running back situation somewhat precarious, he could be a good option for the Steelers.

Earlier this week, Cowher said that the Steeelers wouldn't look exactly the same next season. His job, along with his staff, is to try to make it look exactly as super.

Joe Bendel can be reached at joecbendel@aol.com or (412) 320-7811.