The Sporting News
Posted: May 13, 2008
10-pack: The worst moves (and non-moves) of the NFL offseason
With the offseason moving past the halfway point, it makes sense to take this opportunity to take a look at 10 of the moves (or non-moves) that stand out as the least prudent of the year to date. (Translation: I couldn't think of anything better to write about.)
9. The Steelers should have franchised Faneca.
Let's get this one straight: The contracts of Pittsburgh Steelers offensive linemen Alan Faneca and Max Starks expired after the 2007 season. The Steelers could have used the franchise tag (which provides two first-round draft picks as compensation if the player signs with a new team) or the transition tag (which costs less but carries with it no compensation) on one of them.
So they chose to use the transition tag on Starks. Once he signed his tender, Starks was guaranteed to receive nearly $7 million in salary for 2008. Not bad for a guy who was on the bench at the start of 2007.
For only $500,000 more, the Steelers could have kept Alan Faneca, a perennial Pro Bowl left guard, for one more year. Sure, Faneca didn't want to remain in Pittsburgh. But he didn't want to remain in Pittsburgh last year, either. He eventually removed the stick from his rear end and had another solid season.
For a one-year haul of $7.5 million, Faneca likely would have done the same thing in 2008.
Now the Steelers are without Faneca, they got no compensation when he signed with another AFC team (the Jets) and they are paying almost $7 million to a guy who doesn't deserve it.
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