Ed Bouchette: Chad Brown Says He wants to Return

Agent expects contract talks soon
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The Steelers want to sign veteran linebacker Chad Brown, and he said he wants to come here in the worst way, but there remains one small matter standing between them: A contract.

Yet Brown sounded as if he would take less money to rejoin the Steelers than he might elsewhere.

"The level of interest is very high," Brown said during his visit with the team yesterday. "It's tough to replicate the Steelers' experience anyplace else. This is a very special place to play, and to come full circle and end my career here would be awesome."
Brown met with the coaches, and the Steelers' medical staff evaluated him. A three-time Pro Bowler, he battled several injuries the past three seasons, including a broken fibula and a knee injury that limited him to seven games last season with Seattle, but he finished the year healthy.

Brown, who turns 35 in July, was released by Seattle last week after he declined to take a salary cut from $4.2 million to $1 million. He visited the New England Patriots Monday and Tuesday. The Steelers drafted him in the second round in 1993, and he became a starter at inside linebacker and outside, where he had 13 sacks in 1996 before signing with Seattle as a free agent.
The Steelers start Pro Bowl linebacker Joey Porter and Clark Haggans on the outside, but Brown said he'd be willing to play any role for them.

"I don't want to end my career at a place that's rebuilding for the future," Brown said. "I want to end my career at a place that has an opportunity to really win some games and make some noise in the playoffs.

"I was in Seattle for eight years and have three playoff losses to show for it. I need some playoff victories and, hopefully, a Super Bowl victory to round out this game that has given me so much."
Seattle wants to re-sign him. Brown will visit New Orleans next, and Denver also has an interest. Pete Schaffer, Brown's agent, said no substantial talks with the Steelers have taken place but should soon.

Charlie Batch, who signed a one-year contract Tuesday to remain with the Steelers, said he'd like to compete for the No. 2 quarterback job behind Ben Roethlisberger. "Right now, the only job guaranteed is the No. 1 spot, and that's Ben's spot. ... I can't sit back and say that I'm content at three and just happy to be here. That's not the case."

(Ed Bouchette can be reached at ebouchette@post-gazette.com or 412-263-3878.)