Roethlisberger's wish list

[Diamond Dave]

He wants

A new contract
A tall, play making receiver
Alan FanecaI wonder if he's ever heard that saying of "you can have any two of the three choices"?

[TMC]

Ummm, he wanted Burress to be signed as well.

[Coryea]

He'll get the new contract.

[xjx]

If he gets the contract and Faneca as his new center he'll be doing very well. A tall playmaking receiver would be nice but we have Nate, and Nate drops a lot of balls.

[VaSteelerFan]

Put your money (or future money) where your mouth is then Ben... take less so Alan can stay if you want and aging 31 yr old player on the downside of his career.

[Steelersrule]

Put your money (or future money) where your mouth is then Ben... take less so Alan can stay if you want and aging 31 yr old player on the downside of his career.

Further into the article it discusses he expects his tall receiver will be Dallas baker, who is 6' 3"

[Coryea]

Put your money (or future money) where your mouth is then Ben... take less so Alan can stay if you want and aging 31 yr old player on the downside of his career.

He'd have to take alot less for Faneca to stay here.

[BermudaSteel]

As stated, in order for Ben to "have his cake and eat it too"---personal sacrifices will have to be made. I hate to bring it up, but Marsha took a pay cut to bring in Moss, McNabb for TO...it happens all the time; but is Ben willing to make that sacrifice? Personally, I would, if it meant that he could retain Alan for a couple more years. Thus keeping his health in a better state.

We never saw Dallas Baker the "Touchdown Maker" even at 6'3"...not even last preseason...the question is why? Injecting my .02, again, I'd hold on and see what the Pats do w/ Moss...we need a veteran big play receiver even if Moss isn't that guy.

Feel free to discuss or flame.

[SteelerScott]

Further into the article it discusses he expects his tall receiver will be Dallas baker, who is 6' 3"

I know he's listed on the roster now;... but did Baker ever make it off the practice squad this season?

Don't hold your breath for him, Ben.
http://media3.steelers.com/MediaContent/2007/08/21/09/Baker_Dallas_03_80248.jpg

[Coryea]

I thought the Pats got Moss for a 4th round pick? I didn't think Brady had anything to do with it.

[VaSteelerFan]

If only the salary cap was 200 Million right Ben?

[cpollock]

So .. if it comes down to less money for Ben to keep Faneca .. what do you think he will say ??

[Iron Maiden]

Show me the money.

[BermudaSteel]

I thought the Pats got Moss for a 4th round pick? I didn't think Brady had anything to do with it.

I will have to find the proof...but I'm sure ESPN reported that Marsha took a dip in salary to bring in Moss...stand by for that data...

[BermudaSteel]

Here's what I was talking about. And again, I'm sorry to make this a *'s issue; but Ben could learn from it...

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/05/01/tom-brady-restructures-to-accommodate-randy-mosss-salary/


Tom Brady Restructures to Accommodate Randy Moss's Salary
Posted May 1st 2007 11:55PM by mjd
Filed under: Patriots, AFC East

I'm sure that Tom Brady really wanted the Patriots to go out and get Randy Moss ... but it was not a case of the organization going out of their way to throw Brady a bone and do him a favor. Brady had to meet them halfway to get it done.

Moss was owed $9.75 million by the Raiders, and if the Patriots wanted him, they had to take that on (Moss agreed to tear up his contract after the trade, more on that in a second). They couldn't have done it if Brady hadn't agreed to restructure his own deal, which I'm sure will add to the already formidable legend of Tom Brady's selflessness. After restructuring, Brady ran into a burning building and saved the lives of Pat Patriot's three autistic children. He's the most wonderful human being on the planet.

As for Moss's new deal ... a meager one-year, $3 million contract that could be worth up to $5 million with incentives. The Patriots give up a 4th-round pick and $3 million dollars for a guy who could not just tilt, but throw a damn anchor into the balance of power in the NFL. That's ridiculous. It's almost a crime that the Patriots got him that cheap.

There wasn't another receiver-starved team out there -- Green Bay comes to mind -- that was willing to give up more than that? That's unbelievable. Amazing get for the Patriots. If it works out, they dominate everyone ... if they don't, they cut him, and they're out almost nothing. Every other GM in the league is going to end up kicking themselves for allowing this to happen.

[BLEEDS]

He wants

A new contract
A tall, play making receiver
Alan Faneca

"I want you, I need you, but there ain't no way I'm ever going to love you. Now don't be sad, 'cause two out of three ain't bad"

He'd have to take alot less for Faneca to stay here.

"And I would do anything for love, but I won't do that. No, I won't do that"



PEACE

-BLEEDS

[Steelerman]

Big Ben on ... Alan Faneca, his contract and his wish list for 2008

Wednesday, January 16, 2008
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press
Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's wish list for 2008Ben Roethlisberger has three desires as he enters the offseason: A tall wide receiver, the return of guard Alan Faneca, and a new contract as soon as possible.

The contract most likely will be worked out, even if it does not occur as quickly as the Steelers quarterback might prefer. The other two are more problematic.

Faneca becomes an unrestricted free agent Feb. 29, and while the Steelers plan to talk to his agent before then, even director of football operations Kevin Colbert noted Monday that "the price most likely has gone up."

Still, Roethlisberger made his pitch to management that they try to keep his All-Pro guard, who has been a linchpin of the offensive line for a decade.

"I don't know what's going to happen," Roethlisberger said yesterday. "That's hard for me, there could be an outlying story, something here or there I don't know about. But they do know how I feel about it. They know how valuable he is."

He also knows that a similar plea he made to keep 6-5 receiver Plaxico Burress when he became an unrestricted free agent three years ago went unheeded.

Now Roethlisberger has made another appeal for the Steelers to acquire another tall wide receiver. His top three receivers are Hines Ward, listed as 6 feet, 5-11 Santonio Holmes and 6-1 Nate Washington.

"I'm always going to ask for a tall receiver," Roethlisberger said. "That's just me. Our receivers are unbelievable, but our tallest guy might be Hines? Or Santonio? Hines is going to say he's 6 foot, but he's 5-11, now."

The Steelers do have tall tight ends in 6-5 Heath Miller and 6-7 Matt Spaeth, but Roethlisberger would like to spot a taller target at wide receiver as well.

"It's nice to have a bailout guy, you know when you're in trouble and you just kind of throw it up. In the red zone its nice to have a guy like that. Obviously, we have a guy like Nate who can jump out of this world. He can jump so high. It's nice to have that.

"But to have a big guy who can create mismatches -- the same thing happened when Plax was here. So much presence went to Plax's side just because he's a big, good receiver, that Hines was always open or Antwaan [Randle El]. I just think it would open stuff up for us a lot more."

Part of it also has to do with the physics of the forward pass when he delivers it.

"I'm 6-5," Roethlisberger noted. "I throw down to a lot of these guys. You see so many times Hines reaching up and I'm getting him killed because he's reaching up for balls and I'm just throwing it on my plane. To have someone on the same plane as me would just make my job ... I wouldn't get Hines killed going across the middle all the time."

Roethlisberger said he has talked to the Steelers about it and that "we'll probably look for some guys in free agency, I would assume, look in there and see what we can find."

He also said that 6-3 Dallas Baker, a seventh-round draft pick from Florida who spent his rookie season on the Steelers' practice squad, might ultimately help in that regard.

"As soon as he gets out of that wide receiver funk of just running routes on a card, he has the potential to be pretty good," Roethlisberger said.

The quarterback has two years left on the contract he signed as a rookie in 2004, and both sides acknowledge that this is the year to extend it. He would prefer that to happen sooner rather than later.

"I'm eager, anxious because I want to get it done with, I want to say let's go, let's get it over with so the talks can stop, people can stop bugging me about it. Because I just want to play football. Let's get it over with, let's get it done so I can get right back into football and not think about it and not have people talking about it all the time."

His agent, Ryan Tollner, wanted to try to extend the deal a year ago, but the Steelers preferred to wait. No talks have yet been scheduled as far as Roethlisberger knows.

"My guys are waiting for that call," Roethlisberger said. "We don't want to push it. We are waiting to hear something from them.

"I don't know what to expect because you hear so many different stories from guys who have been here before and the media."

Might he take a Tom Brady-like stance where he does not demand as much as he might be able to get in order to save salary-cap room so the Steelers can sign others?

"You know what? I'm not even dealing with that right now," Roethlisberger said. "I'm always going to do what's best for this team."

[CoolieMan]

restructure does not necessarily mean pay cut....he still got his money...just allocated differently

[Coryea]

By restructuring, Brady basically just moved his money around, not necessarily gave any back.

Faneca is going to get a contract like Steinbach and Dockery, and the Rooney's don't want to pay him that, doesn't matter if would take less or not.

[steelberger1]

Restructuring simply means he probably transferred salary to bonus money.

He didnt take a pay cut, he took a big fat check right now which can be spread over several seasons of cap hits.

[Coryea]

All you have to do is look at the contracts Romo and Bulger just signed and expect Ben's to be little more than those.

[BermudaSteel]

Big Ben on ... Alan Faneca, his contract and his wish list for 2008

Wednesday, January 16, 2008
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

...Might he take a Tom Brady-like stance where he does not demand as much as he might be able to get in order to save salary-cap room so the Steelers can sign others?

"You know what? I'm not even dealing with that right now," Roethlisberger said. "I'm always going to do what's best for this team."

Seems to me that Ed and I think alike on this one...

[Coryea]

When Brady signed his contract it made him one of the highest paid players in the NFL. Brady earned 40.5 million over the first 3 years of his generosity, while Manning earned 37 million over the first 3 years, including salary and bonus. Brady just structured his deal alittle different, he didn't really take less cash, I'm sure if he left NE someone would've blown away the contract the Pats gave him, just like if Manning left Indy.

[FistfullofRings]

restructure does not necessarily mean pay cut....he still got his money...just allocated differently

Right, I love when everybody says "What a great guy he is for restructuring!" when all they did was accept money that was not yet due to them.

[LetMePlay]

Restructure can mean more money if you plan on sucking. Since they just move part of the original contract to a signing bonus on the new contract it can get prorated over the life of the new contract. If you start sucking after you restructure you are better off since the money is now locked even if they cut your sucky ass.

[Sluzilla]

i'd go for Bryant Johnson FA WR 6'3" 216lbs...

[Slaine]

Brady's restructure was a tough call for him...

"The Patriots took Brady's $6 million base salary in 2007 and paid $5.28 million of it to Brady in the form of a signing bonus. That lowered Brady's base salary in 2007 to $720,000. By restructuring Brady's contract, the Patriots saved $3.96 million in cap space in 2007. As for the rest of the deal, Brady's base salary remained the same in 2008, at $5 million. His base salary increased to $5 million in 2009. He was previously scheduled to earn $2.3 million in base salary in 2009. Brady's base salary remained the same in 2010, at $3.5 million. Brady did not take a pay cut as part of the restructure."

[Coryea]

i'd go for Bryant Johnson FA WR 6'3" 216lbs...

I second that, but he'll probably get some pretty big offers.

[Tres Rios]

I've been saying tall playmaking WR since this season started dammit! Ben reads me.

Draft Bowman, Sweed or Hardy.

[Slaine]

Incidentally, his cap hit for next year is $14,620,000 :eek:

[Sean]

i'd go for Bryant Johnson FA WR 6'3" 216lbs...

Agreed........

[Sluzilla]

I've been saying tall playmaking WR since this season started dammit! Ben reads me.

Draft Bowman, Sweed or Hardy.

i've agreed and talked Johnson in FA for a while and pimped Bowman...

[Coryea]

The only problem with Bryant Johnson is he'll want to go somwhere where he's the #1 guy and someone will probably pay him like it.

[BLEEDS]

i've agreed and talked Johnson in FA for a while and pimped Bowman...

Bowman would be nice, however he is probably going in the 1st or 2nd, where we will be picking linemen.

Johnson would be an option worth looking at.

PEACE

-BLEEDS

[khruuton]

Don't expect a big receiver as long as Bruce Arians has a say. Wasn't Quincy Morgan let go because Arians wanted smaller receivers. As per Quincy of course.

Is there any truth to this?

[Tres Rios]

I'm still not sold on OL in Round 1. It's a deep draft for OL and only a small handful of tall playmaking WRs. I'm saying WR in Round 1, OL in Round 2 and probably another in 3 or 4.

[Far51]

Nate is 6"1 has the deep threat tools but needs to polish up his skills, as he is very inconsistent, it may take Nate more time say 2 years which he can't wait till for a 3rd WR, Berian is a UFA but would cost a lot.
Colbert at a low cost may be worth a shot but he has been always hurt in his short career so far, Gabrial would be cheap but character issues.
I would really like to us add Justin Gage. he is the only UFA I see worth adding, Jerome Mathis would be sweet and he would give us a good KR but he is a RFA and I doubt Houston lets him go, we can't afford to give picks as we need our picks to trade to move up up in rounds and fill gaping holes on the OL& DL.

Release Wilson no point in bringing him back, find a true slot WR, give Reid 1 more year, just add Gage.

[Tres Rios]

Nate is not a big play threat. Won't ever be.

I'd keep Wilson over Reid. Wilson at least makes catches when we finally throw it to him. And he doesn't have fumblitis.

I would actually be happy starting next year with:

#1 Ward
#2 Holmes
#3 Bowman / Sweed / Hardy
#4 Washington
#5 Wilson

[BLEEDS]

Nate is not a big play threat. Won't ever be.

I'd keep Wilson over Reid. Wilson at least makes catches when we finally throw it to him. And he doesn't have fumblitis.

I would actually be happy starting next year with:

#1 Ward
#2 Holmes
#3 Bowman / Sweed / Hardy
#4 Washington
#5 Wilson

Agree on your comments, but I assume you are planning on using your 1st round pick to get Bowman? Sure, we'd ALL be HAPPY with that. Ain't going to happen though. We're going O/D-LINE 1 through 3 - maybe more if we trade down...

PEACE

-BLEEDS

[Coryea]

If one of the top OT's are there I can't see us passing on him, eventhough it appears to be a deep draft. You build your team around a QB and the Oline, right now we have a franchise QB, now we need some top flight players in front of him. There were several occassions this year where we had guys beat the DB's, but Ben didn't have time to make the throw.

[Sluzilla]

if we don't reach for a OL in round 1 i'm fine...but if the true first rounders are gone...i'm fine with a WR or even D...

OL is deep this year though...

i'd also be interested in Marcus Henry WR Kansas in a later round if we don't get one early...

[Tres Rios]

I am totally fine with WR in Round 1 and OL in 2 and 3 or 2 and 4. Lots of value at OL in rounds 2, 3, 4... If you want a true tall playmaking, scare the defense type WR there are 3, maybe 4 total in this draft.

[Doc]

where's the big WR from Neb projected to go? His name escapes me.

[Tres Rios]

Maurice Purify, haven't heard much about him. Can't see him going before the 4th, if that even.

[Superman]

Marcus Monk should be our WR draftee. I have no idea where he's been projected, but he's got the height, speed and most importantly the hands. He gets overlooked since Arkansas didn't pass the ball, and they had 2 very good reasons not to in McFadden and Felix Jones.

[Tres Rios]

So, our big time, big play, stretch the field guy is going to be someone with question marks and cobwebs?

[steelersoldier]

He will only get 1 of those items

[GoSteelers]

[QUOTE=Steelerman;38206]


The Steelers do have tall tight ends in 6-5 Heath Miller and 6-7 Matt Spaeth, but Roethlisberger would like to spot a taller target at wide receiver as well.

"It's nice to have a bailout guy, you know when you're in trouble and you just kind of throw it up. In the red zone its nice to have a guy like that. Obviously, we have a guy like Nate who can jump out of this world. He can jump so high. It's nice to have that.



oh yes, he can jump, but he can't catch a cold!
but he can jump and it's nice to have that.(in Basketball)

[Superman]

So, our big time, big play, stretch the field guy is going to be someone with question marks and cobwebs?

I was unaware of any question marks. He's undoubtedly as talented as any other WR in this draft - and if not, there's not much difference.

[LetMePlay]

If Sweed is there I take him.

[Vindrow]

Question being is Ben willing to take less money when he gets his new contract so that they can work with Alan to try and get him re-signed?

[scrapdog]

Question being is Ben willing to take less money when he gets his new contract so that they can work with Alan to try and get him re-signed?



Yes he would. I say that confidently.

[Vindrow]

Yes he would. I say that confidently.


Guess, were going to find out over the next few weeks...and I hope he does since I would like to see Alan back with the Steelers.

[steel_pirate]

Do people here believe Ben will sign before March?? No way Steelers keep Alan.

Alan will hit Free Agency in Feb and Ben is due roster bonus on March 1 if i am not wrong.

[bradentonfan]

Michael Jenkins ATL
Bryant Johnson AZ
Drew Carter CAR .......... all at least 6'3
there is also roumor that Det is shopping Roy Williams

[Tres Rios]

Michael Jenkins ATL
Bryant Johnson AZ
Drew Carter CAR .......... all at least 6'3
there is also roumor that Det is shopping Roy Williams

Pass
Take for not too much money
Pass
Hell yes, but no way will we afford him

[TMC]

Marcus Monk is an EXCELLENT WR and a guy I would not mind getting in this draft. He did not have a good senior season because he was hurt. He injured his knee before the season started (in practice) and missed 6 games. In the 6 games Monk played in, he did not play like the guy he was last season, when he almost broke 1000 yards receiving and was on pace to break the SEC record for receiving TDs.

In 2006, the Razorbacks threw for 2093 yards as a team.....Monk accounted for almost half, 962 yards. He more than doubled the next closest receiver in catches and had 4 times as many yards as the 2nd receiver. Monk has led the Razorbacks in receiving yards every season but his senior year. IMO, I think Monk is somewhat like Miller....teams will forget about him because of injury and someone in the 4th/5th will get a player.

And, this draft has a glut of tall WRs. Just take a look:
Limas Sweed-6'5"
Malcolm Kelly 6'4"
Marcus Monk-6'6"
James Hardy-6'7"
Devin Thomas-6'2"
Adarius Bowman-6'4"
Marcus Smith-6'2"
Keenan Burton-6'2"
DJ Hall-6'3"
Jordy Nelson-6'3"
Adrian Arrington-6'3"
Steve Johnson-6'3"
Paul Hubbard-6'4"
Mario Urritia-6'6"
and there has to be another 10-20 over 6'2"....really, guys like Lance Legget, Marcus Henry, Jason Rivers, Maurice Purify, Keith Brown, Mark Bradford, De'Cody Fagg, Evan Moore, Edward Williams, Amarri Jackson..........


This draft is simply loaded with bigger WRs. Honestly, the only problem I see at WR is there are no true studs at the top. I do not see a top 10 WR, maybe not a Top 20....but damn, there is a group of guys that could go anywhere from 20th to 5th round and it depends on what you like. Someone will go too early (by some opinions) and someone will slide. I wait on a WR until the 2nd (and grab a stud that slipped) or the 4th (and grab that middle of the road guy).

[TMC]

Does anyone realize that there are roughly 8-12 WRs in this draft that are 6'5" or taller?

[Tres Rios]

IMHO you have Sweed, Bowman and HArdy heads and shoulders above the other tall guys. If you don't get one of those three then you may as well wait til Round 3 or 4.

[TMC]

IMHO you have Sweed, Bowman and HArdy heads and shoulders above the other tall guys. If you don't get one of those three then you may as well wait til Round 3 or 4.

Well, Jordy Nelson threw up huge numbers. Monk was THE receiver when Arkansas was in a pinch, everyone knew it, and he still got it done. James Hardy is HUGE, but if he runs a 4.65...he will plunge like a rock...and, this is the first season he broke 1000 yards, so where were all the great years of production? Sweed is coming off the injury. Bowman has had some off the field issues including being dismissed from the UNC football team for marijuana possession.

Shit, if Jordy Nelson runs like some think he may, a sub 4.45, he will vault up draft boards. If Hardy runs poorly, he will fall. IMO, EVERY WR in this draft has an issue. The way I see them, there are slight differences that have one rated higher than another.

I would also keep an eye on Steve Johnson from Kentucky. Keenan Burton was the #1 WR, but he has struggled with injuries and Johnson exploded this season. He cracked 1000 yards and added 13 TDs this season. He is expected to run in the 4.45 range and if he does, he will climb.

IMO, there are plenty of good WRs in this draft, but NO sure fire Calvin Johnson locks.

[Big Fella]

James Hardy is HUGE, but if he runs a 4.65...he will plunge like a rock...and, this is the first season he broke 1000 yards, so where were all the great years of production? Sweed is coming off the injury.

I like Hardy and Monk, Sweed is a distant third IMO.

Interesting that you mention lack of production for Hardy, when that is a much bigger concern to me for Sweed.

Hardy racked up about 2600 yards and 36 touchdowns in 3 seasons.

Sweed compiled 1900 yards and 20 touchdowns in 3 1/2 seasons.

Forgetting Hardy's first season, and Sweed's first two where he was catching balls from Vince Young, their respective quarterbacks stat lines look like this.

Kellen Lewis: 5264 yards, 42 touchdowns. (2 seasons)
Colt McCoy: 5873 yards, 51 touchdowns.

I'm far more impressed with Hardy's production, and feel he'll be the better pro.

[Ghost of Frenchy Fuqua]

I'd be wary of Sweed.

For some reason, Texas WRs and RBs seem to have issues - and end up disappointing...

[Tres Rios]

The combine will definitely shake the WR tree some.