Is Ward Too Old For His Contract?

[tony hipchest]

i hear alot of the reasoning for letting porter go and not resigning faneca because of their age (30 years or older). personally i feel this is BS. while i think ward will probably have to accept a paycut to remain a steeler is that because he is past 30? i say no.

http://nfl.com/news/story/10233959

How big will the age factor be in 2007?

By Pat Kirwan
NFL.com Senior Analyst

(June 22, 2007) -- Does age matter when putting long-term deals together? Of course it should. But each position should also be viewed separately. I took a look at the age of the top producers at a number of positions to clarify what the age tolerance is at each spot. For example, is a 32-year-old wide receiver the same as a 32-year-old running back?

Speaking of running backs, the first thing that jumped out at me was the volatility at the position. Of the top 25 rushers last year, six have changed teams for the upcoming season. Travis Henry (ranked 10th), Thomas Jones (11th), Jamal Lewis (16th), Ahman Green (19th) Tatum Bell (22nd) and Willis McGahee (24th) are all moving on to new employers. As a group, these players average seven years of experience and the ripe old age of 28. Is that the turning point where a team just decides it can't engage in another big contract? The average age of the top nine rushers last year was 26. It really is starting to look like there's a significant difference in two to three years when a back is closing in on his 30th birthday. And as great as Larry Johnson is, he will turn 28 in November and at that age he might be deemed too old for a long-term deal. Tiki Barber walked away from the game at the ripe old age of 31, but Barber's age wouldn't be much of an issue at other positions.


Age will be a key issue when RB Larry Johnson (27) is ready to cash in on a long-term deal.
The top 19 wide receivers all return to the team they worked for last year. Only the 20th, Keyshawn Johnson, announced he was retiring. Not one of the others was cut or traded. By the number of receptions, Marvin Harrison (ranked No. 3), Torry Holt (No. 4), Donald Driver (No. 5), Laveranues Coles (No. 6), T.J. Houshmandzadeh (No. 7), Terrell Owens (No. 10), Isaac Bruce (No. 16), Hines Ward (No. 17), and Terry Glenn (No. 18) are all going to be 30 or older by the end of the 2007 season. Owens caught the most touchdown passes last year with 13. And with Bruce being 35 years old, it seems clear that a long-term contract to a 28-year-old receiver makes better business sense. However, there really doesn't appear to be significant diminishing skills when a top quality wide receiver hit his 30th birthday.

Quarterbacks seem to get even better as they cross the three-decade mark in their life. Peyton Manning will be 31 this season. Jeff Garcia will be 37, while Brett Favre, who turned 30 back in the 1999 season, has thrown 201 touchdowns to just 135 interceptions since then. The Dolphins just traded for 37-year-old Trent Green, while Rams QB Marc Bulger turns 30 this year and his contract is due to expire. But for Bulger, age will not be a factor in getting a long-term deal. No one thinks of Tom Brady as being old just yet either, even though he turns 30 in August.

The big money on defensive players goes to pass rushers and cover corners. No one thinks of Jason Taylor (age 33) and Warren Sapp (35), who combined for 23? sacks last season, as over-the-hill. The average age of the top 10 players in sacks was 28 last year, and that group included Leonard Little, Trevor Pryce, Aaron Schobel and Taylor who were all over 30. As for cover corners, scheme has a lot to do with age. Teams playing a lot of Cover 2 zone can get away with older players, but teams employing man-to-man schemes tend to need younger players.

Finally, the modern athletes can play longer than the players of a few decades ago and new technologies like Nike vision, diet and strength training, will prolong careers. But when it comes to long-term contracts that are going to bring players well past their 30th birthday, there are just a few positions that qualify as good business decisions. A five-year deal with 40 percent of the money guaranteed would make sense for a 30-year-old quarterback, a 26-year-old running back, a 29-year-old wide receiver, a 28-year-old pass rusher and a 25-year-old cover corner.

does anyone even consider that tj houshmanzilla is almost as old as hines? odd how tj is viewed as an up an comer whereas ward is looked at as on the downside of his career.

[OneForTheToe]

To me the difference is that Joey's game is all about speed. Hines has never been a about speed. He is just as likely to create seperation by clubbing the db over the head as too trying to run away from someone. I am actually hoping that Santonio can develope enough this year and use his speed to help get Hines in more one on one situations. The one concern about Hines would be those "hammies." If he coninues to have trouble with his hamstrings, then maybe we do get to a point where we need to say gooodbye to Hines, but I don't think we are there yet.

[SteelCityMan786]

The only problem with Hines is just as Oneforthetoe said. It's the hamstring. If he has limited problem with it, then I can see him having a big year.

[CantStop85]

Originally Posted by tony hipchest

does anyone even consider that tj houshmanzilla is almost as old as hines? odd how tj is viewed as an up an comer whereas ward is looked at as on the downside of his career.

Well, as of the past couple of seasons, TJ's stats have been rising and Ward's have been falling. I think a major factor in this is wear-and-tear. TJ may be almost as old as Hines, but you gotta remember, he's really only played in the NFL consistently for a few years. Hines has played in 141 NFL games so far...TJ's only played in 72. That disparity makes a huge difference.

Jamal Lewis is the perfect example for this...he's only 27 years old, he should be in the prime of his career. However, he's already had as many carries as a 30-something year old back. Therefore, you already see the miles weighing him down on the field.

[Galax Steeler]

I think we will sign hines but will probably be a pay cut

[Black@Gold Forever32]

One thing you have to consider to is Hines style of play....He puts his body through hell and his body takes pounding since he doesn't play like the typical wuss NFL WR...lol I don't want Ward to go soft but if he wants to maybe have a few more very good productive years then maybe he should let up some....

[SteelCityMan786]

Originally Posted by galax steeler

I think we will sign hines but will probably be a pay cut

He's already signed, but yeah, they may ask for a pay cut.

[Preacher]

I will guarantee you the Rooney's thought through every aspect of that contract, including his age. So barring injury this year, I would have to say no.

The only thing that does worry me with his age, is that when he does get injured, he doesn't heal as fast as someone younger.

[SteelCityMan786]

Originally Posted by Preacher

I will guarantee you the Rooney's thought through every aspect of that contract, including his age. So barring injury this year, I would have to say no.

The only thing that does worry me with his age, is that when he does get injured, he doesn't heal as fast as someone younger.

That's for sure. The older you get, the slower you heal.

[Preacher]

Originally Posted by SteelCityMan786

That's for sure. The older you get, the slower you heal.

this coming from a guy still in HighSchool!!

Just wait!!