Colbert comments on Mendy, Ward, and Free Agency

[6RingsAndCounting]

https://twitter.com/#!/EdBouchette

Ed Bouchette @EdBouchette
#steelers Colbert says no players likely to be signed before Mar 13, thus all will hit free agency

Ed Bouchette @EdBouchette
#steelers Colbert confirms that no decision made on Hines Ward yet

Ed Bouchette @EdBouchette
#steelers not counting on Mendenhall in 2012. GM Colbert: "i never feel good abut ACL for a year."

Ed Bouchette @EdBouchette
Despite Mendenhall's injury status Colbert says RB not necessarily a need

Ed Bouchette @EdBouchette
Colbert says #steelers have wwork to do to get under cap by Mar 13

*Update* Here's the article Bouchette wrote shortly after
The Steelers are not counting on Rashard Mendenhall being able to play in 2012 because of his ACL surgery, and it appears they will not sign any of their own pending free agents before they hit the open market on March 13.

Those were two revelations general manager Kevin Colbert offered during an interview today at the Steelers facility on the South Side.

Among others:

• He confirmed that no decision has been made on whether Hines Ward will be back with the Steelers in 2012.

• The Steelers "have work to do" to get under the mandatory NFL salary cap by March 13, which is the beginning of the new league calender and the start of free agency.

• They want to try to keep Mike Wallace "here for the long run.'' Wallace, their leading receiver last season, will become a restricted free agent March 13.

• Some big names could be out before training camp starts. "When you've had success . . . anybody who has been part of our team and you have to release them, it's always difficult.''

• The Steelers saw this problem with the salary cap coming for awhile and "knew we'd have to make adjustments,'' Colbert said. He called them "serious issues.''

"What our team will be at training camp? I don't know what it will be.''

Colbert did not say that Mendenhall would not play in 2012, but "I never feel good about an ACL for a year.'' Mendenhall had surgery on his knee in January after it was injured in Cleveland Jan. 1.

Even with the availability of Mendenhall in question, Colbert said they do not necessarily have to bring in another running back.

"No more than we are for any other position. Our young backup contributors did a nice job" in 2011.

He mentioned Isaac Redman as a back who has "established himself as an NFL running back.'' He also noted rookies John Clay and Byron Batch and second-year back Jonathan Dwyer.

Colbert said they likely cannot sign any of their own free agents before March 13 because of their position in the salary cap. It does not mean, however, they will not sign any of them after March 13.

That potentially means that Wallace will become a restricted free agent and another team could sign him. The Steelers, though, will almost surely offer him the high tender that would bring them a first-round draft pick if another team signed him and they did not match it and keep him.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/12044/1209944-100.stm

[tanda10506]

Sure Mendy appreciates that. So signing Wallace is our main focus but we will let him enter free agency, huh. Im not to knowledgable on the exact process of FA, I read about getring the draft picks for certain offers and what not with Wallace, but wouldnt it be better to just lock him up before other teams start making big offers?

[ricardisimo]

Originally Posted by tanda10506

Sure Mendy appreciates that. So signing Wallace is our main focus but we will let him enter free agency, huh. Im not to knowledgable on the exact process of FA, I read about getring the draft picks for certain offers and what not with Wallace, but wouldnt it be better to just lock him up before other teams start making big offers?

With what money? First they need to make at least a bit of wiggle room, then make an offer, then probably cut more after the fact to comply yet again.

[Curtain_of_Steel]

Didn't say much, no big deal.


Glad to hear him say that on Mendy, and not looking for an RB. that means we are looking at the pass, lol


They technically have made no siginificant cuts yet, macfadden and battle were no brainers and minor savings. The next big cut(1) breaks us even on the cap. Soon as the buckle down we wind up with 10-15million to play with.

Hampton Ward, busts us through.

Hopefully they are going with the no loyalty mentality, its what can you do for us tomorrow, not what have you done for us yesterday.

[Buddha Bus]

I wouldn't mind the team letting Mendy go. We have serious cap concerns to address and Wallace to try to get signed. If we are going to have to make difficult decisions on personnel, we can start with Mendy who is up and down and Redman showed he is more than capable of filling that role. We also have Memo, Dwyer, Clay, and a returning Baron Batch to back him up.

I think letting Mendy go would be less painful than watching Wallace walk or even Ward who has meant a great deal to this team. I'd rather keep either one of those two over Mendenhall right now if it saves us money (Ward) or makes us better (Wallace).

[MasterOfPuppets]

Originally Posted by Curtain_of_Steel

Didn't say much, no big deal.


Glad to hear him say that on Mendy, and not looking for an RB. that means we are looking at the pass, lol


They technically have made no siginificant cuts yet, macfadden and battle were no brainers and minor savings. The next big cut(1) breaks us even on the cap. Soon as the buckle down we wind up with 10-15million to play with.

Hampton Ward, busts us through.

Hopefully they are going with the no loyalty mentality, its what can you do for us tomorrow, not what have you done for us yesterday.

indeed..the last time they payed a player for what he HAS done instead of what they think he will do was jason gildon. they ended up eating a lot of dead money after they cut him.

[ricardisimo]

Originally Posted by Buddha Bus

I wouldn't mind the team letting Mendy go. We have serious cap concerns to address and Wallace to try to get signed. If we are going to have to make difficult decisions on personnel, we can start with Mendy who is up and down and Redman showed he is more than capable of filling that role. We also have Memo, Dwyer, Clay, and a returning Baron Batch to back him up.

I think letting Mendy go would be less painful than watching Wallace walk or even Ward who has meant a great deal to this team. I'd rather keep either one of those two over Mendenhall right now if it saves us money (Ward) or makes us better (Wallace).

But he's under contract. There is zero benefit to cutting him now. The team would still have his money on the books for this final year of his contract.

[TRH]

Originally Posted by tanda10506

Sure Mendy appreciates that. So signing Wallace is our main focus but we will let him enter free agency, huh. Im not to knowledgable on the exact process of FA, I read about getring the draft picks for certain offers and what not with Wallace, but wouldnt it be better to just lock him up before other teams start making big offers?

it's not as simple as "just locking him up". Both Wallace and his agent (and everyone else) already know that he will likely get offers out there that reach into the stratosphere and beyond.
They'll never just sit down and "sign" at this point. I just don't see how we're ever going to come up with the capital to sign him. Possible, yes, but i certainly wouldn't bet any of my money on it.

[ricardisimo]

Mike Wallace is gone. Get used to it. I think Brown and Sanders might both wind up being more complete all-around receivers anyway. Wallace pretty much tanked the last seven or eight games of the season, which is the only thing giving us the remotest hope of resigning him.

[Buddha Bus]

Originally Posted by ricardisimo

But he's under contract. There is zero benefit to cutting him now. The team would still have his money on the books for this final year of his contract.

Would a trade help with money? I realize it may be difficult to find takers on a guy coming off of an ACL injury who may not play or be 100% next season though. I'm also not sure how much of his money we would be on the hook for if we did find a suitor. Wishful thinking I guess.

I guess I thought he was possibly a free agent this year. Depending on what guys like Dwyer, Batch, and Clay do this coming season, I would seriously consider letting Mendy walk in 2013.