Steelers Trade Rumors

"Anthony "Booger" McFarland may still be an option for the Steelers and the team may have more flexibility after June 2 when teams can cut players and not have the salaries they were due to make count against the cap. As for the offensive line, the Steelers have three players on their roster that have starting experience at tackle. And what has to be encouraging for the Steelers has to be the health of left tackle Marvel Smith. Smith had surgery last season to relieve pressure that a piece of a herniated disc had put on a nerve in his back, and he said he noticed a change, for the better, as soon as he woke up from the procedure."

"Steelers director of football operations Kevin Colbert raised the possibility of trading out of the No. 23 spot to acquire more picks in this weekend's NFL Draft. Unlike previous drafts, Colbert said the Steelers won't trade up in the first round to acquire a player they really like. "

"Colbert, who enjoys a good trade, said it's more likely the Steelers would trade down from their position at No. 23 in the first round than go up."

"Max Starks signed the one-year offer the Steelers tendered him back in February when they placed the transition tag on the fifth-year veteran... The Steelers and Starks' agents could continue to work toward a deal on a long-term contract extension."

"Free-agent tight end Kyle Brady, who has played 13 NFL seasons, met with Steelers coaches Tuesday at the team's South Side facility."

"Former Penn State tight end Kyle Brady, an unrestricted free agent, visited the Steelers yesterday. Brady, 36, has played for the New York Jets, Jacksonville Jaguars and New England Patriots, who released him Feb. 29."

"That's an interesting scenario, and if the Steelers want to move down in the draft and pick up an extra choice or two Atlanta would be a logical trading partner because of the two picks it has in the second round."

"The Steelers remain interested in working out a long-term contract extension with offensive tackle Max Starks and will make that more of a priority after the owners meetings, director of football operations Kevin Colbert said."

"The Steelers had four players visit their South Side facility Tuesday, with Anthony "Booger" McFarland easily qualifying as the most intriguing of the bunch."

"The NFL salary cap is at an all-time high. Teams are spending money like they're playing Monopoly. Free-agent offensive tackles, especially those bearing Super Bowl rings, are supposedly in huge demand. So why is Max Starks still without a new contract? "

"Cornerback Bryant McFadden was the Steelers' second-round draft pick in 2005. McFadden is entering the final year of his contract and has retained the one and only Drew Rosenhaus to broker a new deal. Be afraid Steelers fans, be very afraid. "

"Hartwig, 29, was joined on the South Side by free-agent safety Donnie Nickey, a backup for five seasons with the Tennessee Titans who is considered a special-teams standout. Nickey, an Akron, Ohio, native who played at Ohio State, once angered Titans quarterback Vince Young because he hit his teammates too hard in practice."

"The Steelers continue to address coach Mike Tomlin's promise to improve their special teams. They signed running back Mewelde Moore, who also returns punts, along with linebacker Keyaron Fox, another special teams standout. On Friday, the Steelers met with free-agent safety Donnie Nickey, a top special teams performer with the Tennessee Titans. "

"Outside linebacker Keyaron Fox, an unrestricted free agent who played the past four seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, is the latest player to meet with the coaching staff. He was at the Steelers' offices yesterday, looking for a new team after Chiefs coach Herman Edwards promised to overhaul the Kansas City roster after a 4-12 season."

"The Steelers brought in another free agent Tuesday, but even if they sign him, their chances of making it to the Super Bowl won’t improve one bit. For the record, the guy’s name is Keyaron Fox, a back-up linebacker from Kansas City. In four pro seasons, he’s made just four starts."

"He's not a free agent, but offensive tackle Marvel Smith will become one next year if the Steelers do not sign him to a contract before then. He's in the same place this year as was Faneca last year; Smith has one year left on his contract, and no doubt he'd like an extension before he begins the 2008 season."

"The team did re-sign linebacker Andre Frazier to a one-year deal that could be worth as much as $520,000 and includes a $50,000 signing bonus... The Steelers could free up cap room by signing offensive tackle Max Starks to a long-term contract or restructuring the contracts of players on their roster."

"Now consider that left tackle Marvel Smith, Faneca's former teammate and on-field neighbor, could break Faneca's record. Smith, who turns 30 in August, will be a free agent after next season. As the salary cap continues to rise, so will players' salaries."

"In the midst of a whirlwind recruiting tour, free-agent defensive back Eugene Wilson left Steelers headquarters Tuesday without a contract. The Steelers were the second stop for Wilson, who played five seasons with the New England Patriots. "

"Bill Cowher's house is for sale in Raleigh, N.C., and he and his family will move -- 2 miles away. Cowher said yesterday, with a laugh, that "I'm not going anywhere," after Internet reports noted that his house was for sale and rumors linked him with another coaching job, this one at Penn State."

"A deal on a contract extension for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger appears to be imminent, as his agents are in Pittsburgh and meeting with the Steelers."

"The agents for quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will meet in Pittsburgh today with Steelers officials to try to nail down a contract extension."

"Ben Roethlisberger is celebrating his 26th birthday today, and for a guy who seemingly has everything -- fame, money, a Super Bowl ring -- there is one belated present that the Steelers quarterback would love to get: a contract extension."

"In the meantime, while the Steelers placed the transition tag on backup offensive tackle Max Starks, there have been no negotiations to try to sign him to a long-term contract. Eugene Parker, his agent, said he does not know what the club's intentions are for Starks."

"Although it still seems to make the most sense for Moss to stay in Foxboro, the money has to work, and right now it doesn’t. The NFL.com story also noted that Moss doesn’t plan to take another discount to stay with the Pats. If Moss leaves, where might he go?"

"For the record, the Steelers have made offers to six of their own free agents -- restricted free agents Nate Washington, Chris Kemoeatu, Greg Warren and Trai Essex, and unrestricted free agents Max Starks and Travis Kirschke. Whoop-de-do! "

"The Steelers all but assured that wide receiver Nate Washington and guard Chris Kemoeatu will return to the team next season with the one-year tender offers they made to the restricted free agents Thursday."

"The Steelers issued one-year contract tenders to four of their five restricted free agents yesterday, as required if they wanted to maintain their rights to match any contract they might sign with another team. The four are offensive tackle Trai Essex, guard Chris Kemoeatu, wide receiver Nate Washington and long-snapper Greg Warren."

"The Pittsburgh Steelers made a move Thursday that will likely allow them to keep four restricted free agents. Wide receiver Nate Washington and guard Chris Kemoeatu received one-year tenders worth $1.417 million."

"The Steelers yesterday were debating what tenders to issue to their most important RFAs. They include guard Chris Kemoeatu, wide receiver Nate Washington and offensive tackle Trai Essex. Their other two RFAs are linebacker Andre Frazier and long-snapper Greg Warren."

" Unless director of football operations Kevin Colbert and coach Mike Tomlin put out a major smokescreen at the recent NFL Scouting Combine, the Steelers will also be among the many teams that dip their toe into what is a shallow free-agent pool but not jump right into it."

"Those weren't dollar signs Alan Faneca saw yesterday, but a decade's worth of memories. His days with the Steelers have come to an end, and he will sign elsewhere, almost surely accepting another team's offer Friday, the start of another round of free agency in the NFL."

"Arizona Cardinals coach and former Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt was asked if his team was going to pursue Steelers Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca when he becomes a free agent later this week."

"If Pittsburgh guard Alan Faneca hits the free agent market next week as expected the Cardinals will be interested in signing him. Interest, however, might not translate into ability. The Cardinals have little room under the salary cap, and Faneca is rated as one of the top offensive lineman on the market, so he will command big money."

"Steelers management prefers to re-sign its key players a year prior to free agency. But with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger in line for a new contract, will there be enough money to satisfy Smith?"

"The team put the transition tag on Max Starks because it didn't want to lose two proven offensive linemen during the offseason, and the Steelers figured Starks would be easier to sign to a long-term contract than perennial Pro Bowler Alan Faneca, who will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of the month."

"With All-Pro guard Alan Faneca all but gone, the Steelers moved to shore up their offensive line even before the start of the free-agent signing period and the NFL draft. The team placed the transition tag on Max Starks on Wednesday, though that doesn't guarantee the tackle will be with the Steelers for this season. "

"The Steelers may lose all-star guard Alan Faneca during free agency, but they’ve made a bold move that figures to keep tackle Max Starks on their roster."

"Ordinarily, the Steelers attempting to re-sign reserve guard Chris Kemoeatu would barely rate a mention entering free agency. These are not ordinary times for the Steelers. Seven-time Pro Bowler Alan Faneca, the top free-agent guard, is as good as gone."

"Other Steelers' unrestricted free agents include guard Alan Faneca, linebacker Clark Haggans, tackle Max Starks, defensive end Nick Eason, fullback Dan Kreider, running back Verron Haynes, quarterback Brian St. Pierre and linebacker Marquis Cooper. Faneca isn't expected to return. Haggans' agent told the Tribune-Review that he won't re-sign with the Steelers. Kirschke's signing means that Eason, who plays the same position, probably won't return. "

"As for the offensive line, the Dolphins can fill some of their needs in free agency. No one would argue if they spend some of their newfound salary-cap windfall on Pittsburgh free agent guard Alan Faneca and Dallas free agent left tackle Flozell Adams."

"If the Bears want to bring back Marty Booker, he wants to come home. That's what a league source shared Tuesday, a day after the Miami Dolphins released the veteran wide receiver. The Bears are considering signing Booker, 31, before he fields other offers... The Bears have been doing homework regarding seven-time Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca, who turned 31 in December. "

"Smith would draw some interest on the open market and the one team who could come calling is Pittsburgh Steelers. I'm told that Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is a big fan of Smith and has always thought that he would be a better pass-rusher in a 3-4 defense which they run in Blitzburgh."

"Q: What do you think of the Steelers trying to signing Bryant Johnson as a UFA? He has good size, good hands and will come at a good price. "

"The Steelers have agreed to terms on a contract with former Boise State quarterback Jared Zabransky with the idea he possibly could be more than just an extra arm in training camp."

"The Steelers this week will open contract talks with some of their players who can become unrestricted free agents and one who cannot -- quarterback Ben Roethlisberger."

"When Ben Roethlisberger announced his off-season wish list, he officially became one of you. Rather, one of yinz. Roethlisberger can wish all he wants, but the Steelers are not going to re-sign Alan Faneca."

"The Steelers are expected to sign former Boise State quarterback Jared Zabransky to a free-agent contract today, according to the Idaho Statesman."

"A lot fans are enamored with the idea of the Seahawks signing Pittsburgh Steelers guard Alan Faneca in free agency to bolster their offensive line. Don't count on it. Holmgren said in an interview that aired Thursday on KJR-AM that the club will focus on re-signing its own free agents and not be major players when it comes to going after big names from other teams."

"Even though the company line says that negotiations with Alan Faneca still aren’t completely dead, there’s little reason to believe the Steelers can match the lucrative offer he’ll get on the open market. Outside linebacker Clark Haggans will leave as an unrestricted free agent. Tackle Max Starks, fullback Dan Kreider and defensive ends Travis Kirschke and Nick Eason are also unrestricted free agents."