The Pittsburgh Steelers targeted their own player, cornerback Ike Taylor, when free agency began and by late Tuesday night they reportedly reached an agreement with him on a four-year contract according to several sources.
The terms were not specified for Taylor, who has been the team’s starting cornerback the past six seasons. He can’t officially sign until after 6 p.m. Friday and can’t join the Steelers until Aug. 4 at Saint Vincent College near Latrobe, Pa. according to a new rule in the collective bargaining agreement.
Taylor is the only one among the Steelers 14 unrestricted free agents who has reached a contract agreement. The Steelers signed 18 undrafted rookie free agents Tuesday and moved on to guys who played for them the previous year.
The club’s seven rookie draft picks also need to be signed, but that process has been slower than all the other action. Business should pick up more, as the Steelers report to training camp by 3 p.m. Thursday.
The Steelers generally don’t dip into the free-agent pool too often, other than an attempt to re-sign their own players, and those at the top of the list now are offensive tackles Willie Colon and Jonathan Scott and place-kicker Scott Suisham. There also are some players who could be approached to re-work their current contract agreements to free up some salary-cap room.
Those could include offensive tackle Flozell Adams, 36, $5 million base with $5 million cap hit this season; defensive end Aaron Smith, 35, $4.5 million base with $6.1 million cap hit and wide receiver Hines Ward, 35, $3 million base with $4.61 million cap hit. Outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley also could be included after getting the franchise tag and a $10 million, one-year contract before the lockout. A long-term agreement with him would lower the cap hit as well.
Under the new CBA, a team’s 51 highest salaries must be less than the $120.375 million salary cap by Aug. 4. Before Taylor’s deal, the Steelers were some $10 million over the new cap amount.
