Steelers Blog

Turns out the lack of experience on their offensive line (backups I'm looking in your direction) likely scared the Steelers enough to re-sign starting center Justin Hartwig to a 4-year extension. It was thought the team was finished signing their pending free agents when they re-upped with Brett Keisel, but think again. Here is the official release from the team:

The Steelers signed starting center Justin Hartwig to a new four-year deal through 2012, the team announced today. Financial terms of the deal were not released.

Hartwig, who is in his eighth year in the NFL and second with the Steelers, started all 16 regular-season games and every postseason contest in 2008. He has started 79 games in his career, which included previous stints with the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers.

Hartwig was initially drafted by the Titans in the sixth round (187^th overall) of the 2002 NFL Draft out of Kansas. He signed with Pittsburgh as a free agent on March 25, 2008.

The Steelers have one less pending free agent to worry about going into the season as Defensive End Brett Keisel was re-signed today to a 5-year contract. According to KDKA contributor Ed Bouchette of the Post Gazette, Keisel will likely be the final signing before the season begins. The Steelers do not negotiate contract matters during the regular season.

That's bad news for several other players including Willie Parker, Casey Hampton, Jeff Reed, Ryan Clark, Justin Hartwig, and Willie Colon.

Stapleton (6-3, 305) started the final 12 regular-season games and all three playoff games in 2008 after former starter Kendall Simmons suffered a season-ending injury. Stapleton, who was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent in 2007 out of Rutgers, played in every game last season after being inactive for every game his rookie season.

The Steelers also released wide receiver Steven Black, wide receiver Martin Nance, safety Derrick Richardson and center Alex Stepanovich to trim their roster to 75 players. The club must get their roster down to the league limit of 53 players by 6 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 5.

The makeup of the Steelers 2009 offensive line is quickly focusing into view as today Max Starks was signed to a 4-year contract. According to the Trib, the deal is worth $26.3 million, an average slightly less per season than what Starks made last year with the transition tag.

Here is the official release from the team:

        The Steelers signed six-year veteran offensive tackle Max Starks to a new four-year contract today that will keep him with the team through 2012. Financial terms of the deal were not released.

Starks, who is slated to play left tackle for the Steelers in 2009, was originally drafted by the team in the third round (75^th overall) of the 2004 NFL Draft out of Florida. He began his career as a right tackle, making 30 consecutive regular season starts at the position from 2005-06, before missing the final two games in 2006 with a knee injury. Starks started 15 regular season games at left tackle from 2007-08, in place of injured starter Marvel Smith. He started at left tackle in all three 2008 postseason games, including Super Bowl XLIII.

Starks had been designated the Steelers transition player prior to the 2008 season and the team’s franchise player in 2009. By signing his new contract, Starks no longer carries the team’s franchise designation.

Starks has played in 72 games and made 45 starts during his NFL career. He currently ranks as the longest-tenured offensive lineman with the Steelers.

Not a bad final year in the NFL for Fernando Bryant. Sign on with the Steelers mid-season as an injury replacement, and wind up with a Super Bowl Ring. Here's the official release from the team:

        Veteran Steelers cornerback Fernando Bryant announced his retirement from the NFL today, after a 10-year career that culminated with a victory in Super Bowl XLIII.

Bryant, 32, signed with the Steelers on Nov. 11, 2008, and saw action in two regular season games after being released by the New England Patriots at the end of training camp (August 30).

Bryant was originally drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 26^th overall pick in the first round of the 1999 NFL Draft, after earning first-team All-SEC honors as a senior at Alabama. He played five seasons with the Jaguars before signing with the Detroit Lions as an unrestricted free agent in 2004 (March 5). He signed with New England on March 20, 2008 after four seasons in Detroit.

Bryant started in 109 of the 112 games he played during his NFL career. He registered 512 tackles (438 solo), 89 defensed passes, seven interceptions, three forced fumbles and nine recovered fumbles. He was named to all of the major NFL all-rookie teams in 1999 when he posted a career-high 78 tackles (64 solo), two interceptions, 13 defensed passes and one forced fumble and one recovered fumble.

The Steelers handed out their Super Bowl rings yesterday. I saw one in person at the Penguins game last night, and man, that is some serious bling.

The Steelers granted Larry Foote his wish today releasing the veteran linebacker. Here's the statement from Steelers Director of Football Operations Kevin Colbert:

Larry has been a big part of our success, but unfortunately the realities of the salary cap made this decision inevitable.

We wish Larry and his family nothing but the best as he moves forward with his career.

PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2009 ROOKIE FREE AGENTS

Player                                                                    Pos.                Ht.                   Wt.                  College

Steven Black                                                        WR                  6-2                  202                 Memphis

Jeff Bradley                                                          DT                   6-3                  280                 Western Carolina

Mark Estermeyer                                                 LS                   6-1                  251                 Pittsburgh

Ramon Foster                                                      OT                   6-5                  328                 Tennessee

Cedric Goodman                                                 WR                  6-2                  189                 Georgia

Tyler Grisham                                                      WR                  5-10                184                 Clemson

Tom Korte                                                             LB                   6-0                  239                 Hillside (Mich.)

Kevin McCabe                                                     QB                  6-2                  209                 California (Pa.)

Steve McLendon                                                 DT                   6-3                  305                 Troy

Isaac Redman                                                      RB                   5-10                228                 Bowie State

Mike Reilly                                                            QB                  6-3                  214                 Central Washington State

Derrick Richardson                                             S                     5-11                201                 New Mexico State

Andrew Schantz                                                  LB                   6-1                  234                 Portland State

Batch was originally signed by the Steelers as a free agent from the Detroit Lions in 2002 and has been the team’s primary backup quarterback during his time in Pittsburgh. He has played in 22 games (four starts) with the Steelers and has a 94.4 passer rating with the team. Batch missed the entire 2008 season with a shoulder injury. He spent the first four years of his career in Detroit, starting 46 of the 48 games he played in with the Lions.

The Steelers also announced they have released veteran running back Gary Russell, who was originally signed as an undrafted rookie free agent following the 2007 NFL Draft. In his two seasons with the Steelers, he played in 15 regular-season games and four postseason contests.

The Steelers will kick off the 2009 NFL season at Heinz Field against the Tennessee Titans on Thursday, Sept. 10 at 8:30 p.m. on NBC. Pittsburgh is scheduled to play one other nationally televised home primetime game on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 8:20 p.m. against the San Diego Chargers. Pittsburgh’s other national primetime games include road contests Monday, Nov. 9 at Denver (8:30 p.m.), Sunday, Nov. 29 at Baltimore (8:20 p.m.) and Thursday, Dec. 10 at Cleveland (8:20 p.m.). The Cleveland game will be broadcast on NFL Network.

“It is always exciting, and an honor, to be the team that kicks off the NFL season at home,” said Steelers President Art Rooney II. “Our fans in Pittsburgh and around the world are going to enjoy watching us pursue another Super Bowl championship against some very challenging competition.”

In addition to the Steelers’ two home primetime games, Pittsburgh will play six additional contests at Heinz Field, including consecutive home games Sunday, Oct. 18 vs. Cleveland (1 p.m.) and Sunday, Oct. 25 vs. Minnesota (1 p.m.). The remainder of the Steelers’ home schedule includes Sunday, Nov. 15 vs. Cincinnati (1 p.m.), Sunday, Dec. 6 vs. Oakland (1 p.m.), Sunday, Dec. 20 vs. Green Bay (1 p.m.) and Sunday, Dec. 27 vs. Baltimore (1 p.m.). Green Bay’s trip to Pittsburgh will be the first for the Packers in the regular season since 1998.

The Steelers’ remaining road games include the team’s first trip to Chicago since 1995 when they visit the Bears on Sept. 20 (4:15 p.m.). Pittsburgh will travel to division rival Cincinnati on Sept. 27 (1 p.m.) and to Detroit for the first time in the regular season since 1998 on Oct. 11 (1 p.m.). The Steelers will travel to Kansas City on Nov. 22 (1 p.m.) and conclude the regular season in Miami on Jan. 3 (1 p.m.).

The Steelers’ annual bye week will be on Nov. 1 (Week 8).

All Sunday games beginning in Week 11 (Nov. 22) through the remainder of the regular season are subject to flexible scheduling and could be moved into the Sunday night time slot (8:20 p.m.). The NFL will provide at least 12 days notice of time changes due to the “flex” scheduling. Week 17 start time changes could be decided on six days notice to ensure a game with playoff implications. Flexible scheduling will not impact Thursday, Saturday or Monday night games.

The Steelers open their four-game preseason schedule Thursday, Aug. 13 at 8 p.m. at Heinz Field in a nationally televised rematch of Super Bowl XLIII against the Arizona Cardinals. Pittsburgh will play at the Washington Redskins on Saturday, Aug. 22, at 7:30 p.m. The Buffalo Bills will visit Heinz Field on Saturday, Aug. 29 at 7:30 p.m. for the Steelers’ final home game of the preseason. The Steelers will conclude their preseason schedule on the road on Thursday, Sept. 3 at 8 p.m. at the Carolina Panthers. The final three Steelers preseason games will be televised locally on KDKA (channel 2) and FSN Pittsburgh.