The Pittsburgh Steelers have already been addressing some of their younger players as they have re-signed LB’s Lawrence Timmons and Lamarr Woodley to new contracts in the last few weeks. The Steelers have also re-signed CB Ike Taylor and OT Willie Colon to new contracts as well which has left them with very little cap room to address other players like Troy Polamalu and Mike Wallace.
Polamalu will be an unrestricted free agent following the season and Wallace is slated to be a restricted free agent.
Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports that these two players will have to wait until 2012 to receive new contracts from the team.
“All comments about the contract stay between the Steelers and my agent. Sorry,” said Polamalu. “I’d love to retire a Steeler.”
Polamalu is one of those players that you commend for his efforts on the field but wonder how well he’s going to age. He’ll be 31 at the start of next season so he still has productive years left and it shouldn’t impact his next deal that much. Pittsburgh may look to use their franchise tag on him until a deal can be reached.
Wallace on the other hand will be a restricted free agent which makes their situation a little easier financially but at some point they’re going to have sign him to a long-term deal. Allowing Plaxico Burress and Santonio Holmes to leave has worked but at some point they’re going to have to find a solid replacement for Hines Ward and Wallace seems to have done that already.
“This is the last year of my contract. I kind of want to play it out,” Wallace said. “I’m not worried about that right now. I’m just trying to get back to the Super Bowl.”
We have Polamalu listed as No. 11 and Mike Wallace as No. 20 best available players in our Top 50 Free Agents list.
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