Hines Ward gone?

It comes down to who to you want on the field as the # 3-4 WR Ward or Cotchery?(SP?) As sad as it is to say, I go with Cotch. Same style or WR just one with fresher legs.

It comes down to who to you want on the field as the # 3-4 WR Ward or Cotchery?(SP?) As sad as it is to say, I go with Cotch. Same style or WR just one with fresher legs.

And don't be fooled by the media's interpretation of our cap scenario. I wouldn't be surprised in the least to hear the Steelers signed Cotchery to a 4yr, 10M contract. They could do a deal like that with very little impact in the first two years if they like him as much as I think they do. He'd be a heckuva a 4th WR and a nice influence on the younger guys.

It comes down to who to you want on the field as the # 3-4 WR Ward or Cotchery?

I don't think there's any question that the coaching staff would rather have Cotchery.  As beach said, the Steelers could sign him to a long term deal if they wanted to, but I doubt they pay him that much unless they expect to lose Wallace, either this year as an RFA or next as a UFA.  Even Cotchery has 3 guys ahead of him on the depth chart in Wallace, Brown and Sanders and you don't pay your #4 that kind of money.  Unless he's willing to come back for about half of what beach is projecting, I don't see the value.

If Cotchery leaves in FA, then signing Ward to some kind of deal to stay on becomes pretty important.  Not crucial, but certainly you want a veteran of some kind on this WR corps.

As beach said, the Steelers could sign him to a long term deal if they wanted to, but I doubt they pay him that much unless they expect to lose Wallace, either this year as an RFA or next as a UFA. 

Wouldn't the Steelers be able to tag (Franchise or Transitional) Mike Wallace to prevent him from leaving?  I believe that they could franchise tag him two years in a row if desired.  I'm not sure that they would want to pay that kind of money.  But they might franchise tag him and then work on a long term deal.  The only way I think that they let Mike Wallace go is if he becomes more like Santonio Holmes.

I think part of this goes to the change that Art III is trying to make happen on the offensive side of the ball. Removing Ward makes it easier to make the transition because, and I'm not picking on Hines here, Ward has a way of coming off a little 'whoa is me' sometimes and his bellyaching can be a major distraction and the influence it would have on the younger guys who look up to him could have a negative impact on the offense next season.

Sometimes its the cap and sometimes its the philosophical or schematic change that a team is making that forces a veteran with diminished skills into early retirement.

I think this one might have less to do with the money than what most people think.

Hines has meant so much to the Steelers over the years that it would be sad if he went to another team to languish until he finally ended his career.  That said.. he lost what little speed he had really quick, he can't get open anymore and the WR's we have are younger and better. So no there.  Do you cut Saunders to keep him?  Even with his prescription drug problem.. no you don't.   Do you cut one of the RB's? All of them look pretty promising.  No not there either.  A lineman?  Yeah right.   Ward should just retire and save everyone the trouble of thinking what should be done.

Hines has said he wants to come back.  He's said he'll restructure his contract.  I will be suprised if the Steelers don't bring him back.  If they don't bring him back having a guy like Cotchery around is going to be very important.  Sanders has shown that he could be a very good WR but he's also showed that he's an injury waiting to happen.