You guys can move this to the NFL Forum if you need to. Just wanted some of the Steeler fans to see this
Steelers close in on deal with WR
Reed, Williams sign contracts with team
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Steelers worked late into last night trying to sign Plaxico Burress' replacement after signing kicker Jeff Reed and cornerback Willie Williams earlier in the day.
Receiver Cedrick Wilson, who had his breakout season in San Francisco last year when he caught 47 passes for 641 yards, spent the entire day and much of the evening with the Steelers as they negotiated a contract with agent Tom Condon.
"It always feels good to be wanted," said Wilson, 26, who believed a contract agreement could be reached sometime last night because "I am definitely interested and they are definitely interested, so let's hope so."
After meeting with the coaching staff and the Rooneys, Wilson went to dinner with Kevin Colbert, the Steelers' director of football operations, and planned to stay in Pittsburgh last night.
If they sign Wilson, it will seal the end of the Burress era with the Steelers. Wilson started 15 games for the 49ers last season before his left fibula was broken. He has been running the past two weeks and the Steelers passed him medically. He would join Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El as the team's top three receivers.
"I like this place," Wilson said last night. "It's a winning program. That's the No. 1 thing, I definitely want to be on a winning team."
San Francisco drafted Wilson, 5 feet 10 and 183 pounds, from Tennessee in the sixth round in 2001 and he moved into a starting job last season. He could replace Burress at split end or play in the slot.
There were other maneuvers affecting the Steelers in free agency yesterday:
Reed signed a five-year contract for $7.5 million that includes a $1.5 million signing bonus.
Cornerback Willie Williams, 34, officially signed a two-year, $2.5 million contract. He received a $500,000 signing bonus and will have annual salaries of $765,000 and $1,235,000.
Williams signed a one-year deal for $760,000 with the Steelers in May after he was released by Seattle and became their starter midway through last season after Chad Scott was injured. He counted just $455,000 against the cap last year. He will count $1,015,000 this year. The Steelers had only $1.7 million of salary cap room before they signed Williams.
Burress failed to show up for his scheduled afternoon visit with the New York Giants, who appear to be the only serious suitors for the free-agent receiver. Burress reportedly was sick and the meeting was to be rescheduled, probably for tomorrow. Burress may have gotten sick when he heard that the Giants reportedly have proposed a six-year, $21 million contract with a $4 million signing bonus -- far below the $10 million bonus that Burress was seeking. The Vikings also may have an interest in Burress.
Guard Keydrick Vincent, an unrestricted free agent, was scheduled to visit Cleveland today unless the Browns were able to come to contract terms with guard Cosey Coleman, a free agent from Tampa Bay, last night.
Vincent's agent, Ken Zuckerman, also has been discussing a contract with Baltimore, and Atlanta contacted him yesterday.
Reed made 28 of 33 field-goal attempts last season, making his final 17 tries. He also made all 40 extra-point tries. He made the team as an undrafted rookie after a tryout with four other kickers at Heinz Field in November 2002. At the time, the Steelers were unhappy with veteran kicker Todd Peterson. They replaced him with Reed, who was signed and released by New Orleans that summer and worked on a farm in North Carolina while he tried out for six NFL teams that fall.
Reed made 17 of his 19 field goal tries as a rookie but was not as strong in 2003, when he made just 23 of 32. However, he rebounded nicely last season and the Steelers showed how much they valued him by putting the first-round tender on him as a restricted free agent.
Steelers close in on deal with WR
Reed, Williams sign contracts with team
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Steelers worked late into last night trying to sign Plaxico Burress' replacement after signing kicker Jeff Reed and cornerback Willie Williams earlier in the day.
Receiver Cedrick Wilson, who had his breakout season in San Francisco last year when he caught 47 passes for 641 yards, spent the entire day and much of the evening with the Steelers as they negotiated a contract with agent Tom Condon.
"It always feels good to be wanted," said Wilson, 26, who believed a contract agreement could be reached sometime last night because "I am definitely interested and they are definitely interested, so let's hope so."
After meeting with the coaching staff and the Rooneys, Wilson went to dinner with Kevin Colbert, the Steelers' director of football operations, and planned to stay in Pittsburgh last night.
If they sign Wilson, it will seal the end of the Burress era with the Steelers. Wilson started 15 games for the 49ers last season before his left fibula was broken. He has been running the past two weeks and the Steelers passed him medically. He would join Hines Ward and Antwaan Randle El as the team's top three receivers.
"I like this place," Wilson said last night. "It's a winning program. That's the No. 1 thing, I definitely want to be on a winning team."
San Francisco drafted Wilson, 5 feet 10 and 183 pounds, from Tennessee in the sixth round in 2001 and he moved into a starting job last season. He could replace Burress at split end or play in the slot.
There were other maneuvers affecting the Steelers in free agency yesterday:
Reed signed a five-year contract for $7.5 million that includes a $1.5 million signing bonus.
Cornerback Willie Williams, 34, officially signed a two-year, $2.5 million contract. He received a $500,000 signing bonus and will have annual salaries of $765,000 and $1,235,000.
Williams signed a one-year deal for $760,000 with the Steelers in May after he was released by Seattle and became their starter midway through last season after Chad Scott was injured. He counted just $455,000 against the cap last year. He will count $1,015,000 this year. The Steelers had only $1.7 million of salary cap room before they signed Williams.
Burress failed to show up for his scheduled afternoon visit with the New York Giants, who appear to be the only serious suitors for the free-agent receiver. Burress reportedly was sick and the meeting was to be rescheduled, probably for tomorrow. Burress may have gotten sick when he heard that the Giants reportedly have proposed a six-year, $21 million contract with a $4 million signing bonus -- far below the $10 million bonus that Burress was seeking. The Vikings also may have an interest in Burress.
Guard Keydrick Vincent, an unrestricted free agent, was scheduled to visit Cleveland today unless the Browns were able to come to contract terms with guard Cosey Coleman, a free agent from Tampa Bay, last night.
Vincent's agent, Ken Zuckerman, also has been discussing a contract with Baltimore, and Atlanta contacted him yesterday.
Reed made 28 of 33 field-goal attempts last season, making his final 17 tries. He also made all 40 extra-point tries. He made the team as an undrafted rookie after a tryout with four other kickers at Heinz Field in November 2002. At the time, the Steelers were unhappy with veteran kicker Todd Peterson. They replaced him with Reed, who was signed and released by New Orleans that summer and worked on a farm in North Carolina while he tried out for six NFL teams that fall.
Reed made 17 of his 19 field goal tries as a rookie but was not as strong in 2003, when he made just 23 of 32. However, he rebounded nicely last season and the Steelers showed how much they valued him by putting the first-round tender on him as a restricted free agent.
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