Ed: Talking One Thing, Paying Breaston Another

Monday, 25 February 2013 07:32

Written by Ed Bouchette

Good morning,
    Some stuff:
   --- The Steelers met with Steve Breaston’s agent Eric Metz at the combine, as we reported last Thursday would happen. Metz had told me last week they had a mutual interest. But being able to come up with a mutual agreement over money is entirely different. Metz also talked with representatives of the Lions, Browns and Cowboys at the combine.
--- While they are $14 million over the cap, it would not prevent the Steelers from doing a deal with Breaston because the salary cap does not go into effect until March 12, when their top 51 salaries (plus all the other stuff) count. It just means that if they do something with him, they would have to find that much more room in the meantime.
--- The Steelers should trade down from No. 17 to acquire more draft picks. They need them and this is not a year top-heavy with prospects in the first round. Of course, that fact may mean it’s a buyer’s market because other teams may want to do the same thing and the value of trading the No. 17 pick should not be as high as it has in past years.
--- Look for the Steelers to possibly restructure some contracts this week. Don’t look for them to do anything with Ben Roethlisberger. He has three years left on his deal and there’s really nothing they can restructure to make room. They could extend, but that won’t happen until next year. Traditionally, the Steelers extend their quarterbacks when they have two years left and that won’t change.
--- The Baltimore Ravens were stubborn last year when they were trying to negotiate a new contract with quarterback Joe Flacco and now they’re going to pay a heavy price because of it. I’m told they were only $1 million apart on a total deal, not annually, and the Ravens dug in and refused to do it and Flacco would not take less.
--- Someone please explain to me how they did the “Ted” routine with Mark Wahlberg at the Academy Awards last night.
--- For your viewing pleasure, here are the best 40 times from the combine in this century heading into this year’s timings. The first figure is the fastest recorded, the second in parenthesis is the “official” time listed. Not that the Steelers had two of the fastest on their roster last year, Mike Wallace and Justin King.   
Compiled by NFLDrafScout.com
Fastest 40 Yard Dash Times, (2000-2012)
* = Underclassman
Best time (Announced time) -- Player (Pos), School -- Year
4.21 (4.34)- Trindon Holliday, (WR), LSU - 2010
4.22 (4.28)- Jacoby Ford, (WR), Clemson - 2010
4.24 (4.24)- Chris Johnson, (RB), East Carolina - 2008
4.25 (4.30)- *Darrius Heyward-Bey, (WR), Maryland - 2009
4.25 (4.28)- Demarcus Van Dyke, (CB), Miami - 2011
4.26 (4.28)- Jerome Mathis, (WR), Hampton - 2005
4.27 (4.37)- C.J. Spiller, (RB), Clemson - 2010
4.27 (4.27)- Stanford Routt, (CB), Houston - 2005
4.28 (4.33)- Mike Wallace, (WR), Mississippi - 2009
4.28 (4.36)- *Stephen Hill, (WR), Georgia Tech - 2012
4.29 (4.33)- Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, (CB), Tennessee State - 2008
4.29 (4.29)- *Fabian Washington, (CB), Nebraska - 2005
4.29 (4.29)- Johnny Knox, (WR), Abilene Christian - 2009
4.29 (4.33)- *Josh Robinson, (CB), Central Florida - 2012
4.30 (4.30)- Yamon Figurs, (WR), Kansas State - 2007
4.30 (4.30)- Darrent Williams, (CB), Oklahoma State - 2005
4.30 (4.40)- Mike Thomas, (WR), Arizona - 2009
4.31 (4.31)- Aaron Lockett, (WR), Kansas State - 2002
4.31 (4.38)- Deon Butler, (WR), Penn State - 2009
4.31 (4.31)- *Justin King, (CB), Penn State - 2008
4.31 (4.31)- Tyvon Branch, (CB), Connecticut - 2008
4.31 (4.34)- *Patrick Peterson, (CB), LSU - 2011
4.31 (4.31)- Santana Moss, (WR), Miami - 2001
4.31 (4.43)- Taylor Mays, (FS), Southern Cal - 2010
4.31 (4.36)- Chris Owusu, (WR), Stanford - 2012

 --- It seems a few of you are unhappy with what Hines Ward had to say about the Steelers last week:
--- YOU: So Ed, is Hines saying that when he called Roethlisberger out for not playing against the Ravens in 2009, that the locker room was also in "total disarray", just like it is today? (At least according to the description he gave on NFL AM) Sour grapes Hines? (Personal note: I love the guy and him making a seemingly agenda driven statement like this makes me sick.)
ME: So, he should not comment on anything regarding the Steelers’ current turmoil because of what he might have said in the past? He’s a member of the media now, not a teammate.
--- YOU: Hines Ward is one of my all time favorite Steelers, there is a reason why I go by the nickname I go by on PG+.... Today, he really disappointed me by his comments - I know he has a job to do and I know he is on the other side of the fence now, but why would he come out and say that the Steelers are in total disarray? And how much inside information does he really have to be making those comments? And even if there was some truth to it, why come out and say it if you really care about your former team?
This is the type of things he would have been upset about if someone outside of the organization had said it while he was playing.
ME: Is that worse than CURRENT members of the team commenting about the “disarray” and actually being the ones who have brought this to a public debate? Ward keeps in touch with what goes on in that locker room too.