SteelerWatch

The team has signed draft pick Ryan McBean to a three year contract.  There are no numbers yet available on the defensive end’s deal.

Good nose tackles are hard to find these days, with the few college teams running a 3-4 defense.  The Steelers just shored up the position, securing long-time backup Chris Hoke to a contract extension that will keep him in black and gold through 2010.  The deal is worth $6 million.  It is not yet clear whether the included $1.5 million signing bonus is part of the $6 million or if it is additional money.

While $1.5 million per year may seem like a lot for a backup, the nose tackle position is arguably the most critical in a 3-4 defense, meaning a capable veteran is generally needed to step in, if and when starter Casey Hampton goes down with an injury.  Hoke has started 11 games in his career.

Moving SteelerWatch — and the entire family — to a new home is going well, but it’s obvious my time to devote to the site has been cut short.  Fortunately news has been slow (fairly regular commenter Seeker recently pointed out that he noticed news had been completely absent for over a week in Steeler Nation) which makes me look like less of a slacker.

So, here’s what’s been going on:

1) The team re-signed running back Verron Haynes Monday to a one-year contract believed to include a veteran league-minimum $595,000 base salary.  There are no details available yet on a signing bonus.

2) Also now under contract with the team are fourth-round pick and uber-punter Dan Sepulveda and fifth-rounder Cameron Stephenson, a guard from Rutgers.  Stephenson will likely be warming the bench this season, because the Steelers have now got decent depth on the offensive line.  Sepulveda, however, will participate in what will, in all likelihood, amount to a mockery of a training-camp battle with perennial August roster filler Matt Barr.  The Steelers are not known for cutting a fourth-round linebacker…err…punter.

And now, around the league:

3) Odel Thurman is potentially in trouble with the law.  It now officialy Goes Without Saying that Thurman is a member of the Cincinnati Bengals; from this point on, if I report a felony and I fail to specify a team, you can simply assume it was the Bengals and you’ll have about 99.95518 percent chance of your assumption being correct.  The remaining 0.04482 percent possibility is reserved for “a current NFL or former college teammate, or a relative, of Mike Vick.”

4) Disgruntled Patriots cornerback — and bearer of the team’s Franchise Player tag — Asante Samuel announced he will not be attending minicamp, training camp, or even the first 10 weeks of the regular season as he cries like a little girl over his numerous millions of dollars holds out in a contract-related dispute.  Apparently unbeknownst to Samuel, holding out is costing him a shot at a long-term deal.  If he hasn’t signed a long-term contract by July 15, he can only sign a one-year contract — exactly what he is eligible for under the franchise tag rules.  Failure to show up for 10 games will cost him nearly $5 million of the $7.79 million he would be due this year as the team’s franchise player.  Holding out the entire season means the Patriots can lock him down again next year — and don’t put it past the Kraft family to do it purely out of spite.

Thanks to Mondesishouse.com for the heads-up: It seems the person Alan Faneca was mad at Saturday was none other than head coach Mike Tomlin himself.

Tomlin apparently called the guard out during a morning team meeting, saying he wasn’t going to put up with that type of distraction for the team. Faneca proceeded to throw a temper tantrum by skipping the morning practice session. Later that day Tomlin stated he doesn’t have a personal issue with Big Al.

Way to go Mike. SteelerWatch commends your blunt approach to crybaby millionaires.

The Steelers have released tight end Tim Euhus, possibly indicating that third round draft pick Matt Spaeth is close to signing with the team. In his brief stint with the team, he played one game (the 2006 season opener versus Miami) and was inactive for three more.

The team added a huge weapon (literally, the dude is 6′7″ and 267 pounds) on Saturday when they drafted Spaeth. New offensive coordinator Bruce Arians later voiced his desire to better utilize a three-tight-end set with current starter Heath Miller potentially split out as a slot receiver. With two tight ends with great receiving skills, decent speed and a lot of heft to toss around, the door is now open for more creative use of the traditionally run-oriented set.

Filling the third tight end spot in the set is long-time Steeler Jerame Tuman. Tuman is used primarily as a blocker due to his less-than-adequate receiving abilities and the speed of, well, there’s no real speed there to speak of. Which doesn’t speak too well to the abilities of the newly unemployed Euhus.

Okay, after a weekend excursion to Raleigh, N.C. (no, I didn’t see Bill Cowher anywhere) I’m back. Seems like very little went on in the ‘Burgh this weekend, football-wise. Here’s a brief rundown:

• - Left guard Alan Faneca skipped all offseason workouts and this weekend’s minicamp. Rumor has it he may consider holding out because of what he calls a contract dispute. However, his disagreement with the front office on their pick for head coach probably plays an even bigger role in his absences thus far.
• - Wide receiver Hines Ward has spoken with Faneca, but has no insight on Big Al’s future. However, he believes it is now time for the team to accept the fact that Chin and Peezy are gone and start acting like a team. He also called on more veterans to step up and be leaders.
• - Cowher says he may never return to coaching again, but refuses to completely rule it out.
• - Elsewhere in the ‘Burgh, the Penguins closed a fantastic season with a whimper, losing to the Ottawa Senators in five games in the first round of the NHL playoffs. They’re young and most players were in their first postseason series. Good luck next year, guys — and congrats on a fine season.
• - After starting the season on fire, the Buccos are looking more like the Pirates we’ve come to know and (hate to) love.

Expect the second half of the SteelerWatch mock draft this afternoon, barring any further delays.

I’ll take this one in stride. I postulated yesterday that I thought Tyrone Carter was on his way out while Mike Logan might be re-signed. Oops.

That said, the Steelers re-signed Carter to a three-year deal, financials currently undisclosed. In 2005, Carter signed a two-year deal worth $1.26 million. My best guess is that the deal’s value is anywhere from $2.5 to $3 million, including as much as a $500,000 signing bonus, putting the salary largely at the league minimum. But my best guess is sometimes way off.

It hasn’t been but a week since the 49ers matched the offer sheet sent to Andy Lee by the Steelers, and they’ve already managed to woo away another potential Steelers, this time unrestricted free agent linebacker Colby Bockwoldt.

Bockwoldt, largely used in his career on Special Teams, had been a starter in New Orleans in 2005 before spending last season with the Tennessee Titans.

Because they were unable to sign Bockwoldt, the Steelers are now likely to fill their linebacker needs via free agency.

The Steelers retained some depth at cornerback today, re-signing cornerback Chidi Iwuoma to a one-year deal. Iwuoma played with the team from 2002 to 2005 before being cut prior to the start of the 2006 season. He was re-signed in December and played in two games before a wrist injury landed him on injured reserve for the the remainder of the season. He’s been largely used as a special teams player.

Details of the deal aren’t yet available but the contract may be worth the veteran minimum of $595,000.

Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin was present at the Pro Day workouts for the Uiniversity of Arkansas yesterday, where defensive end Jamaal Anderson (a sure first-round pick) and Keith Jackson worked out.

Anderson moved his 284-pound heft 40 yards in 4.75 seconds. What’s impressive, though, is that he managed to get that same 284 pounds 32.5 inches straight up in the vertical jump workout. Anderson would be a great fit in either a 3-4 or a 4-3, but is more suited for 3-4.

Jackson, whose father is former All Pro tight end Keith Jackson, ran the 40 in 4.85 seconds, which is more than acceptable for a 305-pound defensive tackle. If Tomlin is looking at Jackson, it’s looking more and more like he wants to start building a four-man line. The Steelers already have Casey Hampton, the best nose tackle in the league, and Chris Hoke behind him.

While it’s possible Tomlin may be planning to draft Jackson and prep him for taking over the number-two spot behnd Hampton in 2008 when Hoke’s contract runs out or just cutting Hoke this year, it seems more likely that the push for a 4-3 defense is on. We’ll keep an eye on this one.