Reports: Steelers To Cut Aaron Smith

Reports: Steelers To Cut Aaron Smith
Veteran Pittsburgh Defensive End Suffered 3 Season-Ending Injuries
POSTED: 4:36 pm EST March 1, 2012
UPDATED: 5:25 pm EST March 1, 2012


PITTSBURGH -- Aaron Smith, the quiet but sturdy defensive end who has anchored the Steelers' defensive line for more than a decade, will be released by the team, according to an ESPN.com report.

Smith, 35, is in the final year of his contract and due just over $2 million in 2012.

Smith would be the latest veteran casualty for the Steelers after the team announced Wednesday longtime wide receiver Hines Ward won't be back for a 15th season.

The agent for linebacker James Farrior also tweeted Thursday morning that Farrior could soon be leaving Pittsburgh as well.

Since becoming a full-time starter during his second pro season, Smith started 137 regular season games from 2000-08, but injuries limited his last three seasons to a combined 15 games.

Last season, he appeared in just four games before a neck injury placed him on injured reserve.


Read more: http://www.wtae.com/sports/30581739/detail.html#ixzz1nuX8Sjb2

Agent says Steelers parting ways with DE Smith
By Scott Brown, PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Last updated: 5:34 pm


The Steelers have informed Aaron Smith that he will be released, making the veteran defensive end the second franchise great that the team has cut ties with in as many days.

Smith played 13 seasons for the Steelers and established himself as perhaps the standard for 3-4 defensive ends before injuries conspired against him. Smith suffered season-ending injuries four of the last five years.

He played four games in 2011 before a neck injury sidelined him for the rest of the season.

Stout against the run, Smith is also 10th on the Steelers' all-time sacks list with 46.



Read more: Agent says Steelers parting ways with DE Smith - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/sports/steelers/s_784381.html#ixzz1nuXUjmu3

if they've cut all these guy why not cut Hampton i wonder?

Will he even be ready for the start of the season?

that one didn't make much sense to me but then again nothing makes sense to me

I guess when the core has been together this long, it's only a matter of years before they start building a new nucleus.

Aaron Smith we applaud you!

fer69 wrote:

if they've cut all these guy why not cut Hampton i wonder?

Will he even be ready for the start of the season?

that one didn't make much sense to me but then again nothing makes sense to me

I don't understand it either. Hampton should have been one of the first ones let go. I guess he's this season's Aaron Smith.

Buddha Bus wrote:

fer69 wrote:

if they've cut all these guy why not cut Hampton i wonder?

Will he even be ready for the start of the season?

that one didn't make much sense to me but then again nothing makes sense to me

I don't understand it either. Hampton should have been one of the first ones let go. I guess he's this season's Aaron Smith.

imo Hampton gets one more year because lack of NTs on the team.

effyou515 wrote:

Buddha Bus wrote:

fer69 wrote:

if they've cut all these guy why not cut Hampton i wonder?

Will he even be ready for the start of the season?

that one didn't make much sense to me but then again nothing makes sense to me

I don't understand it either. Hampton should have been one of the first ones let go. I guess he's this season's Aaron Smith.

imo Hampton gets one more year because lack of NTs on the team.

We've got McClendon who is decent and Ziggy could play there in a pinch with Heyward moving into Smith's spot. We need to draft a DE or NT too.