Steelers to pay price in secondary

Get out the checkbook, Dan Rooney.

The Steelers chose not to give cornerback Keenan Lewis a multiyear contract as a restricted free agent last year, in part, because he wasn‘t yet a starter. Lewis, in turn, might have hesitated to sign such a deal if it didn‘t pay him at a starter‘s level.

Now some team is going to pay the efficient Lewis a lot more than the $1.26 million he made in 2012 — be it the Steelers or one that grabs him as a free agent.

Where Lewis goes sets the course for the 2013 Steelers‘ secondary, one that hopes to be more stable and theft-prone but as statistically proficient as the NFL‘s top-ranked unit was this season.

That‘s where the hard decisions begin.

Lewis stabilized what had been a troublesome position for years, the cornerback spot opposite Ike Taylor that once alternated between Bryant McFadden and William Gay, and it‘s likely the Steelers would prefer to keep him more than any of the other 17 unrestricted free agents.

“I want everybody back, especially Keenan,” safety Ryan Clark said. “His play was a big reason why we finished No. 1 in yards. When we have him, it makes it a lot better.”

But it would cost $10.66 million to franchise him — one route to retaining him without giving him a multiyear deal — and that‘s unlikely given the Steelers are well over the salary cap.

If Lewis signs elsewhere, Cortez Allen becomes the next man up. He helped create five turnovers in the final two games and would start if Lewis leaves.

But that would significantly weaken a position of strength, nickel back, given that Allen graded out the highest of any Steelers defensive back in Pro Football Focus‘ play-by-play analysis. Ranked No. 17 league-wide, Allen (563 snaps) gave up only one touchdown but played the second-fewest snaps of any cornerback in the top 20.

With numerous personnel decisions to make given the seven players 30 or older on defense, the Steelers could decide it is more cost-effective to make Allen a starter.

Then, they could seek out an affordable nickel back — if they think Curtis Brown isn‘t ready — through free agency or the draft.

Brown got most of his playing time late in the season, giving up 11 completions and a touchdown while being targeted 15 times.

The Steelers also must decide if this is the year they commit a high-round draft pick to safety, given that Ryan Clark — coming off possibly his best season — will be 34 next season and Troy Polamalu will be 32.

The concern about Polamalu isn‘t as much his age as his reliability; he missed much of the 2009 and ‘12 seasons to injury.

“Maybe I look too far ahead, but think what it could look like with both of us healthy and these young guys playing football and Ike out there,” Clark said. “It could be special.”

So for the Steelers, it‘s pay now or pay later. Even if the Steelers don‘t give Lewis a seven-figure multiyear deal, they‘re going to have to replace Taylor, 33; Clark and Polamalu not far down the road.

“It will be an interesting offseason,” Polamalu said.

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I wouldn't pay him more than 5 mil a year he's good but he's not that good yet. Coach Lake should be getting a big raise as well IMHO

Quote :

Coach Lake should be getting a big raise as well IMHO

Just keep drafting CB with speed/fluid hips and let coach Lake teach them how to play the position. that way you don't have to over pay for CBs.

I think we need a corner in the draft this year,I am not saying it needs to be top priority but we need to address it.

effyou515 wrote:

Just keep drafting CB with speed/fluid hips and let coach Lake teach them how to play the position. that way you don't have to over pay for CBs.

Quality cornerbacks aren't a dime a dozen. Before Ike, who was our last quality cornerback? And even if we were to get lucky in the draft, it takes a few years to groom them. And then we'd have a young cornerback (two if Ike is gone) in the secondary around the same time we're bringing in two young safeties. In a few years, we could have a completely new and inexperienced secondary. We know we're going to have new safeties in a few years ... it would be nice to have some experienced corners we can depend on to anchor the secondary. Hopefully it's Lewis and Allen. Plus, we've got other immediate needs ... I'd hate to have to add cornerback to the list.

I don't think we should mortgage the future in singing Lewis, but we should make every reasonable effort to get him to return.

Wallace108 wrote:

effyou515 wrote:

Just keep drafting CB with speed/fluid hips and let coach Lake teach them how to play the position. that way you don't have to over pay for CBs.

Quality cornerbacks aren't a dime a dozen. Before Ike, who was our last quality cornerback? And even if we were to get lucky in the draft, it takes a few years to groom them. And then we'd have a young cornerback (two if Ike is gone) in the secondary around the same time we're bringing in two young safeties. In a few years, we could have a completely new and inexperienced secondary. We know we're going to have new safeties in a few years ... it would be nice to have some experienced corners we can depend on to anchor the secondary. Hopefully it's Lewis and Allen. Plus, we've got other immediate needs ... I'd hate to have to add cornerback to the list.

I don't think we should mortgage the future in singing Lewis, but we should make every reasonable effort to get him to return.

been watching the playoff games and a few teams have rookies playing in the secondary.

effyou515 wrote:

been watching the playoff games and a few teams have rookies playing in the secondary.

In the Cowher and Tomlin eras, only one rookie has ever been named a starter on defense (Kendrell Bell ... unless there's someone else I'm forgetting). Keenan Lewis didn't become a starter until his fourth season with the team. Ike Taylor didn't start until his third season. If we have a rookie starting in the secondary next season, that's something to worry about ... it would mean we had a wave of injuries in the secondary. The Steelers not starting a rookie on defense is about the closest you can get to a sure bet in the NFL.

If we lose Lewis, not only will we lose a good starter, but we'll also lose what little quality we had in depth. Knowing that a rookie isn't going to start, who becomes the starter if Ike or Allen go down with an injury? Curtis Brown? Josh Victorian? *shudders*