Steelers hang onto Steve McLendon

Steelers hang onto Steve McLendon

Posted by Darin Gantt on April 18, 2013, 2:29 PM EDT

AP
Sometimes all it takes to reach a deal is a little nudge.

The Steelers announced today that they had re-signed restricted free agent nose tackle Steve McLendon to a three-year deal.

That’s a day after McLendon visited with the Packers, who could use some help up front themselves.

The interest in McLendon made sense, because even if the Packers signed him away, they’d have owed the Steelers no compensation, since Pittsburgh tendered him at the lowest level ($1.3 million) and he was undrafted.

As the Steelers defense continues to age, McLendon’s now in a spot to take on a bigger role.

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/04/18/steelers-hang-onto-steve-mclendon/

Steelers sign McLendon to three-year deal

By Jamison Hensley | Apr 18, 2013 2:51 PM
The Pittsburgh Steelers reached a three-year deal with nose tackle Steve McLendon, thanks to a nudge from the Green Bay Packers.

A day after McLendon visited the Packers, the Steelers struck a multiyear deal with the restricted free agent that's worth a maximum of $7.25 million and includes a $1.675 million signing bonus, according to the NFL Network.

The Steelers had other options -- like re-signing Casey Hampton or giving Alameda Ta'amu a shot to start -- but keeping McLendon was the best one. Hampton turns 36 by the time the season starts and Ta'amu is a risk considering his off-the-field issue.

McLendon, 27, is hitting the prime of his career and has shown the ability to step up when Hampton has been hurt. But the Steelers committed to McLendon more on projection than on production. He has one career start and played only 139 defensive snaps last season.

The Steelers could have avoided all of this drama if they had put a second-round tender on McLendon, which would have cost the team $700,000 more this offseason. Still, in the end, the Steelers likely would've reached a multiyear deal with him anyway. The interest from the Packers just sped up the process.

http://m.espn.go.com/general/blogs/blogpost?blogname=nflnation&id=75552&src=desktop

Good insurance. I look for Casey to be released this season anyway, especislly if he shows up out of shape.

I'm sure glad they got a deal done.

Very happy he was signed. This was a great move IMO.

steelerdude15 wrote:

Very happy he was signed. This was a great move IMO.

Yep, I think it was no-brainer.