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05-08-2002, 12:22 PM
Steelers, Porter settle on terms of 6-year, $22.5 million deal
Wednesday, May 08, 2002
By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer
Continuing a trend that began when they moved into Heinz Field, the Steelers reached a long-term contract agreement with another of their core players yesterday when linebacker Joey Porter came to terms for six years and $22.5 million.
Porter will receive a $5 million signing bonus as part of the contract. He had been a restricted free agent who received a $1,227,000 contract, and if he had not signed a new deal he would have become unrestricted next March.
"I'm happy they're making a commitment and knowing I won't have to worry about where I'll play next year," Porter said from California. "I'll be in Pittsburgh and hopefully end my career here."
The Steelers have done a good job of keeping together a defense that ranked No. 1 in the NFL last season and helped the team to a 13-3 record and the AFC championship game. They signed backup inside linebacker John Fiala and outside linebacker Jason Gildon before they would have become free agents in March. They offered linebacker Earl Holmes a contract and, when he turned them down, they signed free agent James Farrior to take his place.
The four linebacker signings alone cost them nearly $14 million in signing bonuses -- $6.5 million to Gildon (on a five-year, $23 million contract), $1.7 million to Farrior, $575,000 to Fiala and Porter's $5 million.
Holmes' experience might have influenced Porter to sign now. Holmes reportedly turned down a $5 million signing bonus to re-sign with the Steelers last year. As an unrestricted free agent this year, he did not receive the kinds of offers he had expected and wound up signing with Cleveland for a $2 million signing bonus.
"A big part of the process is assessing the market," said Jeff Sperbeck, one of Porter's agents. "The player and his representatives better make sure they know what's going to happen in the future if they're going to pass up something in the present. Our job is always to continue to evaluate the risk-reward ratio, to be able to get a deal a year sooner without having the anxiety of waiting another year, that definitely is a factor."
Holmes and kicker Kris Brown are the only significant free agents the Steelers have lost the past two seasons. They re-signed cornerbacks Dewayne Washington and Chad Scott last summer as they entered the final year of their contracts, as they did with safety Brent Alexander. On offense, they re-signed Jerome Bettis and Hines Ward and added center Jeff Hartings from Detroit. This year they also extended the contract of tight end Mark Bruener and re-signed No. 3 cornerback Deshea Townsend after he became an unrestricted free agent.
Omar Khan, their chief negotiator who handled the talks with Porter's agents, also is trying to re-sign defensive end Aaron Smith, who is working on a one-year tender of $1,227,000.
"Looking at last year, they did Chad Scott and Dewayne Washington and now they have Jason and Joey and Kendrell Bell as a great core for their defense for a long time," Sperbeck said. "They eliminated any cap issues and instability in their defense. That's a great way to go into the season and beyond."
Said Porter: "They're doing a good job. Omar told me they believe in keeping their players there. Coach Cowher and the Rooneys are seeing eye to eye. We were one game shy last year. We have the tools and the chemistry and know what it takes to get to the big dance. By keeping everyone together, it gives us a chance to make things happen next year."
Porter will receive the minimum salary this year of $450,000, which puts his first-year salary cap at $1,283,000, virtually equal to what he had been counting against their cap under the one-year tender. That means they did not have to create any salary-cap room to sign him.
Porter has upheld the Steelers' strong tradition at linebacker. He became their starting right outside linebacker in 2000 and has 191/2 sacks in those two seasons. The Steelers will try him at middle linebacker in their dime defense this year and move Bell to his spot at right end in those passing situations. Porter will remain at right outside linebacker in their base defense.
"I just feel like what's going on in Pittsburgh is a good situation for me," Porter said. "I'm accustomed to my teammates there. I love the atmosphere with the fans who love football. They accepted me, and I like being there. I wasn't a big person to look for a change or a move."
The remaining annual salaries on Porter's new contract are $2 million in 2003, $2.75 million in 2004, $3.5 million in 2005, $3.85 million in 2006 and $4 million plus a $1 million roster bonus in 2007.
Wednesday, May 08, 2002
By Ed Bouchette, Post-Gazette Sports Writer
Continuing a trend that began when they moved into Heinz Field, the Steelers reached a long-term contract agreement with another of their core players yesterday when linebacker Joey Porter came to terms for six years and $22.5 million.
Porter will receive a $5 million signing bonus as part of the contract. He had been a restricted free agent who received a $1,227,000 contract, and if he had not signed a new deal he would have become unrestricted next March.
"I'm happy they're making a commitment and knowing I won't have to worry about where I'll play next year," Porter said from California. "I'll be in Pittsburgh and hopefully end my career here."
The Steelers have done a good job of keeping together a defense that ranked No. 1 in the NFL last season and helped the team to a 13-3 record and the AFC championship game. They signed backup inside linebacker John Fiala and outside linebacker Jason Gildon before they would have become free agents in March. They offered linebacker Earl Holmes a contract and, when he turned them down, they signed free agent James Farrior to take his place.
The four linebacker signings alone cost them nearly $14 million in signing bonuses -- $6.5 million to Gildon (on a five-year, $23 million contract), $1.7 million to Farrior, $575,000 to Fiala and Porter's $5 million.
Holmes' experience might have influenced Porter to sign now. Holmes reportedly turned down a $5 million signing bonus to re-sign with the Steelers last year. As an unrestricted free agent this year, he did not receive the kinds of offers he had expected and wound up signing with Cleveland for a $2 million signing bonus.
"A big part of the process is assessing the market," said Jeff Sperbeck, one of Porter's agents. "The player and his representatives better make sure they know what's going to happen in the future if they're going to pass up something in the present. Our job is always to continue to evaluate the risk-reward ratio, to be able to get a deal a year sooner without having the anxiety of waiting another year, that definitely is a factor."
Holmes and kicker Kris Brown are the only significant free agents the Steelers have lost the past two seasons. They re-signed cornerbacks Dewayne Washington and Chad Scott last summer as they entered the final year of their contracts, as they did with safety Brent Alexander. On offense, they re-signed Jerome Bettis and Hines Ward and added center Jeff Hartings from Detroit. This year they also extended the contract of tight end Mark Bruener and re-signed No. 3 cornerback Deshea Townsend after he became an unrestricted free agent.
Omar Khan, their chief negotiator who handled the talks with Porter's agents, also is trying to re-sign defensive end Aaron Smith, who is working on a one-year tender of $1,227,000.
"Looking at last year, they did Chad Scott and Dewayne Washington and now they have Jason and Joey and Kendrell Bell as a great core for their defense for a long time," Sperbeck said. "They eliminated any cap issues and instability in their defense. That's a great way to go into the season and beyond."
Said Porter: "They're doing a good job. Omar told me they believe in keeping their players there. Coach Cowher and the Rooneys are seeing eye to eye. We were one game shy last year. We have the tools and the chemistry and know what it takes to get to the big dance. By keeping everyone together, it gives us a chance to make things happen next year."
Porter will receive the minimum salary this year of $450,000, which puts his first-year salary cap at $1,283,000, virtually equal to what he had been counting against their cap under the one-year tender. That means they did not have to create any salary-cap room to sign him.
Porter has upheld the Steelers' strong tradition at linebacker. He became their starting right outside linebacker in 2000 and has 191/2 sacks in those two seasons. The Steelers will try him at middle linebacker in their dime defense this year and move Bell to his spot at right end in those passing situations. Porter will remain at right outside linebacker in their base defense.
"I just feel like what's going on in Pittsburgh is a good situation for me," Porter said. "I'm accustomed to my teammates there. I love the atmosphere with the fans who love football. They accepted me, and I like being there. I wasn't a big person to look for a change or a move."
The remaining annual salaries on Porter's new contract are $2 million in 2003, $2.75 million in 2004, $3.5 million in 2005, $3.85 million in 2006 and $4 million plus a $1 million roster bonus in 2007.