View topic - Farrior signed to FIVE YEAR deal

[ibleedBLACKandGOLD81 Profile]

Steelers Sign Farrior to Five-Year Deal


The Steelers secured the services of one of their defensive leaders today when they signed inside linebacker James Farrior to a new five-year contract through 2012. Financial terms of the deal were not released.

Farrior, a 12-year veteran who signed with the Steelers as an unrestricted free agent in 2002, has led the team in tackles four times in his six seasons with Pittsburgh. He earned All-Pro honors and finished second in voting for NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2004, when he made his first trip to the Pro Bowl.

Farrior, who has been one of the Steelers’ defensive co-captains since 2004, has registered 705 tackles (511 solo) and 20.5 sacks during his Steelers career. He has never recorded fewer than 100 tackles in any of his seasons with Pittsburgh.

Farrior was originally drafted by the New York Jets with the eighth overall pick in the first round of the 1997 NFL Draft. He set a career high with 175 tackles (116 solo) in 2001, his final season in New York.


* I hope they didn't pay more than $2 million per season and gave only a small signing bonus of around $2 - $2.5 million. This contract will take him through his 38th birthday.

[Nick79 Profile]

He hasn't appeared to slow down, so I think it's good to lock him up. Hopefully the contract is back loaded so we can cut him and save cap space when his performance deteriorates, hopefully we can get 3 years out of him. Hey, look at Junior Seau, he lasted to over 38.

[stillerinkc Profile]

5 years, $18.25 million

link: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/stor ... LHeadlines

[WoodsonOfSteel Profile]

I personally like this signing.

Farrior has proven himself every single season he's played for the Stillers. It is nice that they've secured such a solid verteran linebacker to help mold the young guns we have comin' through. Besides, this should guarantee him retiring as a Stiller.

No problems from me.

[#58 Profile]

So much for the Stillers being cheap.

[BeavisFour Profile]

Not too bad of a deal I guess. Isn't only the 5 mil signing bonus guaranteed?

Doubt he plays all 5 years.

[stillcello Profile]

Farrior is 33.... $5M in bonus....mmmm a little much if you ask me.

[Nashsteeler Profile]

Love the signing. He keeps on chugging along, works hard, doesn't bitch, etc etc. He's got a good chance to play well for the next 3 years, and help the 2 young guys develop also. By all accounts, he had a fine camp.

[WoodsonOfSteel Profile]

Farrior is 33.... $5M in bonus....mmmm a little much if you ask me.

Indeed it may be a lil much, but let's really think about this. He has averaged just under 115 tackles over the last 5 seasons... Around 76 a year solo. That tells me that he is CONSISTENTLY either making plays, or in on making plays with others. This is VERY valueable to the Steelers, especially since this preseason we're seeing that our defense can REALLY use some help in the tackling area. (Let's not forget his 15+ sacks in the last 5 years either) Keeping him around will surely ease that pain some.

Love the signing. He keeps on chugging along, works hard, doesn't bitch, etc etc. He's got a good chance to play well for the next 3 years, and help the 2 young guys develop also. By all accounts, he had a fine camp.

So many people fail to recognize the fact that he is always in pique condition to play. With his work ethic, I don't see why he can't continue to be a heavy contributor on the defensive side of the ball. He should be a factor until he retires... In the good ole Black-and-gold.

[darthsteel Profile]

Farrior can still give you another 2-3 yrs starting while still playing at a pro bowl caibre level or close to it. What he cant do physically in a few yrs from now, he seems to be the type of guy who can make up for it mentally..

The linebacker position is in good shape for the next 4 yrs , if anything...

[WoodsonOfSteel Profile]

You hit the nail on the head, darthsteel.

[thesteelhammer Profile]

At first I thought the contract was a little long at 5 years, but then I remembered that there is an uncapped year coming up and locking up guys long term made sense. Plus most of th emoney is in the first 3 years, so if he is a back up, is cut or retires in years 4 & 5, it shouldn't be a big hit.

Over all I like the extension.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3546248&campaign=rsssrch&source=john_clayton

James Farrior was rewarded by the Pittsburgh Steelers Thursday with a five-year, $18.25 million contract. The deal included a $5 million signing bonus.

Farrior's agent, Ralph Cindrich, said Thursday the contract is meant to keep the 12-year veteran with the team until he retires.

The bulk of the contract is for the first three seasons, valued at $12.6 million, including $10 million in the first two years.


"That's the game plan, to finish out my career here," Farrior said. "The Steelers have been good to me, and I have put all my heart and soul into this, so I'll just try to close it out."

When the Steelers took two linebackers atop the 2007 draft, Farrior -- one of Pittsburgh's team leaders -- seemed a potential target for replacement. Farrior continued to play at a Pro Bowl level, however, and made sure those draft choices -- Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley -- fit into the defense.

"James has played at an extremely high level the entire time I have been here," second-year coach Mike Tomlin said. "Not only is he an outstanding player, he's also an outstanding professional and, of course, he's an outstanding leader for us."

Farrior, 33, was entering the final year of his Steelers contract and was scheduled to make $3.24 million.

A former first-round choice of the Jets, Farrior turned out to be one of the best free-agent signings in Steelers history. He had 562 tackles in 78 starts in his five years with the Steelers. In the past two years, the team let him rush the quarterback at little more, and he had 10½ sacks -- 6½ coming last year.


The Steelers believe Farrior can play at least three more seasons; they now have one of the deepest linebacking corps in football.

[Y-Town Steel Profile]

I am kind of shocked by this extension. I really thought with Timmons that Tomlin wanted to move to a 4-3 in the next year or 2 and Farrior, a 33 year old C3 guy, would be out...... this would seem to suggest a 3-4 for at least another 3 years.

I do like the signing and love Farrior (how can you not) but am surprised. He must really bring a TON to this defense as a leader and signal caller. Seems like historically good play alone hasn't been enough for the FO to sign 33 yr olds to large deals.

[Iron Gut Profile]

Farrior has been solid and is not showing sign of slowing down. If we get 3 years as a starter out of this contract, then it will be good. Typically, they backload these contracts with only the signing bonus being guaranteed. Plus, Potsie may be willing to renegotiate at a later date to extend a few more years as a backup.

I like this signing. Beats the hell outta paying a backup tackle 7 million.

[stillDrink Profile]

5 years/18 mill is actually pretty cheap in the current market. It averages less than 4 mil a year. Granted, it's front loaded, but it's still a decent deal. Porter (who was 30, not 33) took a 12 mill signing bonus and 30 mill over 5 years from Miami last year, so it's still pretty cheap.

You can never have enough line backers.

[trenches Profile]

Farrior has been solid and is not showing sign of slowing down. If we get 3 years as a starter out of this contract, then it will be good. Typically, they backload these contracts with only the signing bonus being guaranteed. Plus, Potsie may be willing to renegotiate at a later date to extend a few more years as a backup.

I like this signing. Beats the hell outta paying a backup tackle 7 million.

I can't see any renegotiation. This is his last contract. Farrior IS slowing down although I think he can still contribute. I give him two productive years as a starter and maybe a third on the roster. As StillDrink said, this is basically a bargain contract and it won't kill the team even if he tails off sooner rather than later.

[ibleedBLACKandGOLD81 Profile]

At first I thought the contract was a little long at 5 years, but then I remembered that there is an uncapped year coming up and locking up guys long term made sense. Plus most of th emoney is in the first 3 years, so if he is a back up, is cut or retires in years 4 & 5, it shouldn't be a big hit.

Over all I like the extension.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3546248&campaign=rsssrch&source=john_clayton

How large the cap penalty is has nothing to do with the player's salary, it is only the unused prorated portion of his signing bonus, therefore if he gets cut in year 4 it will be a $2 million cap hit and if he is cut in year 5 it will be a $1 million cap hit.

[ibleedBLACKandGOLD81 Profile]

5 years/18 mill is actually pretty cheap in the current market. It averages less than 4 mil a year. Granted, it's front loaded, but it's still a decent deal. Porter (who was 30, not 33) took a 12 mill signing bonus and 30 mill over 5 years from Miami last year, so it's still pretty cheap.

You can never have enough line backers.

Porter signed for 5 years, $32 million. $12 million signing bonus however he had a total of $20 million guaranteed whereas Farrior only has $5 million guaranteed...that's a huge difference

[UKBlackNGold Profile]

Seems to me more like a thank you contract, keep him around, brings good leadership and he can help mould Timmons.

However, when conceivably our starting teamsheet at MLB reads Farrior and Foote, that ain't striking fear into no one!

Farrior is on the downturn, but if his 'good camp' (remember Simmons had one of those last August) and great work ethic pays off, he could hold his side for maybe two years max, then he should step aside gracefully.

Our defense is growing old and tired, and the quicker we get the young blood, some playing time and experience all the better.

We will struggle to stop the run this season, period!

[thesteelhammer Profile]

Wisdom beyond most players these days.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/rumors;_ylt=AvbuWoAMaYf8xQIZjU.wFJBDubYF

Farrior knew the grass was not greener elsewhere

James Farrior knew what it was like to play elsewhere and knew what it was like to play for the Steelers. He preferred the latter -- very much. Which meant he was preparing for the upcoming season with a keen sense of disappointment. The Steelers, it seemed, weren't interested in a long-term deal with a 33-year-old linebacker whose current contract expired after this season.

Such a view was understandable, particularly since the Steelers, to their later dismay, once went down a similar road.

But about a month after the team backed away and apparently ended talks about a new contract, the two sides, with very quiet negotiations taking place, came to agreement on a deal that is valued at $18.25 million over five years.

Farrior was deeply relieved. So probably were coach Mike Tomlin and defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau.

After playing the first five years of his career with the New York Jets and failing to excel, Farrior blossomed