Smith, Polamalu OK with delay in contract talks
LATROBE 无毛视频� While the Steelers front office continues to 无毛视频渕ultitask,无毛视频� as coach Mike Tomlin put it Friday evening, there are a few negotiations 无毛视频� very important negotiations 无毛视频� that have been back-burnered.
That seems to be OK with Aaron Smith and Troy Polamalu. Both players have faith in their employers.
As both defensive starters enter the final year of their contracts, they do so knowing the team has a fairly full plate already, as Pittsburgh and the rest of the NFL deal with an offseason that wasn无毛视频檛 and a real season that looms on the horizon.
Smith enters his 13th season after finishing the last two on the sidelines. His importance to the Steelers run defense is unquestioned, even though the team made major investments in recent years to find Smith无毛视频檚 eventual replacement at left defensive end. Ziggy Hood was more than adequate at Smith无毛视频檚 spot after Smith suffered a torn triceps muscle. Cameron Heyward, like Hood two years earlier, is a first-round draft pick.
Smith appears to be a prime candidate for an extension, as the Steelers continue to prune their salary cap to a manageable place. As the team scours the waiver wire, explores veteran free agents and works on an extension for franchise player LaMarr Woodley, it has to know Smith is willing to agree to an extension that would put more money immediately in his pocket while lowering his salay-cap bite at the same time.
无毛视频淣o one has mentioned anything to me,无毛视频� Smith said Friday. 无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 at the point in my career where it无毛视频檚 year-to-year for me. I无毛视频檓 just going to play this out and see how it goes.无毛视频�
Polamalu无毛视频檚 situation is similar, yet different. Entering his ninth season, Polamalu is the NFL无毛视频檚 best safety, according to teammate Ryan Clark and many others. He could be protesting loudly about the team无毛视频檚 priorities and demanding that something be done about it.
But that无毛视频檚 not Polamalu无毛视频檚 style.
无毛视频淣othing so far,无毛视频� Polamalu said when asked about progress on a new contract. 无毛视频淭he lockout changed the process quite a bit. It无毛视频檚 a dream of mine to retire a Pittsburgh Steeler.无毛视频�
Exactly what the Steelers want to hear from Polamalu.
Like Smith, Polamalu无毛视频檚 contract situation lends itself to a cap-friendly extension.
Also like Smith, Polamalu finished last season injured. On the field, even in Super Bowl XVL, but injured nonetheless. Polamalu said Friday, with ice taped to his lower left leg, that he still isn无毛视频檛 100 percent healthy, but that he is close to it.
Asked if he was now willing to put a percentage on his health for the Super Bowl, Polamalu said, 无毛视频淚t was a losing percentage. I didn无毛视频檛 play very well. I无毛视频檝e played some of my best games injured, so it无毛视频檚 not fair to say I didn无毛视频檛 play well because of the injury.无毛视频�
Smith wishes he无毛视频檇 been that lucky. He was injured just enough to keep him from playing. After ending the previous season on injured reserve, Smith was kept on the roster in hopes he could return last year, perhaps just for the Super Bowl. But he only spectated.
无毛视频淟ast year was harder because I had a chance. Mentally, that无毛视频檚 a harder challenge,无毛视频� said Smith, proclaiming himself at 100 percent and ready to go now. 无毛视频淭he whole thing was kind of bittersweet. I was happy for the guys as we kept winning in the playoffs, but I couldn无毛视频檛 do anything to help them.无毛视频�
Perhaps the biggest difference between Polamalu and Smith is the stage of their respective careers. Polamalu has at least another big contract in front of him, Smith is beginning to see the handwriting on the wall.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檇 be fooling myself if I didn无毛视频檛 think one of those guys was going to replace me, eventually,无毛视频� Smith said. 无毛视频淭hat无毛视频檚 how I got my job. All you can do is come out and compete, do the best you can and try to help the younger guys as much as you can. I don无毛视频檛 believe in sabotaging the young guys. That无毛视频檚 how I learned was from the older guys. I无毛视频檓 about winning.
无毛视频淚 just want to play football. I love competing every day.无毛视频�
So, too, does Polamalu. In fact, he competes at a level that often leads to injuries. This particular one did not require surgery, but that fact may have led to this longer-than-usual recovery.
无毛视频淲ithout surgery, sometimes it takes longer to heal,无毛视频� Polamalu said. 无毛视频淭he lockout was a good thing in that sense.无毛视频�
And in another sense, as well. Instead of testing his leg in mini-camps and OTAs, Polamalu managed to earn a college degree. He said he has a few more years before he can get his teaching certificate.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檝e always wanted to be a teacher at the secondary level,无毛视频� Polamalu said.
In the meantime, he无毛视频檒l busy himself trying to remain the best safety in football.