POSTED 9:29 p.m. EDT; UPDATED 10:00 p.m. EDT, June 27, 2006
TAZ SEEING GREEN AFTER REED DEAL?
As an astute reader pointed out to us on Tuesday night, the new contract signed by safety Ed Reed with the Ravens could spell trouble for the Pittsburgh Steelers come 2008.
In March of that year, the team's supremely talented Tazmanian Devil, Troy Polamalu, will become an unrestricted free agent, unless he signs a long-term deal before then or the team applies to him the franchise or transition tag.
Polamalu, the team's first-round pick in 2003, is under contract for the next two seasons at salaries of $827,000 and $1.088 million.
Meanwhile, a league source tells us that Reed's new deal is believed to pay a total of $13 million over the next year, via a $7 million signing bonus and a $6 million roster bonus due in 2007, most likely in March.
And with Reed's six-year extension worth a reported $40 million, the question becomes whether the Steelers will venture into that same ballpark for Polamalu and, if not, whether Polamalu will play for less in order to stay with the team that has helped make him into a star.
If the Steelers intend to use the franchise tag in 2008, they might have trouble deciding whether to slap the tag on Taz -- or whether to use it on tailback Willie Parker, who'll likewise be eligible for unrestricted free agency after the 2007 season.
Throw in Coach Chin's contract, which expires after the 2007 season, and Big Ben's rookie contract, which expires after the 2008 campaign, and things could get very interesting in the 'Burgh over the next few years.
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