Another Steelers linebacker has had his contract restructured to clear up cap space.

Just a few days after it was announced that LaMarr Woodley had his deal redone, it’s being reported that LB Lawrence Timmons’ contract has also been restructured to give the Steelers salary cap space.

The new deal for Timmons frees up $5.14 million in space on their 2012 salary cap.

Signed to a five-year, $47.8 million contract extension in August, Timmons was scheduled to earn $2.625 million in base salary and a $4.5 million roster bonus, which was due on the fifth day of the 2012 league year, for a 2012 cap number of $9.125 million.

According to a league source, earlier this week, Timmons signed a restructured contract that reduced his 2012 base salary to $700,000, with the Steelers combining the $1.925 million in base salary and $4.5 million roster bonus into a $6.425 million signing bonus that will be prorated from 2012 through the 2016 season at $1.285 million annually.

The restructure reduces Timmons’ 2012 cap number to $3.985 million, a a cap savings of $5.14 million.

Since the moment that Todd Haley was named OC of the Steelers, there’s been talk about exactly who made the hire – coach Mike Tomlin, or President Art Rooney?

Tomlin hasn’t been available for comment since the Haley hire was made, and it will be interesting to see what he has to say when he does have a chance to comment on it.

For now, it’s all about speculation as to who made the final decision about Haley – What do you think?

The Steelers official site has put out the following about Todd Haley, who was named the black and golds offensive coordinator on Wednesday:

The Pittsburgh Steelers have named Todd Haley as their new offensive coordinator, it was announced today.

“I am excited about the opportunity to come back home and work for a tremendous organization,” Haley said. “It is an honor to work with the Rooney family and Coach Tomlin and continue the success that has become synonymous with the Steelers. My father has so many fond memories both from his playing days and his time in the personnel department with the team, and I look forward to helping bring more championships to Pittsburgh and to being a part of one of the storied franchises in the NFL.”

Haley has spent 17 years in the NFL, including the last 15 as a coach after his career began as a scouting assistant. He joins the Steelers after spending the majority of the last three seasons as the head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs. Haley led the Chiefs to the greatest single-season turnaround in franchise history, winning the AFC West in 2010 by recording six more victories than in 2009. For leading Kansas City to its first division title since 2003, Haley was voted by former players and coaches as the NFL Alumni Coach of the Year.

Prior to joining the Chiefs, Haley was the offensive coordinator for the Arizona Cardinals from 2007-08. In his second season Haley helped the Cardinals win their first division title since 1975 and earn a spot in the franchise’s first Super Bowl (XLIII). Haley’s offense recorded a franchise record 427 points and became the fifth team in NFL history to have three receivers eclipse 1,000 yards in the same season. Haley has also served as an assistant coach for the Dallas Cowboys (2004-06), Chicago Bears (2001-03) and the New York Jets (1997-2000), helping each team earn a playoff berth.

He is the son of Dick Haley, who spent 44 seasons in the NFL including serving as the Steelers’ director of player personnel from 1971-91.

The Steelers made some roster moves today, releasing cornerback Bryant McFadden and wide receiver Arnaz Battle.

A second-round pick out of Florida State by the Steelers in 2005, McFadden spent four seasons in Pittsburgh before signing with the Arizona Cardinals in 2009. Traded back to Pittsburgh in 2010, McFadden had 74 tackles and two interceptions as a 16-game starter that season before playing in a reserve role in 2011.

McFadden was set to earn $2.5 million in base salary in 2012, which will come off the team’s salary cap.

Battle joined the Steelers as a free agent in 2010. In 25 games over the last two seasons, Battle has 13 special teams tackles and zero receptions. Battle was due to earn $1.0375 million in base salary next season.

In addition to releasing McFadden and Battle, the Steelers have signed cornerback Myron Rolle, wide receiver Juamorris Stewart and linebacker Brandon Hicks to “Reserve/Futures” contracts.

The Steelers got to work on the salary cap on Tuesday, as they cleared $6.56 million of salary cap space by renegotiating the contract of linebacker LaMarr Woodley.

Franchised by the Steelers prior to last year’s lockout, Woodley signed a five-year extension worth $52.5 million on August. Woodley received a $13 million signing bonus, $4 million option bonus and a $1.1 million base salary which resulted in a 2011 cap number of $7.7 million. In 2012, Woodley was due a $3.4 million base salary and had a $5.5 million roster bonus due on the 5th day of the 2012 league year for a cap number of $11.5 million.

On Monday, Woodley agreed to a restructure that lowered his base salary to $700,000. The remaining $2.7 million in base salary was combined with his $5.5 million roster bonus and converted into an $8.2 million signing bonus, which will be prorated over the remaining five seasons of Woodley’s contract.

Woodley’s cap number in 2012 is now $4.94 million.

Woodley’s base salaries in 2013-16 were unchanged, but $1.64 million was added to each year’s cap number.

Even with the Woodley restructure, the Steelers are still well over a 2012 salary cap that is not expected to increase much, if at all. Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, safety Troy Polamalu and linebackers James Harrison and Lawrence Timmons each have cap numbers in excess of $9 million and are potential restructure candidates.

On the bright side, Haley was fantastic at pushing wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald to be great. He challenged him on the physical aspect of his game and the work ethic, Fitzgerald loved his style, and football fans everywhere loved the results. Fitzgerald has since started holding summer workout camps. He got a 1000-yard season out of Steve Breaston in 2008, too.

On the other hand, you can look at the Cardinals‘ offensive numbers and wonder how they didn’t score more in 2008 and 2009, particularly when they ran the ball so well in 2009. Kurt Warner called many of the plays in Arizona.

Essentially, what makes this a decent hire is that Haley does have a lot of experience attacking defenses, and working under a great head coach in Bill Parcells back in Dallas. He’s also worked with inconsistent line play for Big Red and the Chiefs, and with two of the least mobile quarterbacks in the NFL, Kurt Warner and Matt Cassel. To truly assess the job he did in Kansas City, you need to evaluate all the injuries – Charles, Cassel, Baldwin – and what Herm Edwards left him with. This is probably the best hire the Steelers could make, looking at who was available.

Follow me at: http://twitter.com/Chris_M_Bach

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Jerome Bettis Does Not Belong in the Hall of Fame

Now that the 2011 season is officially over following last night’s Super Bowl, now we can all look ahead to free agency.

The Steelers have a number of players that will be unrestricted come March 13th when they can sign with other teams. You can see the complete list below, and give your thoughts about what players the team should keep, and what ones they could let go.

Exclusive Rights Free Agents (3)

RB Isaac Redman
DT Steve McLendon
P Jeremy Kapinos

Restricted Free Agents (7)

WR Mike Wallace
TE David Johnson
OT Jamon Meredith
OL Ramon Foster
OL Doug Legursky
CB Keenan Lewis
S Ryan Mundy

Unrestricted Free Agents (11)

QB Charlie Batch
QB Dennis Dixon
QB Byron Leftwich
RB Mewelde Moore
WR Jerricho Cotchery
OT Max Starks
OL Trai Essex
NT Chris Hoke
CB William Gay
CB Anthony Madison
P Daniel Sepulveda

A couple of the Steelers were piling it on the Patriots after they lost on Sunday to the Giants in Super Bowl XLVI by a score of 21-17.

Both James Harrison and Ryan Clark laid it on the team that was involved in the “Spygate” scandal that directly involved the Steelers in the 2004 AFC Title Game.

Harrison posted on Twitter after the Pats lost: “Told you, cheaters never win!!!!!!!!!”

Safety Ryan Clark added on Twitter: “0-2 [in Super Bowls] post spy gate! Just saying!!”

Harrison came back a little later with a comment for those that were upset with the Tweet: “Lol, I’m sorry I couldn’t help it!!!” He finished up the night with this: “Come on people love or hate me more!”

Gotta love the black and gold, always making it fun even when their rivals lose.

2013 SUPER BOWL XLVII ODDS

Green Bay Packers 6/1

New England Patriots 7/1

New Orleans Saints 8/1

Philadelphia Eagles 12/1

Pittsburgh Steelers 12/1

Houston Texans 12/1

Baltimore Ravens 14/1

New York Giants 15/1

San Diego Chargers 16/1

New York Jets 16/1

San Francisco 49ers 18/1

Dallas Cowboys 18/1

Detroit Lions 18/1

Atlanta Falcons 22/1

Chicago Bears 30/1

Arizona Cardinals 30/1

Miami Dolphins 35/1

Cincinnati Bengals 40/1

Indianapolis Colts 50/1

Tennessee Titans 40/1

Oakland Raiders 50/1

Carolina Panthers 50/1

Denver Broncos 50/1

Kansas City Chiefs 50/1

Seattle Seahawks 60/1

Buffalo Bills 60/1

Washington Redskins 60/1

Minnesota Vikings 75/1

St. Louis Rams 75/1

Tampa Bay Buccaneers 75/1

Cleveland Browns 100/1

Jacksonville Jaguars 100/1

Saturday the NFL announced who would be and who wouldn’t be in the Hall of Fame. While the Steelers will have a presence in the ceremonies with Jack Butler and Dermontti Dawson, the team also missed out on Jerome Bettis, the teams iconic running back and possibly the most popular player in team history.

Chris Bach wrote at piece on our mothership www.nflgridirongab.com, about the Bus, and who he feels that Bettis does NOT belong in the Hall of Fame.

Here’s the first part of the piece.

I don’t put much weight into Super Bowls when considering who should get in the Hall of Fame. The Hall of Fame is an individual award, and – while your production is often dependent on teammates -, you shouldn’t put too much weight on Super Bowls because they are often out of a players’ hands.

I view the 1990s Steelers the same way I view the 2000s Cowboys. Great franchises with plenty of good players in those eras, but probably only two worthy Hall of Famers from each group. Rod Woodson absolutely deserved to be in the Hall of Famer, – so did Dermontti Dawson – and I think Carnell Lake should be considered, and Demarcus Ware and Jason Witten are worthy, too.

Jerome Bettis’ best sell for the Hall of Fame, however, is that he is 5th all-time in rushing yards. Unfortunately, that is just not enough for me.

He was in the top 5 for rushing yards just three times in 13 seasons, never placing above 3rd. Jamal Lewis was top 5 twice (including #1 in 2003), Clinton Portis was in the top 5 four times, and Ahman Green was top 5 twice (including #2 in 2003).

Click HERE to read the rest