Polamalu looking to sign, but when?

Here’s a two-part question for you: How much do we really know about veteran agent Marvin Demoff, the agent of Steelers safety Troy Polamalu? Considering his track record, how much do we want to know? Certainly enough to know that anything is possible with Demoff - ranging from a speedy contract resolution between Polamalu and the Steelers, to a prolonged contract stalemate, and all the possibilites in between. In other words, expect the unexpected.

Demoff is what you’d consider an old-school negotiator based in Los Angeles who has a history with the Steelers, although not necessarily a great one. He represented Rod Woodson when he was drafted in the first-round back in 1987. Woodson held out, missed his first NFL training camp and didn’t sign until October. Now on the other hand, Polamalu, the Steelers’ first-round pick in 2003, didn’t hold out, signed in July and participated in his first NFL training camp. Demoff, depending on the client in question and the client’s needs, can be either accomodating or stiff.

Polamalu’s original contract ends following the 2007 season. The Steelers really don’t have to do a thing. They can permit him to play out his deal and then slap a franchise tag on him for the next two seasons if he doesn’t agree to their terms. Not exactly a nice way of conducting business with one of the Steelers’ best and most popular players, yet the price that one sometimes must pay to do business. Especially with a smaller-market team such as the Steelers.

Demoff is attempting to hammer out a deal for Polamalu this offseason since the Steelers typically do not negotiate deals during the regular season. Keep in mind that Polamalu has a year left on his current contract, so basically what happens between right now and WEEK 1 vs. Cleveland may be revealing. Not signing Polamalu this offseason doesn’t mean a new deal won’t get done. But at the same time it could possibly send the wrong message to players and fans.

Considering that linebacker Joey Porter was released after not securing the contract he wanted, and given that unhappy Pro Bowl guard Alan Faneca has already promised to leave when his contract runs out after next season, the Steelers need to re-sign Polamalu as a sign of good faith, if anything else. So far, Polamalu is adopting a low-key, goodwill approach in negotiations. That could change if Demoff, who’s already shown the Steelers that he can drive a hard bargain, is unable to secure Ed Reed type of money for Polamalu. So the $64,000 question is this: Which Demoff do we get this year - the Woodson or the Polamalu version? Only time will tell.