Timmons and Steelers Agree to Five-Year Deal

New Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin will have his first trainning camp start with his first draft choice on the field. ESPN.com is reporting that the Steelers have reached a deal with their first-round pick, linebacker Lawrence Timmons. The 15th pick in the draft from Florida State, Timmons becomes the last Steeler to have to come to terms, meaning that Tomlin will have all his draft choices in camp come Monday.

The 21-year-old will sign a five-year deal according to ESPN that has a maximum value of $15 million, which includes incentives. The contract has $8.053 million in bonuses. Timmons started just one season for Florida State, but had a great 2006 and that put up in the upper half of the draft boards of most teams when it comes to linebackers. Timmons sits at 6-foot, 234 pounds and was timed in 4.66 seconds in the 40-yard dash at the combine.

The linebacker had 126 tackles, 22½ tackles for losses, eight sacks, eight pressures, one interception, seven passes defensed, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He also blocked three punts on special teams units. Most of that production came last season, when Timmons started all 13 games. In all, Timmons appeared in 38 games during his career.

Timmons was injured throughout some of the Steelers mini-camps with a hamstring injury, but reports say that he will be able to take part in the teams trainning camp in Latrobe once it kicks off. “We think it was very important to get Lawrence signed on time to give him an opportunity to reach his immense potential,” said his agent, Drew Rosenhaus. “Obviously, Mike Tomlin’s in his first training camp and Lawrence is his first draft pick as head coach and we wanted him to be there. He’s off to a great start.”