I know that many feel the Steelers should go outside the box and made a big splash once free agency starts and get Raiders all-world CB Nnamdi Asomugha. Well, Ed Bouchette of the Post-Gazette says “forget it,” confirming that there’s no way the team is going to spend the money for the CB.
Asomugha is an unrestricted free agent even though he had a contract through the 2011 season, he is a UFA because the Raiders put a clause in his contract that you would never see the Steelers or many other teams write. According to a story by ESPN’s Adam Schefter in January, Asomugha’s $45.3 million, three-year contract that he signed in 2009 included a clause that the final year in 2011 would void if he did not reach certain incentives in 2010 that included games played, interceptions, etc. Think about that for a moment, the Raiders would reward Asomugha by making him an unrestricted free agent in the prime of his career if he DID NOT perform up to the level expected of him in 2010. Among the incentives: He had to play in all 16 games and he only played in 14, but that’s not all. As part of the 2009 deal, the Raiders wrote into the cornerback’s contract that if the clause did spring him out of the deal early, that the team could not designate him as their franchise player in 2011.
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DrGeorge
June 10, 2011 at 9:04 am
The Oakland contract provisions indicate the importance of the Steelers front office expertise or, conversely, the harm of an undisciplined approach to personnel in Oakland. You are right, Matt — the Steelers would never write or accept a clause like that one. As for paying big bucks for Asomugha, we’ve been saying for months on this site that the Steelers wouldn’t be in a bidding war for his services. The money is crazy.
We need help at corner, but we should not skew the team salary structure for one CB. Everyone wants a shut-down CB, but there aren’t that many around. All LeBeau needs is a technically competent CB opposite Ike Taylor, who will be resigned. Opponents have been picking on McFadden, successfully, but he isn’t all bad, just inconsistent in technique. With the addition of Heyward and the return of Smith, the pass rush should be much improved and take some of the pressure off the secondary. We’ll be all right without Asomugha.