Cotchery stays with Steelers
Apparently, Kevin Colbert woke up from his nap.
After being completely silent for most of free agency, the Steelers made two signings in two days. Yesterday they signed free agent tight end Leonard Pope, and today they inked a deal with their own free agent wide receiver, Jericho Cotchery.
The new deal will keep Cotchery with the Steelers for two more years. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Depending on whether Mike Wallace remains with the Steelers, and whether Emmanuel Sanders can remain healthy, Cotchery could be anywhere from the #2 receiver to the #4 receiver next year.
After Hines Ward was benched during the 2011 season, Cotchery became the Steelers’ #4 receiver. However, if another team signs Mike Wallace to the mammoth free agent contract that he’s been seeking, Cotchery could move up in the pecking order. And if Emmanuel Sanders continues to have foot problems, Cotchery could rise even more.
But regardless of where Cotchery ends up on the depth charts, his return is sure to make Ben Roethlisberger happy. Big Ben started to develop nice chemistry with Cotchery late in the season. So he’s certainly going to be happy to have his most seasoned wide receiver back in the fold.
The Leonard Pope and Jericho Cotchery signings were both good moves by the Steelers. Now if they’d only sign Mike Wallace to a long-term deal…….
This signing is actually a big deal because it give the team more leverage in dealing with Wallace, some insurance and a guy who can fill Hines’ old role. He’s a tough, effective possession receiver with a good attitude. I’m a little concerned about Wally and not at all convinced he offers anything but blinding speed which could fad and make a long term expensive contract quite unappealling. He does not bring a consistent high level of concentration and craft to his job and is now threatening to be a holdout. Wally will make our team much stronger next year by opening up space for other receivers and bringing in his more than fair share of long hauls but with the Cotchery signing the team can still be successful without Wally if Sanders can play most of the season or we start using tight ends more effectively.
1Good signing. Wallace wants Fitzgerald money, and won’t get it from Pittsburgh. Unless he takes a discount, this will be his last year, unfortunately.
2