The Steelers just tied up the game in Denver 23-23 and forced overtime. On the first play of overtime, instead of Tim Tebow connecting with Demaryius Thomas for an 80-yard touchdown to seal the victory, Steelers cornerback Ike Taylor steps in front and intercepts the pass returning it for a touchdown. The Steelers complete their comeback and move on to prepare for their heavyweight match against the New England Patriots. Then you wake up and realize that is all a dream. In reality, the Steelers are at home thinking of other obstacles they are about to encounter. They need to start their offseason discussing questions like which players they are going to target in the upcoming draft, getting their players on the current roster back to full health, what free agents they will sign and re-sign, but the biggest decision they will deal with is what they will decide to do with veteran wide receiver Hines Ward.
Ward just completed his fourteenth season in the league. The 35-year-old has had a profound career to say the least. In 217 games, Ward has accounted for 12,083 yards, 85 touchdowns and 1,000 receptions which he reached this year on the final week of the season against the Cleveland Browns.
Taking a look back at his successful career, Ward’s best season came in 2002 when he recorded his only 100 reception season of his career with 112. Ward also added 1,379 yards and 12 touchdowns that season. Playing all fourteen seasons of his NFL career in the Steel City, Ward was a third round pick of the Steelers in the 1998 draft. In that draft alone, Ward was the fourteenth wide receiver taken. Most notably before him was Randy Moss who was one of three wide receivers taken in the first round.
Ward has meant so much to the NFL that they even named a rule after him. At the beginning of the 2009 season the NFL started making rules to protect player’s safety. One rule was defined as an illegal blindside block if it comes from the blocker’s helmet, forearm or shoulder and lands to the head or neck area of the defender. The infamous hit that portrayed this rule was Ward’s hit the previous season against Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Keith Rivers that broke his jaw. The rule was approved as the ‘Hines Ward Rule’.
Even though the list can go on about what Ward has done for this organization and what he means to this city, all good things must come to an end. Since the 2009 season when Ward recorded 95 receptions, his production has drastically declined over the last two years. This past year was Ward’s worse season production wise with only 46 receptions and two touchdowns, since his rookie season when he only recorded 15 receptions and no touchdowns.
Another decision the Steelers will have to take into account is the re-signing of free agents on their roster. Taking a look at some of the free agents, there are some necessities they need to focus on. First off is re-signing one of the backup quarterbacks. Batch, Leftwich and Dixon are all unrestricted free agents and unless the Steelers decide to go another route, they will need to re-sign at least one of them. Two other unrestricted free agents are Trai Essex and Max Starks. With the offensive line already being banged up and criticized for being shaky, one would have to imagine one of them if not both will re-sign with the team. The two biggest free agents that are necessities to re-sign are cornerback William Gay, who had a stellar season as the number two cornerback alongside Ike Taylor, and Ward’s predecessor Mike Wallace, who has gained the attention around the league as one of the elite wide receivers.
It is going to be hard enough for the Steelers to balance out how they will pay players they wish to re-sign, but now they have to take into account what they are willing to chime in Ward’s directions. Ward recently said that he is willing to take a pay cut to stay with the Steeler organization. This upcoming season Ward is due to receive $4 million dollars. After next season Ward will become a free agent. It is easy to say that the Steelers will have the decency to let Ward finish out his contract, but they will do what is best for the team.
This past season, with Ward not nearly seeing the time on the field he is used, there was one person who was the beneficiary of that, Antonio Brown. Brown had a breakout season earning 1,000 yards both as a wide receiver and kick returner. Another player who would benefit from Ward’s absence is Emmanuel Sanders. Sanders was slowed down this year by injuries, but we all saw what he is capable of, when he helped lead the Steelers to the Super Bowl in his rookie season. I believe the Steelers offense would be more dynamic if you are able to use Wallace, Brown and Sanders to their full ability, and the only way to do that is to make room for them to be on the field.
Don’t get me wrong. I think Hines Ward will go down as one of the best Steelers of all-time and is a given for the Hall of Fame. One of the hardest things that an elite athlete like Ward has to deal with is knowing when to stop. I believe Ward can have a bright future with the Steelers organization as a coach, but as for now, it is time to pass the torch to the young guns.
Photo published by daylife.com
Discussion about this post