CARDS TAMPERING WITH FANECA?
There is growing suspicion in some league circles that the current contract conundrum between the Steelers and guard Alan Faneca might be the product of some wink-nod off-the-record conversations between Faneca and/or his agent and coaches and/or front-office employees with the Arizona Cardinals, regarding the possibility of Faneca landing in Arizona either this year via trade or next year via free agency.
There's no hard proof that this is happening. And it doesn't take a rocket surgeon to figure out the link between Faneca and current Cardinals offensive line coach/former Steelers offensive line coach Russ Grimm -- especially since Faneca wanted Grimm to be the head coach of the Steelers.
The fact that the Cardinals have a crappy offensive line that became even crappier due to the departure of Leonard Davis to Dallas makes the possible link even stronger, as does the fact that the Cardinals have the cap room to pay Faneca. And the Steelers don't.
Even if Faneca never lands with the Cardinals, any communications aimed at laying the foundation for a trade or a signing would constitute blatant violations of the tampering rules. Whether the Steelers would file tampering charges remains to be seen, and whether the league would do anything about it is a separate issue.
With all that said, there is suspicion (and, for now, suspicion only) that something could be happening. We're not saying anything is happening or will happen. Yet.
http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm
There is growing suspicion in some league circles that the current contract conundrum between the Steelers and guard Alan Faneca might be the product of some wink-nod off-the-record conversations between Faneca and/or his agent and coaches and/or front-office employees with the Arizona Cardinals, regarding the possibility of Faneca landing in Arizona either this year via trade or next year via free agency.
There's no hard proof that this is happening. And it doesn't take a rocket surgeon to figure out the link between Faneca and current Cardinals offensive line coach/former Steelers offensive line coach Russ Grimm -- especially since Faneca wanted Grimm to be the head coach of the Steelers.
The fact that the Cardinals have a crappy offensive line that became even crappier due to the departure of Leonard Davis to Dallas makes the possible link even stronger, as does the fact that the Cardinals have the cap room to pay Faneca. And the Steelers don't.
Even if Faneca never lands with the Cardinals, any communications aimed at laying the foundation for a trade or a signing would constitute blatant violations of the tampering rules. Whether the Steelers would file tampering charges remains to be seen, and whether the league would do anything about it is a separate issue.
With all that said, there is suspicion (and, for now, suspicion only) that something could be happening. We're not saying anything is happening or will happen. Yet.
http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm