Faneca says he wants out

[Slacker]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07131/785306-66.stm/steelers/

Faneca says he wants out

Friday, May 11, 2007
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Guard Alan Faneca said today he is attending the required Steelers minicamp only because the team is making him and predicted this will be his last season with the Steelers.


Faneca, who has played in the past six Pro Bowls, said he will depart Pittsburgh Sunday night when practices end and won't return until training camp.

Faneca also said he has asked the Steelers to trade him but that he does not think that will happen. He said they have shown by their lack of progress in contract talks that they no longer want him beyond the 2007 season. "This will be my last year as a Pittsburgh Steeler," Faneca declared.


He even said that it would be hard for him to serve as a co-captain of the offense again.

"You go somewhere, you've been here for nine years; to do what I've done to help this team out. The things I've done for this team ... and the offer I get is pretty much a non-offer. What am I to think? What are the guys in this room to think? If they can do it to me and everybody else and let Joey [Porter] go and do things like that, what does that say to the rest of the guys?"

Faneca said he's talked to "everyone" in the front office, including Art Rooney, Dan Rooney and Kevin Colbert.

"I've been asking since February, to trade me, to let me go,'' Faneca said in such an emotional interview that at times his left hand was shaking slightly. "I've done my piece, I've done my time, I've done everything I can for this organization.
"I lived and breathed Steelers football for nine years and gave them everything I had, helped them win a Super Bowl. In my mind, I've earned the right to be treated fairly. To make me go out there this year, play football with no security ... for what I've done for this organization, in my mind is not right."

________________________________________________________________


Yes? No? Maybe so?

 

[Divide Et Impera]

So, he's refusing to return? He's got all the leverage. Offer a conditional 3rd that can be a 2nd based on PT or starts or something....

 

[D-Dogg]

So, he's refusing to return? He's got all the leverage. Offer a conditional 3rd that can be a 2nd based on PT or starts or something....

Yeah, absolutely.

 

[joeshmo]

Everyone needs to ask themselves this question.

Do you think the Cards will give Faneca the Contract he is most likely trying to get. Keep in mind that Steinbach, Dockery, and Davis all Gaurds who arent in Faneca's level got 50 Mill deals. Then ask yourself what players do you not mind cutting in order to make 5 Mill. minimum in cap space to get him and his new contract under the cap.

 

[Rivercard]

["You go somewhere, you've been here for nine years; to do what I've done to help this team out. The things I've done for this team ... and the offer I get is pretty much a non-offer. What am I to think? What are the guys in this room to think? If they can do it to me and everybody else and let Joey [Porter] go and do things like that, what does that say to the rest of the guys?"

"I've been asking since February, to trade me, to let me go,'' Faneca said in such an emotional interview that at times his left hand was shaking slightly. "I've done my piece, I've done my time, I've done everything I can for this organization.
"I lived and breathed Steelers football for nine years and gave them everything I had, helped them win a Super Bowl. In my mind, I've earned the right to be treated fairly. To make me go out there this year, play football with no security ... for what I've done for this organization, in my mind is not right."

What a whining baby. So what if the team doesn't want to renegotiate right now. YOU ARE GETTING PAID MAJOR COIN TO PLAY A FREAKIN GAME. Play out your contract then sign a new one somewhere else.

 

[Redheart]

...guy is free-agent at the end of the year.

Wait to next year...evaluate again.

 

[Zeno]

So, he's refusing to return? He's got all the leverage. Offer a conditional 3rd that can be a 2nd based on PT or starts or something....

I'd rather offer a second for Lance Briggs and get the starting OLB we so desperately need(moreso than an OG IMO).

 

[RON_IN_OC]

I'd rather offer a second for Lance Briggs and get the starting OLB we so desperately need(moreso than an OG IMO).

I think Briggs might be the next Ed Hartwell...a product of a superior teammate playing next to him.

 

[Dr. Jones]

Gandy and a 5th?

Wells - Faneca - Johnson - Lutui - Brown

 

[RedRob]

What a whining baby. So what if the team doesn't want to renegotiate right now. YOU ARE GETTING PAID MAJOR COIN TO PLAY A FREAKIN GAME. Play out your contract then sign a new one somewhere else.

Easy to say from your perspective. He's judging his worth compared to others in the league. And he has a point. Many players going into their final year are offered longer term deals so the they and the team understand their future.

 

[jefftheshark]

I wish Leonard Davis had started whining last year, so we could have traded him for a third round pick and a bag of chips.

The Shark

 

[Redsz]

Everyone needs to ask themselves this question.

Do you think the Cards will give Faneca the Contract he is most likely trying to get. Keep in mind that Steinbach, Dockery, and Davis all Gaurds who arent in Faneca's level got 50 Mill deals. Then ask yourself what players do you not mind cutting in order to make 5 Mill. minimum in cap space to get him and his new contract under the cap.

I guess if you bring in Faneca you seriously consider the worth of players like Oliver Ross, Elton Brown and Milford Brown (who I REALLY want starting).

You could always ask Kurt Warner to restructure, because he is earning far too much for a back up QB.

 

[Redsz]

Video:

http://kdka.com/video/[email protected]

 

[WisconsinCard]

Everyone needs to ask themselves this question.

Do you think the Cards will give Faneca the Contract he is most likely trying to get. Keep in mind that Steinbach, Dockery, and Davis all Gaurds who arent in Faneca's level got 50 Mill deals. Then ask yourself what players do you not mind cutting in order to make 5 Mill. minimum in cap space to get him and his new contract under the cap.

Ah the voice of reason. Do I believe that he's an upgrade at the position...sure, but we cant afford him right now. I would like to see the line look like this at the start of the year.

Wells-Gandy-Johnson-Lutui-Brown

Give em a few games to play together and then decide if we need to upgrade next year when he's a free agent.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

Gandy and a 5th?

Wells - Faneca - Johnson - Lutui - Brown

I like it ... but why Gandy ..

We should try to trade them Oliver Ross and a 5th .. or M. Brown and a 5th .. those 2 guys have big contracts also ... would they really want Ross back .. ??

 

[BullheadCardFan]

FANECA WANTS OUT​

Steelers guard Alan Faneca said on Friday that 2007 will be his final season in Pittsburgh. As of March 2008, Faneca will become an unrestricted free agent. And he intends to leave the team at that time.​

In this regard, Faneca is overlooking the franchise tag, which would allow the team to limit his movement in free agency via the extension of an offer equivalent to either the average of the five highest-paid players at the position or to 120 percent of his 2007 cap number, whichever is greater.​

It's possible that the Steelers will apply the tag to Faneca and then trade him. It's also possible that the Steelers will trade him before the 2007 trading deadline. Already, there are rumblings in league circles of a possible deal that would send Faneca to Arizona. ​

It's an obvious potential destination. The Cardinals need help on the offensive line. Former Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and offensive line coach Russ Grimm already work there. ​

But whoever gets Faneca had better be ready to cough up at least a seven-year, $49 million deal, with $18 million or so of it guaranteed. That's the current high water mark, and amounts like that have been paid to lesser players.​

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm​

 

[JeffGollin]

Smart money says Faneca will grit his teeth, live up to his contract and play out the season before most likely moving on. And his trade-value and cap hit would probably make him too rich for our blood anyway.

But part of me can't help but wonder whether something couldn't be worked out - i.e. (a) a cap-friendly longer term compensation package worked out by Faneca and the Cardinals and (b) including one of our surplus guards (Wells? M Brown?) in a trade package.

We'd be getting more than just a very good O-lineman. In addition to adding more quality stability to our O-line (Gandy-Faneca-Johnson-Lutui-Brown), we'd add a veteran leadership presence who knows Wiz & Grimm's system and would earn the automatic respect of our youngsters.

The only "warning label on the wrapper" would have to concern Alan's age relative to his Pro Bowl talent - i.e. he'd be valuable to us but, realistically, how many productive years does he have left?

 

[Denny Green Fan]

Everyone needs to ask themselves this question.

Do you think the Cards will give Faneca the Contract he is most likely trying to get. Keep in mind that Steinbach, Dockery, and Davis all Gaurds who arent in Faneca's level got 50 Mill deals. Then ask yourself what players do you not mind cutting in order to make 5 Mill. minimum in cap space to get him and his new contract under the cap.

Good point Joe. Plus Faneca is 3 to 5 years older than those players.

 

[joeshmo]

You could always ask Kurt Warner to restructure, because he is earning far too much for a back up QB.

The only way to restructure Kurt is to ask him to take a lower base salary but he will get back that money in a bonus instead. Which would mean he would cost even more in the later years of his deal and if cut would cost more against the cap. You could probably save about 2 Mill against the cap this year but would cost 1 mill more next year and the year after.

And that stillw ouldnt be enough to sign Faneca to the deal he will want.

 

[joeshmo]

FANECA WANTS OUT​

Steelers guard Alan Faneca said on Friday that 2007 will be his final season in Pittsburgh. As of March 2008, Faneca will become an unrestricted free agent. And he intends to leave the team at that time.​

In this regard, Faneca is overlooking the franchise tag, which would allow the team to limit his movement in free agency via the extension of an offer equivalent to either the average of the five highest-paid players at the position or to 120 percent of his 2007 cap number, whichever is greater.​

It's possible that the Steelers will apply the tag to Faneca and then trade him. It's also possible that the Steelers will trade him before the 2007 trading deadline. Already, there are rumblings in league circles of a possible deal that would send Faneca to Arizona. ​

It's an obvious potential destination. The Cardinals need help on the offensive line. Former Steelers offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt and offensive line coach Russ Grimm already work there. ​

But whoever gets Faneca had better be ready to cough up at least a seven-year, $49 million deal, with $18 million or so of it guaranteed. That's the current high water mark, and amounts like that have been paid to lesser players.​

http://www.profootballtalk.com/rumormill.htm​

For PFT those Rumblings they are hearing icame from this exact thread.

After they posted a Mitch trade idea as "league circles are saying" only to recant them after finding out he was joking, PFT is laugable at best. They dont have league circles or inside scources all they have is message boards and people emailing them what they heard on the radio.

 

[Dr. Jones]

I like it ... but why Gandy ..

We should try to trade them Oliver Ross and a 5th .. or M. Brown and a 5th .. those 2 guys have big contracts also ... would they really want Ross back .. ??

I was thinking the way you are as well. But in the end, I thought Gandy might be more appealing to them because of his proven run-blocking ability at the Guard position. And my complete hatred of the idea of him playing Tackle for us.

Plus... He will probably be a 1 year rental for us as it is. I don't see us picking up the option unless he is an All-Pro.

Ross plays Tackle so there is no interchangeability. And I don't see either of the Browns (Elton or Milton) as very valuable at all.