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Steelers tackle Max Starks has signed his one-year tender offer as the team’s transition player, John Clayton of ESPN is reporting.
The signing ensures that Starks will play the 2008 season in Pittsburgh and receive a guaranteed salary of $6.895 million. Another team could have signed Starks to an offer sheet, but he received little if any interest.
It was a bit of a surprise that the Steelers made Starks their transition player, as he started just four games last season, but with Alan Faneca leaving as a free agent, the Steelers didn’t want to lose any more offensive linemen, and Starks is a versatile lineman who can play either right or left tackle.
Starks had knee surgery after suffering damage to the meniscus cartilage in his knee in the final game of the regular season.
April 19th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Why wouldn’t the Bears sign him to a poison-pill offer sheet? The Bears are desperate at multiple positions, but the glaring need is an OT. Signing Starks would’ve given them the ability to draft best-player-available for the first couple rounds, rather than being forced to settle for whichever OT is available at #14.
It’s kind of maddening how inactive Angelo has been this off-season considering the absolute dearth of talent on offense, and a serious lack of depth on defense. I’d like to think that maybe he knows something I don’t, but history has told me that Angelo lets his ego get in the way of correcting past mistakes (such as Benson, Grossman, Colombo, Haynes, Archuletta, Rickey Manning Jr etc.).
Not that Starks is all-world or anything, but at this point Angelo is so desperate for an OT that he can be taken advantage of in the draft.
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April 19th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
I was suprised Starks didn’t sign that tender as soon as he saw it. That is a whole lot of money for someone with his track record. He played his best football toward the end of last year when he was obviously working for his next contract, but he also lost his starting job in training camp to someone that’s probably better suited to play RG.
I can’t understand why they just didnt franchaise Faneca for $500000 more. At least you know you are getting a top notch lineman with him, or they could have possibly traded him and got something in return instead of just letting him walk.
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April 19th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
In other completely unrelated news, McDonald’s franchises in the Pittsburgh area anticipate a $6.895 million increase cheeseburger sales in the coming months…
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April 19th, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Max Starks should be the starting Left Tackle this season!
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April 19th, 2008 at 10:04 pm
I think I speak for fans of all other teams when I say, I surely hope Max Starks is the starting LT this season.
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April 19th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
How the Steelers won SBXL with him at RT is one of the greatest mysteries of the 21st century.
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April 20th, 2008 at 12:29 am
That is a lot of money for a backup right tackle. It’s got to make you wonder if Colon will be moved to left guard and Starks will start on the right. I could see that if the Steelers draft someone who isn’t ready to start during his rookie season.
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April 20th, 2008 at 8:31 am
How the Steelers won 10 games with Mahan at Center is another great mystery! Provided Marvel Smith is healthy, Colon will play guard and Starks will start at his old RT spot. If Smith isn’t healthy, Starks plays LT and Colon stays at RT.
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April 20th, 2008 at 9:40 am
I agree with what Iceberg33 said. However what happens with Simmons? Does he compete at center with Hartwig? Does he or Colon compete at LG? Everyone is kind of penciling Kemoutu(SP?) in at LG, but while he’s very strong and gets a good push he doesn’t seem very mobile. I’ve really never seen him pull and hit on the move well. I guess it works it’s self out in camp.
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April 21st, 2008 at 10:19 am
geez, can’t believe how much they’re overpaying him, when we need that money elsewhere
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