Almost got another center
Steelers, lineman close to deal; LB visits
Saturday, March 10, 2007
By Ed Bouchette, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
The Steelers last night made significant progress on a contract with free agent offensive lineman Sean Mahan and the sides hope to have a deal in place by today.
Mahan, a starter the past three seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, would become the first free agent to sign with the Steelers this year.
Linebacker Colby Bockwoldt of Tennessee also visited the Steelers yesterday but talks did not produce a contract.
They were the third and fourth players in the past two days to visit the Steelers.
Mahan, who has started 36 games at both guard spots and at center for the Buccaneers the past three seasons, played in Tampa Bay when new Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was the Buccaneers' secondary coach.
Bockwoldt is a former starting outside linebacker in New Orleans who played primarily on special teams with the Titans last season.
Mahan would compete with Chukky Okobi, the longtime heir apparent, and guard Kendall Simmons to replace the retired Jeff Hartings at center if he were to sign with the Steelers.
That's what their coaches told him, anyway.
Mahan, 26, also visited Seattle and Cleveland -- teams that want him to play guard, he said -- and the Buccaneers want him to return to play center.
"Jeff Hartings retired and there's another center on their roster, Chukky Okobi, and they also have the idea of maybe trying Kendall Simmons out at center, too, so they want me to come in and compete for the starting job," Mahan said.
Mahan, a fifth-round pick from Notre Dame in 2003, started eight games at center for the Buccaneers in 2004 after a season-ending injury to John Wade. He started 16 games at right guard in 2005 and 12 games at left guard last season.
"I don't have a favorite position," Mahan said. "I like them both."
Bockwoldt, 25, became the first linebacker in free agency to visit the Steelers. He started all 16 games for the New Orleans Saints at outside linebacker in 2005 but was waived before last season.
Tennessee claimed him off waivers and he played primarily as a backup and special teams player for the Titans, where he started one game.
He has offers from Tennessee and San Francisco, he said.
Bockwoldt, a seventh-round draft pick from BYU in 2004, became an unrestricted free agent when the Titans did not issue him a qualifying contract offer last week that would have made him a restricted free agent.
He played with some of the current Steelers at BYU.
"I know a few players here: Brett Keisel, Chris Hoke, Shaun Nua, all my BYU guys. And they had nothing but great things to say about this team, this city, this organization, the people that work here. So I hope the business side of it can be taken care of and we can show up for work on the 19th."
The Steelers admittedly are thin at outside linebacker and Bockwoldt will at least provide some experience at the position. He said they will give him an opportunity to start, but it's more likely James Harrison will move into a starting job with Clark Haggans unless a rookie changes those plans.
"Special teams is a must," Bockwoldt said of his role with the Steelers. "And with the departure of a great linebacker here, obviously spots need to be filled. [I'd] probably come in as an outside linebacker for now and spend the offseason figuring out where we all fit."
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