Ed Bouchette reports that a potential new Troy Polamalu deal is still a possibility, as Polamalu and the team are still negotiating.
It had previously looked unlikely that a deal would get done. The Steelers don’t negotiate contracts during the season.
The team adopted a policy in the mid-1990s not to negotiate contract extensions beyond the start of the regular season, a policy they have followed strictly. The only exceptions have come when they were close to finishing a deal before the season began and believed they could wrap it up soon thereafter.
The Steelers are not close to one with Polamalu, who has been their starting free safety since his second season (2004), and it is uncertain they can complete one soon.
The Steelers have the ability to use the franchise tag on Polamalu for 2012 if they cannot sign him to a long-term deal, so the risk of losing him isn’t serious. However, it sounds like the 2012 salary cap could be an issue for the Steelers, regardless of the route they take with Polamalu – the Post-Gazette notes that they’ve also recently signed guys Lawrence Timmons and LaMarr Woodley to long-term deals, and they’ll have to worry about Mike Wallace, who is eligible be a restricted free agent after the season.
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