Huddle up guys!
Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USPRESSWIRE

It appears the Steelers are flirting again with WR Steve Breaston.  According to John Clayton of ESPN on NFL Live this week; the Steelers are interested in signing Breaston in the next couple of weeks, presumably after they have the additional salary cap space that will be freed up by Willie Colon’s contract being cleared.  Both the Steelers Depot and Behind the Steel Curtain offer their reviews of the news.

Steelers Depot suggests that the signing of Breaston, along with the 2 WR draft picks in Markus Wheaton and Justin Brown means that Plaxico Burress’ days as a Steeler might be numbered.  The biggest downside to a veteran like Burress taking up a roster spot in the wide receiving corps is that he wouldn’t be able to contribute to Special Teams.  Breaston previously worked with Steelers OC Todd Haley in Arizona and Kansas City so it makes sense why the Steelers continue to keep going after him.  Clearly Haley sees value in adding Breaston to the roster so while the Steelers are unlikely to carry more than 5 WR on the roster at the very most; it’s probably a safe bet to say that Burress might be on his way out if Breaston comes in.  Only time will tell though, the cap space to sign anyone still isn’t there.

Behind the Steel Curtain explains how Breaston could fit in under the cap, of course once Colon’s money is cleared and the rookies are all signed to their deals.  As we all remember the Steelers brought Breaston in for workouts last month but did not sign the wide receiver who is recovering from an arthritic knee condition.  It’s important to remember that the Steeler can afford Breaston under the cap but that will definitely limit them from being able to sign other veterans that might only tend to show up just before training camp (Max Starks anyone?).  I guess what it will come down to is just how valuable they think Breaston is to the offense as opposed to say a Starks, Legursky, or even Casey Hampton.  We shall see.

What do you think, Steeler Nation?  Do you think the Steelers should pick up Breaston even at the expense of bringing back other veterans or at the expense of Plaxico Burress?

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Nov 21, 2011; Foxborough, MA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Steve Breaston (15) warms up before the game against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

The Steve Breaston Sweepstakes (enter chuckle here) have officially moved to Pittsburgh.  The PPG reported that Steve Breaston is meeting with the Steelers on Thursday.

Breaston was just in Cleveland chatting it up with the Browns – a move that is more than likely just a bargaining chip for him to maximize his cash flow when he signs with either team.  Many in Steeler Nation, including some of us here at NPC, feel that seeing Stevie in a black & gold jersey would be a big mistake when the team has much larger needs at defense and little need for another slot receiver.

There is a good argument that Breaston would fit very well in Todd Haley’s Dunk’O'Matic offense.  He did play for Haley in Arizona and in Kansas City after all.  And, in my opinion, that’s a dangerous association.  Bringing someone in like Breaston to this offense says nothing about Haley’s pulling power of a player in free agency.  Breaston is coming off his poorest season to date, no thanks to Romeo Crennell.  It’s unclear why Breaston was benched for so long in 2012, but it doesn’t help his stock as a well sought after player – he is talking to Cleveland you know.

Breaston even visiting Pittsburgh exemplifies the bull headedness of Haley.  There’s something about Breaston that Haley really likes, and probably wants him on this team in a bad way.  But, Breaston is not the answer to the woes of a fractured offensive locker room.  Would Breaston act as a leader for the Young Money Crew Minus One?  Or is the hope that he just becomes more productive than Jerricho Cotchery has been the last two seasons? Stevie is more than likely to try and get at least $2 million for a year or two – too expensive for my tastes at this time in the state of the franchise.  The team could easily find a solid receiver in the draft – no one explosive quite like Mike Wallace’s potential, but someone young and fast that could compliment Antonio Brown’s ascension to the #1 roster spot.

There’s no free agent receiver out there that the Steelers have the buying power for.  And there’s not sense in wasting the cash on landing someone.  $12-20 million over the 2013 salary cap is quite an obstacle to overcome, even with Lawrence Timmons, Antonio Brown, and Ben Roethlisberger already compensating for some of that by restructuring contracts.  If Breaston signs a deal with the Steelers, I think he’ll end up the way former KC Chiefs Leonard Pope did last season – high hopes to fit right in with Haley and then becoming highly unproductive and worthless.

September 23, 2012; New Orleans, LA, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Steve Breaston (15) is pursued by New Orleans Saints cornerback Patrick Robinson (21) during the fourth quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Chiefs defeated the Saints 27-24 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas City Chiefs  (and now former) WR Steve Breaston was released by the team on Tuesday.  The Steelers are expected to either shop or draft (or both) a receiver during this offseason.  Steve Breaston is not a perfect fit for the Steelers, but his past with Todd Haley may land him on the team anyways.

Breaston worked under Haley in both Arizona and Kansas City.  Haley liked Breaston and used him frequently in the slot.  Breaston caught on average 60 passes per season from 2008-2011.  He even collected a 1,000 yard season in 2008, the same year that the Cardinals went to the Super Bowl and lost to the Steelers.  For whatever reason, Breaston fell out of favor with then head coach Romeo Crennel.  Crennel criticized Breaston for not knowing the game plan following Breaston’s three week benching.  If you want to read the full glory of who said what in this amazing showing of asshattery by Crennel, check out the link to the Chiefs blog here on the story. (It’s a good read I promise.)

Even with the questionable past and work ethic of Breaston (however invalid it is) won’t matter much if offensive coordinator, Todd Haley wants Breaston.  The Steelers are in need of some help in that position.  Wallace will be gone and off to another team in a few weeks.  Breaston is not the big play maker that Wallace is – or let’s just say the big play making skills.  He is, however, a good slot receiver at 6-0.  That height doesn’t help out the vertical challenged Steelers, but it may take some pressure off of forcing Emmanuel Sanders into the starting lineup when he has longevity issues over the course of a season.  Plaxico Burress isn’t a sure thing in bringing him back.  It’s not like he did anything to shoot himself in the foot (pun heavily intended), but for whatever reason, he was ill used by the team after being re-signed.  He has enough speed and can be an asset in Dink & Dunk 2.0.

Breaston’s contract was slated to be $3.8 million in 2013.  Not a very good price for the cap weary Steelers, but with Breaston’s stats and playing time on a severe down swing last season, I’m sure the Steelers can get him for much cheaper.