After reportedly meeting with the Green Bay Packers, Steeler defensive tackle Steve McLendon appeared to be slated as the latest departure from Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh nearly lost out on receiver Emmanuel Sanders when the Patriots signed him to an offer sheet.
Had the Steelers lost McLendon, it would have been the recent slip-up in the tendering process. The Steelers tendered the defensive lineman for $1.3 million, with no draft compensation if a team were to sign McLendon. For an extra $500,000, the team could have gotten compensation in the form of a second-round pick, which may have kept suitors like the Packers at bay. The tendering mishap with Sanders cost the team an extra $700,000 in cap space, money that is at a premium for the cap-strapped Steelers.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that the Steelers offered McLendon a three-year dear, reportedly worth up to $7.25 million, including $1.675 million guaranteed and $5 million in the first two seasons.
Pittsburgh stepped to the plate and offered a very reasonable contract to shore up the depth along their offensive line. With the departure of Casey Hampton, the aging of Brett Kiesel, and lack of production from the younger players, McLendon re-signing with the team was a priority. The Steelers now have another young bright spot on defense as they continue to shave off a few years off one of the league’s oldest defensive squads.
