Faneca

[The Emperor]

get him out of here!

[SCacalaki]

I find it odd the amount of venom that is going Faneca's way.  

He's yet to hold out of anything mandatory, unlike Hines Ward in 2005.  

Assume some of it is based on previous things Faneca has said...wanting Grimm and not liking the release of Joey Porter, via a private conversation with Hines Ward...which was made public by Ward to the media.

The rest of it, I don't know.  Maybe a dislike for guys who don't follow the program.  

I've got no problem trading Faneca.  He's in the last year of his contract and I can't see 1) the team signing him to a higher deal than the one Leonard Davis and Eric Steinbach received and 2) Faneca wanting to stay here.  It's a regime change...started with the HC, then the assistants, and has already involved one big name player.   Who is next?  

Faneca wants to get his big C$3 ASAP and most likely wants to be around coaching staff and players who he knows well.  It is stability....a guy just signing his C$3 won't get the ax for the first 2-3 years of the contract, assuming the SB/guaranteed money is right.  Which if he's shooting for higher than Davis and Steinbach, it will be.  

Faneca is trying to secure his long-term financial goals.  It probably won't be here but until he misses a mandatory event, it seems odd to wish him bon voyage so quickly.

My answer would be "no," that I do not expect him to be traded.  

[bucc-o-pain]

I don't think it is about "wanting him gone" as much as it is about not wanting to give him another big contract. If I was confident he would come in and play his ass off for his final year I would not be looking to trade him. The fact is, nothing he has done, or doing, shows me that he will do that.

In my opinion there are only two options here, give him the big contract or move him. With Troy ready to break the bank, the steelers can't throw top money at an aging guard who's level of play is on the decline.

Faneca will be moved on Saturday.

[SCacalaki]

I don't think it is about "wanting him gone" as much as it is about not wanting to give him another big contract.

It looks like the first post disagrees.  

But I don't assume that most feel it's that simple.

Still, if you trade every guy who wants a big contract, just 'cause he wants a big contract, you're not going to have much of a team.  

If I was confident he would come in and play his ass off for his final year I would not be looking to trade him. The fact is, nothing he has done, or doing, shows me that he will do that.

How much can he have done by now?  He's missed two voluntary mini camps?  Looking across the kffl.com board, it looks like quite a few guys from other teams have missed voluntary activities this off-season.  

Nothing that has occurred says to me that Faneca won't come in and play his ass off, or at least as well as a 30+ LG can.  

In my opinion there are only two options here, give him the big contract or move him.

There is a third option...he plays in 2007 and leaves.  

It's not unheard of in Steeler land.  

Burress did just that.  Chris Hope did just that.  

With Troy ready to break the bank, the steelers can't throw top money at an aging guard who's level of play is on the decline.

I agree that the Steelers shouldn't extend Faneca.  But I don't believe the issue is boxed into two choices.

[DoctorJohnnyFever]

It would not surprise me to see Alan Faneca dealt before Saturday. It also wouldn't surprise me to see him remain with the team and hold out in training camp. Either way, I don't expect him to play for the Steelers in 2008. They aren't going to pay him Steinbach-Huthinson money and they shouldn't based on his age and the fact the Steelers have bigger fish to fry in-house within the next two seasons (Ben and Troy).

It just seems to me that Faneca is no longer happy in Pittsburgh. He's spoken out against everything short of a lack of Sushi joints in Crafton. And I find it just a little bit odd that he came to Pittsburgh to meet with Tomlin before mini-camp......and then left again. At least according to the reports.

If the Steelers know he's going to be gone after this season and they feel that he's no longer happy here, they should try to move him before Saturday afternoon. I'd rather lose him a year early for a second rounder than a year later for a late fourth or fifth rounder.






 

[jonzr]

I think he stays and plays.  Who knows after that?  I'm sure they'd extend him for 3-4 years, but not at the money he wants - obviously not one of those 7/49 deals we've seen.  But what about 4/21 and a 7 bonus?  Would he really spit on $7 million?  Structure it as a 3 year deal and let's roll.

After that, he could still get another nice contract with some crap team.  Hell, Grimmy might even be a head coach by then ...


 

[JackSplat]

I'd rather lose him a year early for a second rounder than a year later for a late fourth or fifth rounder.

i would expect at least a 3rd round compensation for Faneca if he leaves via FA after 2007.  I thought the compensation selections were based upon playing time and value to a team dollar wise.  faneca would start every game unless injured and be on the field for almost every offensive possession for his new team.  Plus he was a first rounder, so the choice IMO would be between a 2nd and 3rd rounder this year or a 3rd rounder in the 2009 draft.

[bucc-o-pain]

How much can he have done by now?

Yes, he has missed two voluntary mini camps along with running his mouth about personnel moves (hiring of Tomlin). He has no business going public about who he wanted to be head coach, all that does is cause descension in the ranks. It was not just a one time thing either, which we could have chalked up to emotions.

There is a third option...he plays in 2007 and leaves

This is obviously an option but I just don't see it being one in this case. I should have picked my words better to show that this is my opinion. I think we agree in principle but have two different views of the severity of tthe situation.

I feel that, unless blown away, Faneca does not even want to sign here. I also feel that he does not want to risk playing on the last year of his contract, hence the stubborness in hopes of joing the Cards. Again, this is the way I am viewing it and I could definitely be way off base.

[JackSplat]

I feel that, unless blown away, Faneca does not even want to sign here. I also feel that he does not want to risk playing on the last year of his contract, hence the stubborness in hopes of joing the Cards. Again, this is the way I am viewing it and I could definitely be way off base.

thats alot to assume if you asked me.  All we know about faneca is that he wanted Russ Grimm as the steelers HC and he noshowed for the offseason workouts and minicamp so far.  

i havent seen one printed word from him other than the fact he's in the Russ Grimm Business.  The oly ones expressing faneca's "interests" are those thinking up stuff around the NFL campfires.  mere speculation on the writers part in this one so far.

oh and his agent had no comment other to say 'talk to errrrm... ROONEY!'

he's pulling a Bueller...he hasnt even been spotted at 31 flavors either.  
 

[bucc-o-pain]

he's pulling a Bueller...he hasnt even been spotted at 31 flavors either.

Wrong, he was spotted at the Steelers training facility right before the last mini camp but then left before practice started. That, to me, shows very little respect to Tomlin and his staff. If you are going to stay away....then stay away!