Coming off a disappointing season with an aging team and significant salary cap concerns, the Pittsburgh Steelers managed to at least hang on to two of their key veterans today by signing standout safety Troy Polamalu and tight end Heath Miller to new three-year contracts that will keep them with the team through the 2016 season.
Other outlets have reported that the two contracts will reduce the team's 2014 salary expenditures by $7.5 million.
The Steelers recently designated linebacker Jason Worilds as the team’s transition player and then signed him to one year deal reportedly worth almost $10 million. That deal pushed the team even further over the cap, causing the franchise to look into restructuring the existing contracts of its veteran players.
Both Polamalu and Miller were in the final years of their contracts prior to signing the new deals.
Polamalu (5-10, 207) was originally drafted by the Steelers in the first round (16th overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft. Polamalu’s 32 career interceptions are tied for the seventh-most in team history, and his five career defensive touchdowns are tied for the second-most in franchise history.
He has earned numerous NFL honors throughout his career, including being named AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year in 2010 and to the 2000’s NFL All-Decade Team. Polamalu was also named first-team AP All-Pro four times (2005, 2008, 2010-11), second-team AP All-Pro twice (2004, 2007), earned eight Pro Bowl selections, and earned AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors seven times.
Miller (6-5, 256) was originally drafted by the Steelers in the first round (30th overall) of the 2005 NFL Draft. Entering the 2014 season, Miller ranks in the Top 10 in franchise history in receptions (third, 466), receiving yards (fifth, 5,273) and receiving touchdowns (fifth, 40).
By Staff of TheDailySportsHerald.com and news services
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