Will Alex Carrington End Up A Steeler?
Nov 15, 2012; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive end Alex Carrington (92) on the sidelines during a game against the Miami Dolphins at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Buffalo won the game 19-14. Mandatory Credit: Mark Konezny-USA TODAY Sports
At the end of last week the stage seemed set for Alex Carrington to sign with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He would be the heir to the defensive end spot formerly occupied by Brett Keisel, and a potential breakout candidate. He will be only 27 at the beginning of the 2014-2015 season and with plenty of room to grow. He also suffered a torn quadriceps early last season, and it is unknown whether or not he could have recurring problems with the injury.
Carrington has all the makes of a perfect five technique defensive end. Standing at 6’5″ and weighing in at 301 pounds he surely looks the part. He also does a good job anchoring against the run and using leverage against his counterparts on the offensive line, despite his 6’5″ frame. He is also a good pass rusher for his size, and we all know the Steelers have struggled in that department as of late. The last and arguably the most enticing trait that he possesses is his tenacity as a player. He is the type of guy you want in the trenches anchoring your defense, not only in stature and skill, but also in mindset. The Steelers would be all too fortunate to entice him into making the trek to the Steel City. If only it were that simple.
Standing in the Steelers way, however, are the Raiders, Rams, and Bills. Carrington visited with the Raiders yesterday and, thankfully, left with no deal. He is also scheduled to visit the Rams today. Hopefully that visit ends up the same way. The Bills have also already offered Carrington a contract to return to Buffalo. Based on his lineup of visits outside of Pittsburgh it would seem that Carrington may be more interested in going
Aug 16, 2013; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills defensive end Alex Carrington (92) before a game against the Minnesota Vikings at Ralph Wilson Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports
to a team that runs a 4-3 defensive front. This may be the way the Carrington feels, but I don’t know why he would. Carrington is perfectly fit for a 3-4 team, and hopefully he realizes that.
Carrington would also likely come at a fairly reasonable price. Since he suffered the quadriceps injury early last season there will be questions about his durability. The other question with Carrington is his past performance. He is relatively unproven because he wasn’t an every down player in Buffalo. All these factors could lead to Carrington’s future contract coming in around a 3-year, $10 million deal. If the Steelers can get him for this price, they shouldn’t even hesitate. Carrington has the potential to be a future star opposite Cam Heyward. With a foursome of Cam Heyward, Carrington, Steve McLendon, and Cam “Baby Zilla” Thomas the Steelers defensive line could be a force to be reckoned with. Hopefully the Steelers can find a way to lure Carrington back to Pittsburgh, where they can convince him to wear the black and gold.
What do you think Steelers Nation? Would Carrington be a good fit in Pittsburgh? Will he even make it back to the Steel City? Feel free to share your opinions in the comments section.