Steelers 2015 Unsigned Free Agents: LS Greg Warren

This edition of the Steelers unrestricted free agent profiles centers around the team’s only specialist free agent. Greg Warren, the long snapper, signed a one-year contract with the Steelers in March of 2014 and will become an unrestricted free agent on March 10^th.

Warren was signed as an undrafted rookie free agent by the Steelers in 2005 out of the University of North Carolina. He’s played every season of his career with the Steelers, earning him two Super Bowl rings for Super Bowls XL and XLIII.

Warren has played in every game for the Steelers for the past five seasons. He recovered from a knee injury in 2009 and had a meniscus tear during the summer that threatened to keep him from the start of the season but he recovered quickly from that. During training camp, Tomlin didn’t concede the idea of signing another long snapper to the roster but Warren’s quick recovery kept that from being a reality.

There’s nothing sexy about a long snapper’s stats. In fact, there are barely any stats expected or recorded for the position. If your long snapper is making headlines, it’s probably because he’s done something wrong or he’s injured and now you’re screwed.

In a game against the New York Giants back in 2008, Warren suffered a season-ending knee injury. James Harrison was actually the substitute long snapper and in the next punting situation he sent the ball sailing over the punter’s head through the back of the end zone resulting in a safety for the Giants. The Giants would go on to win that game.

There’s no denying the importance of a long snapper to a football team but there’s no glorifying it either. Just one of those positions that you need to have, and the Steelers have been fortunate all these years with Warren to have a dependable long snapper. With all the issues they had on special teams over the years, long snapping wasn’t ever one of them.

Warren has been about as dependable as you can get for a specialist player in the NFL for the Steelers. He will, however, turn 34 during the 2015 NFL season.

If the Steelers want to keep the continuity and Warren wants to continue to play I don’t see any scenario in which the Steelers don’t re-sign him. Perhaps they might want to sign him to a longer deal to avoid having to keep doing one-year contracts.

What do you think Steeler Nation? Do the Steelers re-sign Greg Warren as long snapper or look to go younger?

Next: Steelers Sign Defensive Lineman Shawn Lemon

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