After spending the better part of the Obama Administration behinds bars, former Steelers and New York Giants WR Plaxico Burress will be joining the NFL Free Agent market once the new CBA is complete. The Giants will make no effort ro re-sign him, and Burress has made a point to go on record stating that he will never play for Tom Coughlin again. With the free agent WR class potentially holding several high value players, Burress could be looking at a tough sell to the remaining NFL teams. Could a return to Pittsburgh be among the options for Plaxico?
Many NFL experts predict that the New York Jets could make a strong play for Burress. Recent comments from Plaxico in regards to QB Mark Sanchez in an interview with The Sporting News on June 13 have now made that union seem unlikely. The other odds on favorites for "troubled" players, Dallas and Oakland, are both teams that could use the large frame and big play ability that Burress may be able to provide, even after 2 years in the slammer. Fringe speculation also centers around Jacksonville, Tennessee, and perhaps even AFC North divisional rivals Baltimore or Cincinnati. With the lockout disrupting the flow of talent from the Draft and Free Agency, teams will hit the ground running once the dust settles. The first week of NFL Free Agency will be something unlike ever seen by football fans. If the musical chairs at WR gets moving in a hurry, a guy like Burress could be there for the taking at a good price.
So would the Pittsburgh Steelers take a flier on their former 1st Round Draft Pick? Lets take a look at the facts:
1. The WR Situation - The Steelers have not had depth at WR this deep in ages, with future Hall of Famer Hines Ward leading the team from both the field and the locker room. Mike Wallace is well on his way to becoming the "heir apparent" to Ward, and a Pro Bowler for many seasons to come. The 2010 rookie class provided the Steelers with the "Dynamic Duo" of Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders, both players who filled vital roles for the team during the biggest games of 2010. Antwaan Randle-El is also returning, despite a somewhat lackluster homecoming this past season. Arnez Battle provides a solid Special Teams return, and can fill in on a pinch in any formation. The team also has practice squad players Tyler Grisham - who dressed for several games in the late 2009 season - and former WVU star Wes Lyons. The enigma known as Limas Sweed, a player the Steelers drafted to fill the "Plaxico" role, is still rostered, although his status is unknown for 2011.
On paper, there is no roster spot for Plaxico. The Steelers would need to make significant changes to the team in order to bring a player of his caliber back into the fold. With the franchise returning pretty much the entire team from a Super Bowl-caliber roster, the odds of wholesale changes being made are slim.
2. The Big Ben factor - Media reports of QB Ben Roethlisberger being in favor of a Burress return were all over the place in the local papers and on Pittsburgh sports talk radio less then a week ago. Ben has made it no secret that he desires a large target in the passing game to compliment the speed of the current group. Again, Limas Sweed was supposed to be THAT GUY. Unfortunately for Ben and the Steelers, Sweed turned out to be much less talented than his pedigree would suggest. The Steelers have yet to find a tall WR since Plaxico left via Free Agency. Roethlisberger only played one season with Plaxico, and Ben is a much different player now than he was in 2004. While the QB qould surely appreciate the addition of Burress, that isn't enough to bring the Steelers on board.
3. Steeler Nation - Would Burress be welcomed by the throngs of the Steel World Order? His criminal record nonwithstanding, the name Plaxico is usually greeted with disdain in the Steel City. His parting with the Steelers in 2005 followed one of the worst defeats this fanbase has ever experienced, the 2004 AFC Championship Game loss to the satanic Tom Brady and his band of cheating Patriots. While Hines Ward was beginning to seal his legacy as the Steelers heart and soul with his emotional post-game interview. Burress was cleaning out his locker and beginning to look for gainful employment elsewhere. Less than 2 years later, he was catching the game-winning TD pass in Super Bowl XLII against those same videotaping Pats. Had the Steelers not won Super Bowl XL in 2006, the Plaxico Burress saga may have been the crowning moment of the Bill Cowher era Steelers. Has the success of the team over the past 5 years allowed Steeler Nation to forgive and forget the woeful playoff performance of Burress during those 2004 AFC playoffs? Would the Heinz Field faithful welcome back the former Michigan State Spartan? Does his criminal background now disqualify him from ever being a "true" Pittsburgh Steeler again?
The end result of this study finds it very difficult to ever picture Plaxico Burress wearing the Black and Gold again. Alot can happen over the next month, and the roster could change greatly depending on how the lockout and CBA unfold. If the stars align, it could happen. A great story could be made here, a story about how a long lost son returned home.
Could it happen?
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