With rookie Maurkice Pouncey bouncing former starting center Justin Hartwig to the bench, the Steelers are going to try to do with Hartwig what they did with Sean Mahan after Hartwig supplanted Mahan as the starting center.
Per a league source, Hartwig has received permission to seek a trade. If Hartwig can’t arrange a trade, he’ll reportedly be cut.
So why would a team want to trade for Hartwig when he’s going to be cut? At a base salary of $2.08 million for 2010, a team may want to trade for the contract in lieu of having to try to bid against other team(s) for his services on the open market.
The Steelers entered training camp expecting Hartwig to start at center and Pouncey to start at guard. But Pouncey blew away the coaches from the first day, and eventually Pouncey took over the top spot on the depth chart.
We assume it’s also possible that the Steelers would be interested in bringing Hartwig back after Week One at a reduced salary.
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Well Hartwig, Steeler Nation appreciates your time, and greatly appreciates you coming in and getting Mahan the hell out.
Best of Luck.
Step on the towel Hartwig………..
Get’er done Al!!!
Vikings need him!
“permission to seek a trade”
Translation: He’ll be released
Hartwig to Minnesota? Wouldn’t surprise me.
please, Eagles, trade for this guy. Move Jackson to guard, and cut Andrews. Thanks.
Baltimore signs him… uses him to find out all the line-calls and audibles… and he’s gone in a couple weeks.
habib – good call there. Cincy does that all the time to former Steelers.
Hartwig was certainly an upgrade over Mahan, but Pouncey is the real deal, shades of Webster and Dawson. Best of luck to Hartwig.
why not move hartwig to guard??
Bring him back at a reduced salary? Can’t imagine Hartwig would want to do that when the Vikings would do well to pay him the same money and make him their new starter at center. I’m sure there are a few other teams that could use him, too.
Steelers are chumps after last season, not champs. Got to get younger, faster and stronger at every position possible right now.
Keep him! It’s $2.8M in an uncapped year. I would even try to leverage him for an extension at a low number, say $3M for 3 years.
andyprough says:
September 3, 2010 3:05 PM
Steelers are chumps after last season, not champs. Got to get younger, faster and stronger at every position possible right now.
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Truth.
Vikings need to do this.
habibfromnewdehli says: September 3, 2010 2:42 PM
“Baltimore signs him…”
No way. His rap sheet isn’t distinguished enough/
Dear Mr. Goodell,
Thank you for letting me come back by week 5 so The Cleveland Browns don’t put us two games behind in the AFCN
Your friendly neighborhood rapist,
Ben
Go Ravens!
wait till next year when we get the OTHER Pouncy
nm, eagles just traded with Arizona for G Reggie Wells
Can he play guard too? Might be great, flexible depth for the Pats as he can certainly play center too should Koppen go out with injury…which has happened several times over the past couple of years.
I hear ya Demolition! Al needs to knock this one out the park…no brainer! Hartwig would be an instant upgrade.
send him to Arizona in exchange for Leinert…Charlie Batch needs a backup for weeks 1-4.
Would you accept a 5th round pick?
Signed,
Minnesota Vikings
I wouldn’t mind him in NE if he can zone block.
He’s a turnstyle in the run game. He should be wearing a sign in the front lawn of the Steelers Offfices that reads. “Free to a good home.”
habibfromnewdehli says:
September 3, 2010 2:42 PM
Baltimore signs him… uses him to find out all the line-calls and audibles… and he’s gone in a couple weeks.
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Thats away the Ravens might win a game but then again
Perhaps a Rosenfels for Hartwig trade is in the works.