Continuing on with our player by player look at the Pittsburgh Steelers 2012 Free Agents as do a complete breakdown of their 2011 season and look ahead to their pending 2012 free agency situation. The post we focus in on restricted free agent safety Ryan Mundy. Please check out the links at the bottom to the other free agent player analysis already completed.
Player: Ryan Mundy
Position: Safety
Experience: 3 Years
Free Agent Status: Restricted
2011 Salary Cap Hit: $525,000.00
2011 Season Breakdown: The Steelers former 2008 6th round draft pick was very reliable in 2011 as he was asked to fill in several times at both the strong and free safety positions throughout the season. He has the knowledge and understanding to play both safety positions, and was used quite a bit last season when the Steelers used their big nickel package that featured 3 safeties on the field at the same time. In the big nickel, Mundy usually played the deep safety spot as Troy Polamalu would move down inside the box and this happened mostly from week 5 through week 8. He filled in nicely against the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Kansas City Chiefs in weeks 6 and 12 after Polamalu left both of those games with concussion-like symptoms. Mundy recorded his first career interception in the game against the Chiefs and ended the regular season with 37 total tackles in just over 230 regular season snaps on defense. He was also a mainstay on the Steelers special teams units in addition. Mundy is a very physical player, a sure handed tackler and adequate in pass coverage. He unfortunately will likely be best remembered for being involved in the game winning touchdown that the Steelers allowed in the AFC Wildcard game against the Denver Broncos. Mundy was in an inverted cover-2 look on the first play of overtime and may have bit a little hard on the run fake. As a result, he might not have given enough underneath help to cornerback Ike Taylor that resulted in the 80 yard touchdown by Demaryius Thomas. Mundy started that game at free safety in place of Ryan Clark, who was forced to sit out due to his sickle cell trait condition and it is so hard to know how much blame to place where on that play. Regardless of what happened on that play, it is unfair to boil down the season Mundy had to just that one play. Do not underestimate the contributions he made to the defense and special teams last season.
Free Agency Outlook: Mundy is a restricted free agent and I expect the Steelers will tender him at the lowest level. They are expected to be thin depth wise at safety behind Polamalu and Clark, and Mundy has the experience to continue on in his current role of being a backup safety and special teams player. Fellow reserve safety Will Allen is expected to be a salary cap causality and I do not think they can allow Mundy to get away this offseason. Mundy is a spot starter at best in my opinion and I doubt he will get any offer sheets from other teams once free agency begins. If he should, the Steelers will have the right to match the offer or receiver a 6th round draft pick as compensation from the team that signs him away. I see him back in training camp once again and it is hard to see him not make the 53 man roster this far out. He knows his role and plays it well.
Other 2012 Steelers Free Agent Player Analysis
Mike Wallace – Restricted Free Agent
Keenan Lewis – Restricted Free Agent
Doug Legursky – Restricted Free Agent
Ramon Foster – Restricted Free Agent
David Johnson – Restricted Free Agent
Jamon Meredith – Restricted Free Agent
Jerricho Cotchery – Unestricted Free Agent
Max Starks – Unestricted Free Agent
Mewelde Moore – Unestricted Free Agent
Byron Leftwich – Unestricted Free Agent
Charlie Batch – Unestricted Free Agent
Dennis Dixon – Unestricted Free Agent
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