With the 2012 free agency period drawing ever so closer, we continue on with our player by player analysis of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2012 Free Agents. We our deep into the analysis of the Steelers unrestricted free agents and we now move forward with the unrestricted group by taking a look at quarterback Dennis Dixon. Check the links at the bottom of the post to see the other Steelers free agents that we have already covered.
Player: Dennis Dixon
Position: Quarterback
Experience: 4 Years
Free Agent Status: Unrestricted
2011 Salary Cap Hit: $1,200,000.00
2011 Season Breakdown: There is no 2011 season to write about as far as Dixon goes as he only dressed for 5 regular season games as the number three quarterback behind Charlie Batch and he did not play a down for the entire season. Most of the 2011 news surrounding Dixon came prior to the preseason games started as he refused to sign his one-year restricted tender until after training camp started in an attempt to get the Steelers to trade him. Dixon wanted to go to a team that would give him an opportunity to start, but playing hardball with the Steelers did not work and he ended up signing his tender and reported to training camp in early August. He played in all four of the Steelers preseason games and completed 21 of his 46 passes for 289 yards with 1 touchdown in late game action. Dixon might not had made the Steelers 53 man roster had Byron Leftwich not broken his arm in the preseason and that likely was a bad break for Dixon as he probably would have found another team to sign him had he been released. As it played out, Dixon ended up being a scout team quarterback in 2011 for the Steelers and game day play charter.
Free Agency Outlook: Dixon will finally get his wish now as he will hit free agency as an unrestricted free agent. The Steelers will gladly let him walk and he will not be back in 2012. General Manager Kevin Colbert has already let be known that they would like to bring back Leftwich and Batch later in free agency and Dixon would not want to return anyway. A team will likely sign Dixon late in free agency to compete for a number two job, but that is the best that he can hope for. The Steelers actually hope he does sign somewhere else and get just enough playing time to qualify for a compensatory draft pick in 2013. I wouldn\’t hold my breath for that to happen though. It is time for both sides to move in from each other and they both will do so without any regrets.
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
Ryan Mundy – 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
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