We are another day closer to the start of the 2014 free agency signing period and continue on now with our look back at the Pittsburgh Steelers free agent signings dating back to 2000, when Kevin Colbert became the general manager.
So far we have recapped the first five years of Colbert’s tenure in Pittsburgh as it relates to the signing of free agents and today we will look at what happened in free agency prior to the 2005 season. Please keep in mind that these free agent signing recaps will be limited to only free agents from other teams that were signed prior to June 1st of that offseason as those are the ones that count when determining whether or not a team a team receives compensatory draft picks. The ones that are usually signed after that date are pretty much cheap, one or two year deals for the most part.
The 2005 offseason was a quiet one for the Steelers during the main part of free agency as they only signed one unrestricted free agent from another team. Below is a quick recap of that signing and I will also remind you that the salary cap for the 2005 season was $85.5 million.
Cedric Wilson – 3/8/2005 – As a sign that the Steelers were going to let wide receiver Plaxico Burress leave via free agency, the team signed unrestricted free agent wide receiver Cedric Wilson to a four-year, $8 million contract in March of 2005. With Wilson on board, wide receiver Antwaan Randle El moved into the starting lineup opposite Hines Ward. In his first year in Pittsburgh, Wilson finished fourth on the team in receptions with 26 for 451 yards and no touchdowns in 16 games played. During the Super Bowl championship run, however, he caught 9 passes for another 216 yards and two touchdowns. In 2006, Wilson added another 37 receptions for 504 yards and one touchdown in 12 starts, but was eventually overtaken in the starting lineup by then-rookie wide receiver Santonio Holmes for the final four games of the season. In 2007, Wilson started just one game and recorded 18 receptions. It was his final season in Pittsburgh, however, as he was released in March of 2008 after he was charged with punching his estranged girlfriend in the face at a restaurant.
Previous Articles In This Series
Recapping The Steelers Free Agency Signings During The Kevin Colbert Era – 2000 Season
Recapping The Steelers Free Agency Signings During The Kevin Colbert Era – 2001 Season
Recapping The Steelers Free Agency Signings During The Kevin Colbert Era – 2002 Season
Recapping The Steelers Free Agency Signings During The Kevin Colbert Era – 2003 Season
Recapping The Steelers Free Agency Signings During The Kevin Colbert Era – 2004 Season
