It’s yet to be seen where soon-to-be free agent safety Eric Weddle will wind up playing in 2016 as he’s sure to have a lot of team’s interested in his services when the new league year gets underway in a few more weeks. With that said, a former Pittsburgh Steelers safety let it be known publicly on Friday that if Weddle should wind up signing with the black and gold that he wants the longtime member of the San Diego Chargers to wear his old uniform number.
Ryan Clark, who now works for ESPN as an analyst, took to Twitter Friday and encouraged Weddle to sign with the Steelers and even went as far to request that he wear his No. 25 jersey should that wind up coming to fruition. Weddle responded back to Clark and said that it would be an honor for him to do just that.
It’s no secret that Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin is a fan of Weddle’s, who is sure to be one of the top free agent safeties on the market this offseason. However, whether or not he winds up signing with the Steelers is yet to be seen, but the 31-year-old did list several factors that will ultimately determine where he’ll resume his career when he cleaned out his Chargers locker at the end of the 2015 regular season.
“Who wants me, No. 1,” Weddle said, according to Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Also high on Weddle’s list is a team’s on-field potential.
“In the next three or four years, are they going to be competitive, are they going to be division winners, are we going to have a chance at the Super Bowl?”
Weddle, who was an iron man of sorts up until this past season, figures to have a yearly market value of around $6-$7 million this offseason and if that winds up being the case, he might be too expensive for the Steelers, who aren’t general active during free agency when it comes to higher profile signings. In other words, Weddle might have to come off of his asking price if he wants to take a shot at winning his first Super Bowl with the Steelers.
Being as Weddle wore No. 32 during his career with the Chargers, it’s obvious that he wouldn’t be able to have that number should he land in Pittsburgh. No. 25, however, might be available for him as that’s the number that soon-to-be unrestricted free agent cornerback Brandon Boykin wore this past season.
