The Pittsburgh Steelers have already had a busy offseason after working with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger to restructure his contract and now the team has made another move for the offseason, bringing in former cornerback William Gay on a new deal.
According to ESPN.com, Gay has signed a three-year contract with the team after being released by the Arizona Cardinals. The team announced the move and Gay's agent previously released it on Twitter. Financial details were not disclosed, but it was likely at a reasonable amount.
Gay was previously with the Steelers before signing a two-year, $4.95 million deal with the Cardinals last offseason. He started 15 games for the Cardinals and contributed 60 tackles, one sack and two interceptions as the team finished 4-12.
"Thrilled that William Gay has signed to return to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Had other options, but his heart is with Steeler Nation," agent Jerrold Colton tweeted earlier Monday.
While with the Steelers, Gay was one of their most consistent cornerbacks, playing in 80 games while starting 15 in 2011, making two interceptions with 61 tackles. He had a career high 78 tackles in 2009 and has made five career picks.
The Cardinals cut him to make some salary cap space and Gay now gives the Steelers a very consistent cornerback, as he has the current streak for consecutive games played at the position with 96, three ahead of Corey Graham.
The move comes at the same time the Steelers are trying to figure out what to do with its biggest offseason player in wideout Mike Wallace. The team is planning on putting a tender on the restricted free agent and not the franchise tag, meaning that another team could sign him, but if the Steelers decided not to match the offer, they would receive a valuable first round pick.
Most teams do not go after receivers that are tendered, but there is a chance a number of teams could be interested, including the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins.
"Having a great player like Mike Wallace is not a dilemma," Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert said at the scouting combine last week. "We're going to do everything we can to make sure that Mike Wallace remains a Pittsburgh Steeler and I think that's Mike's belief as well. Usually when you have two parties that share the same goal, it's easier to achieve that goal."
Wallace will cost $2.75 million for the highest qualifying offer, which is about the same number Pittsburgh is under the salary cap. The franchise tag would pay him nearly $10 million, which is more than the Steelers can fit.
"[Pittsburgh is] where I would like to be, but we all know that it is a business and you have certain things you have to handle," Wallace told SiriusXM NFL Radio. "So if I have to go elsewhere, you know Pittsburgh will always be in my heart, but I have to do what I have to do."
Wallace has been one of the best receivers on the Steelers and is considered to be one of the fastest players in the league. He had 1,193 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 2011 and has been the biggest deep threat for the Steelers over the past two years.
