Steelers/NFL
The Pittsburgh Steelers placed a first round tender on starting right tackle Willie Colon last month that will pay Colon $2.521 million in 2010 with the intention of having their starting right tackle back in the fold.
Colon’s agent Joe Linta, however, has been frustrated by the lack of long-term contract negotiations.
“We really don’t know if he fits in their (long-term) plans,” Linta told the Tribune-Review in early March. “Now we have a chance to look at teams in the first round of this year’s draft between 12 and 32 and see if they’d be willing to give up their pick for who I believe is the best right tackle in football.
“If you have the 15th pick and you need a starting offensive lineman, why wouldn’t you do it (make a trade)? You hope your draft pick is good. With Willie, you know what you’re getting. He’s a young guy (26) who’s still got 8-10 years to play.”
With just three days until the deadline for offer sheets, Linta has backed up his statement and according to a source, Linta has been aggressive in the past 7-10 days in trying to find a potential suitor for his client.
A league source says that Linta has spoken with the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers. The Packers are being speculated as being the more interested suitor of the two but there are serious doubts that either team will make a surprise offer sheet before Thursday’s deadline.
The 49ers own the No. 13, No. 17 picks, while the Packers own the No. 23 selection.
Colon I’m told won’t sign the Steelers tender until after the April 15th deadline.
