It’s official that Antwaan Randle El is back with the team, inking a three-year deal. Interesting sidebar to his return is that he was told that he would have a legit shot at being the teams number three wide out in 2010. Uh, didn’t Mike Wallace do enough to pretty much have that spot locked down heading into the upcoming season?
Wide Receiver Antwaan Randle El said his decision to return to the Steelers wasn’t only because of his familarity with the organization that drafted him in 2002. According to Randle El, getting the opportuinity to become the team’s No. 3 receiver helped make his decision easier. “We just talked about being No. 3,” Randle El said today at the Steelers practice facility after signing a three-year contract. “Certainly if Hines (Ward) or Santonio (Holmes) goes down then, of course, being outside. But the focus is being the No. 3 receiver right now. That’s what I want to do and certainly be productive at it.” Randle El played in 64 games with the Steelers from 2002-2005 and is best known for his 43-yard touchdown pass to Hines Ward to clinch the Super Bowl XL victory over Seattle.
I was and still am all for the inking of Randle El, as I think he can upgrade the special teams right away, but I never was a huge fan of him catching the ball, and think that Wallace is the future of this team as a big name wide out, and if nothing else this inking means Limas Sweed better start looking for work elsewhere.
George H
March 11, 2010 at 12:11 am
Randle EL has #4 written all over him and I will be shocked and highly disappointed if Wallace isnt the #3 reciever this upcoming year. Wallace did everything right and has earned his spot this season.
mark
March 11, 2010 at 2:26 pm
El as the #3 WR would be a terrible mistake! Sure, El is a veteran but Wallace has the potential to be STAR! I mean a big-time player in an era of the pass coming first. I just compare him to Louis Lipps if he (Lipps) wasnt so injury prone.What a career he would have had (even though it was a fine one for a few years) Between Wallace and Holmes, along side the ever dependable Ward, you have 3 WR that can KILL a defense. Now, you throw in the dynamic and comfortable Randle-El and you have a 4 WR system that if not overused, can be unstoppable. I would love to see El and Battle be the return men on KO’s and Punts, sparing Moore the pummeling so he can be a more serviceable RB. El and Logan would also be very dangerous return game. I would not automatically concede the 3 spot to El though, and I doubt Tomlin has either.