Troy Polamalu: Leagues Highest Paid Safety

Slimdust

The Pittsburgh Steelers, the first NFL team to sign all of its rookies, opened training camp with a bang Monday by reaching a four-year contract extension with safety Troy Polamalu.


Polamalu became the league's highest-paid safety by agreeing to a deal that will pay him $33 million through the 2011 season, which will allow the 26-year-old to be in line for another long-term contract in his early 30s.


Polamalu was scheduled to become a free agent after the 2007 season. He will receive $15.375 million in both guarantees and roster bonuses.

With Polamalu slated to make around $2.85 million this season, the extension will net him slightly more than $30 million over the ensuing four years. From the Steelers' standpoint, they will keep one of the best safeties and one of the best playmakers in the league under contract for $6.6 million until 2011.

Re-signing Polamalu was one of the keys to the season. The fifth-year safety is ranked among the best at his position in football for range and play-making ability. In four seasons, he has 301 tackles and 10 interceptions, but few safeties do what Polamalu can do.

He's a tireless runner. Often, Polamalu will run from his position to the line of scrimmage and then run all the way back to his safety spot to confuse quarterbacks. When the ball is in the air, few safeties can move as quickly as Polamalu to be in position to make a play.


Polamalu, a first-round pick of the Steelers in 2003 out of USC, has missed only three games (all in 2006) in four seasons. As a rookie, he quickly established himself as one of the best defensive players in the league.


With Polamalu signed, the Steelers still have to decide what to do with linebacker Clark Haggans, right tackle Max Starks, guard Kendall Simmons and fullback Dan Kreider starters whose contracts expire at the end of the season. Pittsburgh already has determined it will lose guard Alan Faneca, a Pro Bowl player waiting to cash in on a $7 million-a-year contract. Faneca is a free agent after this season.

espn.com