Mar 8, 2017 4 min read

It wasn’t long after the Steelers signed Antonio Brown to what was, essentially, a 4-year, $68-million contract extension, that the whining began.

The crux of the whining was that $17 million per year was too much money to pay Brown at 28. “He’s too much of a distraction,” the ranters screamed. “He’ll be nothing without Ben Roethlisberger,” they yelled.

Yet in the opening hour of free agency at noon yesterday – actually the early negotiation phase – Pierre Garçon agreed to a contract with San Francisco that will pay him $16 million this season.

Pierre Garçon.

He might want to change his name to Lucky Pierre.

Garçon’s contract will go down considerably after that first year, but we’re talking about a receiver who turns 31 in August and has two 1,000-yard seasons in his career. He does have one 100-reception season, that coming in 2013.

Brown has had more than 100 receptions and 1,200 yards in each of the past four seasons.

His contract made him the highest-paid wide receiver in the league. By this time next year, he’ll be somewhere around fifth.

By the time his contract is completed, he’ll be fortunate to still be in the top 10.

• The Steelers were in touch with the agents of inside linebacker Lawrence Timmons and backup quarterback Landry Jones in the days leading up to the start of the early negotiating period but it doesn’t look like anything will get done with either before the official start of free agency Friday.

Timmons could get a deal elsewhere that could be too rich for the Steelers to match or come close to matching.

At 30, he’s still young enough to be helpful to a team looking to add a strong veteran presence at inside linebacker – Tennessee Titans – and with Vince Williams under contract, the Steelers aren’t going to break the bank to get Timmons back. But he does want to return and if the money is close, Timmons could return.

As for Jones, most Steelers fans will cringe at the thought of him being Ben Roethlisberger’s backup again in 2017. But considering the quarterback market, who would you rather have?

Tampa Bay backup Mike Glennon has an $8-million-per-season offer on the table from the Bucs and is expected to get more than that on the open market to be a starter.

And Brian Hoyer just agreed to a deal with San Francisco Wednesday that will pay him $6 million per season.

Before you bring up soon-to-be 38-year-old Josh McCown, realize the oft-injured former Browns starter had a passer rating of 72.3 last season and his career rating is 78.2.

Jones, 27, had a passer rating of 86.3 last season and is 82.8 for his career.

• If there was any doubt about what the Steelers are looking at in the draft in April, it should have been cleared up with their actions at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Pittsburgh met with at least 18 players who would be considered edge rushers. And those were just the ones who admitted who they had spoken to.

Each team is permitted to meet with 60 players at the combine. And the Steelers spent a third or so of their time talking to outside linebackers.

• If you’re looking for a position the Steelers might address in free agency, keep an eye on the cornerbacks, not the wide receivers.

The team has tendered Ross Cockrell as a restricted free agent and would like him back, but it also wouldn’t mind upgrading the position, especially with slot man William Gay getting up in age.

Buffalo’s Stephon Gilmore, Cincinnati’s Dre Kirkpatrick or Micah Hyde of Green Bay would make some sense – if the price is right.

• USA Basketball announced Tuesday that Kentucky’s John Calipari will be the coach of the under-19 team at the FIBA World Championships this summer.

How long will it be before the NCAA places the USA team on probation for recruiting violations?

Dale Lolley can be reached at dlolley@observer-reporter.com.