Steelers lineman Starks signs tender offer

4/21/2008 4:45 PM

By ALAN ROBINSON
AP Sports Writer

PITTSBURGH (AP) -Offensive tackle Max Starks, a backup for most of last season, will return to the Pittsburgh Steelers after signing a one-year tender offer Monday worth $6.9 million.

The Steelers designated Starks in February as their transition player, meaning they could match any offers to a player who otherwise would have been an unrestricted free agent. Starks found no offers worth taking.

The money is guaranteed to Starks even if he is cut, but the Steelers prefer to sign him to a multiple-year contract to free up salary cap money. Currently, Starks - who started only four games last season - would go into the season as one of the team's highest-paid players.

``Yeah, it would give us salary cap relief and that's been our goal when we put the transition (tag) on Max,'' director of football operations Kevin Colbert said. ``We're going to keep those talks alive because there are benefits for everybody involved. Max gets some long-term security ... and we also get some cap relief.''

A third-round pick in 2004, the 26-year-old Starks started at right tackle on the Steelers' Super Bowl-winning team in 2005 and again during the 2006 season. He has started in 34 of his 56 career games.

Starks is expected to go into camp competing for the right tackle job he lost to Willie Colon last season. Colon may get a tryout at left guard, where Chris Kemoeatu is the front-runner to succeed All-Pro guard Alan Faneca.

Starks made his four starts at left tackle last season before a right knee injury that required surgery forced him to miss the team's wild-card playoff loss to Jacksonville.

``It's great to have Max Starks back because he is a starter-capable guy,'' coach Mike Tomlin said. ``For my standpoint, that's the most important thing, to get some guys who are starter-capable and let them go to (training camp) and compete for positions because competition is what makes us all better.''

The Steelers should have more depth along the line than a year ago after signing former Carolina Panthers starting center Justin Hartwig. If Hartwig starts, Sean Mahan - signed away from Tampa Bay last year to be the center - becomes a backup at multiple positions.

Tomlin also said running back Willie Parker, who broke his right leg during the next-to-last regular-season game Dec. 20 against St. Louis, is running again.

``He is less than 100 percent but he is well enough to where he took a few snaps today, caught a few balls and took a few handoffs,'' Tomlin said. ``He is moving in the right direction, which is a good sign. ... I expect him to be 100 percent (by camp), no doubt.''

Parker was the NFL's leading rusher with 1,316 yards when he was hurt. Without Parker, the Steelers lost their final regular-season game to Baltimore and the wild-card game.