Heels, Sox & Steelers

Pace wins the race
Until this afternoon, the Steelers had only signed one free agent from another team--punter Chris Gardocki. That all changed around 4pm today as free agent running back Duce Staley signed a five-year, $14 million deal with the Steelers. Staley, 29, received a $4 million signing bonus and his presence immediately upgrades the running back position.

The signing now means that Amos Zereoue will be released, but many view this as a short-term fix, and as a result the Steelers may still draft a running back high in the April draft.

For now, the signing is welcome news as the Steelers look to bolster a running game that finished 31st last season. It also allows the Steelers to address other needs, like offensive line, cornerback and maybe linebacker and quarterback either through more free agent signings or through the draft. Read the ESPN story.