Ike

Taylor

“I’ll be in Pittsburgh,” he said. Currently playing under the one-year tender, the team’s best corner can be an unrestricted free agent in 2007.

Keep in mind that “reworking” deals does not constitute a pay cut or make these contracts easier to handle in the long run. Taylor, Timmons, and Woodley are becoming even bigger long-term cap burdens. Per PFT’s Mike Florio, Taylor’s scheduled $5.75 million 2012 salary dropped to $825,000, and he was immediately paid a $4.975 million signing bonus to make up the difference. That new “signing bonus” will be prorated into 2012, 2013, and 2014.

Taylor could get some playing time because the secondary depth has been weakened by safety Mike Logan’s hamstring injury.

Through five games in 2011, Taylor allowed just three catches for 24 yards, so his play has gone into an absolute free-fall. In Thursday night’s loss against the Titans, Matt Hasselbeck targeted Taylor nearly one-third of the time. Per Pro Football Focus, Taylor has graded out as one of the league’s worst corners in 2012, and only Chicago’s Tim Jennings and Miami’s Sean Smith have been thrown at more. Look for the Bengals and A.J. Green to work on Taylor early and often in Week 7.

Taylor extended a fourth-quarter drive with a holding penalty in Thursday’s loss and allowed a 5-yard touchdown to Kenny Britt. He was also picked on for a 31-yard pass and the P.I. penalty, which led to a pair of first-quarter field goals. It wouldn’t be quite so bad if Taylor was making plays. First-time starter Keenan Lewis has outplayed the declining 32-year-old this season.

PFT’s Sunday night timetable was a more optimistic 2-6 weeks, but it sounds like a Week 17 return would be a best-case scenario for Pittsburgh’s top corner. Taylor is having a Monday morning MRI, and the Steelers will know more then. Although Curtis Brown is listed behind Taylor on the RCB depth chart, Cortez Allen replaced him at Baltimore and gave up a 28-yard TD to Anquan Boldin.

Taylor was knocked out early in the first quarter, and spotted with a boot on his foot near the end of the first half. It’s a huge blow for a Steelers team that needed him to contain Ravens’ deep threat Torrey Smith. It’s quite possible Pittsburgh’s No. 1 corner will miss multiple weeks. Cortez Allen has been getting picked on in Taylor’s absence.

Taylor has missed only three games in his career, and none since 2004. He is clearly the Steelers’ top cornerback, so the loss is significant. It will also upgrade Danario Alexander’s fantasy matchup in Week 14. Special teamer Curtis Brown is listed as Pittsburgh’s backup right corner. Keenan Lewis is the LCB.

Taylor, who has excelled as a shadow corner for much of this season, has been diagnosed with a hairline fracture in his lower right leg. Previous timetables had his timetable in the 2-6 week range. The Steelers will be forced to roll with nickelback Cortez Allen opposite Keenan Lewis. They’re also scheduled to work out free agent Stanford Routt this week. Taylor’s absence snaps a 185-game consecutive starts streak.

Taylor has been impressive this season and held Larry Fitzgerald to four catches for 78 yards yesterday. After the game, Tomlin saw Taylor and yelled, “Ike Taylor! Wes Welker! See you at work tomorrow!” Taylor normally plays on the right side, but the Steelers may move him around in an effort to slow down the red-hot Welker.