If you haven't heard, Hines Ward is a free agent, and apparently the Steelers don't want him anymore. Meanwhile, Ward is droning on and on about how he wants to retire in Pittsburgh. While I certainly respect his position, if he has to choose between retirement and playing for a different franchise, then he may change his tune. And given that he played college ball at UGA, if he's going to play for a different team, Atlanta is a logical destination. Fox Sports South analyst John Manasso wrote an article about it. He had this to say:
Ward does have numerous ties to the area. Born in South Korea, he moved to metro Atlanta at the age of 1 and remained a resident of the state until he was drafted by the Steelers in 1998. He still owns a home in Sandy Springs.
As one of the keys to head coach Mike Smith's philosophies, the Falcons want to control the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Ward, one of the most physical wide receivers in league history, would seem to fit seamlessly into that philosophy.
He would bring leadership, a winning attitude, and an aggressive style of play.
Let's be honest though, the results haven't really been there the last couple of years. His touchdown and yardage totals have decreased since 2009 and he was benched this year. He wouldn't be a horrible fourth option, because despite his relative inefficiency last year, his DVOA was above the league average every year between 2002-2010.
But let me be clear, I don't want him as our slot receiver and I'm definitely not willing to pay him anything close to the three million dollars he made last year.
Thoughts?