The Steelers yesterday rejected one former Detroit Lions player but will take a look at another when they visit with quarterback Charlie Batch.
They chose Terance Mathis over Herman Moore to add a veteran slot receiver to their young corps and came to a one-year contract agreement with the former Atlanta Falcon. But that move is minor compared to what they might have in store with Batch.
Batch, a Homestead native and former starter in Detroit, was released by the Lions last week. He paid visits to Jacksonville and Green Bay this week and previously visited Houston. He was scheduled to arrive late yesterday afternoon from Green Bay and likely will meet with Steelers officials today.
The Steelers have been trying to keep the meeting secret. When asked yesterday about his impending visit, director of football operations Kevin Colbert smiled and said Batch would be visiting his mother in Homestead.
The timing is curious because the Steelers signed No. 2 quarterback Tommy Maddox to a five-year contract Monday and gave him a $500,000 signing bonus. Maddox had one year left on the contract he signed with them last year.
Pro Bowl quarterback Kordell Stewart is entrenched as their starter. Tee Martin, their No. 3 quarterback the past two years, has been playing in NFL Europe with the Rhein Fire.
Agent Tom Condon has been trying to place Batch with a team where he ultimately would have a chance to compete for the starting job. Certainly, neither Batch nor the Steelers would be interested in him coming here to be No. 3, and the Steelers did not give Maddox $500,000 Monday to serve in that role either.
Over the past two years, the Steelers have been selective about which free agents they bring in for visits and do not invite a player here unless they are seriously interested in him. Colbert, while talking to reporters about Mathis' signing, was asked if he had any more moves in mind.
"I don't think anything really is in the plans, but we're always going to monitor any players that are available. But we're not actually sitting back planning. As far as we're concerned, our roster is set, but we never say never. We'll look at any situation that presents itself. We're happy with the way things are right now, but we'll always entertain anything that shows up."
Batch, who is 6 feet 2, 220 pounds, had been Detroit's starter since his rookie season in 1998 after being a second-round draft choice from Eastern Michigan. But injuries knocked him out of parts of his past three seasons. He started 46 games in four seasons. The Lions gave him a $10 million signing bonus on a new five-year, $50 million contract in 2000. But a new regime came in last year, and they decided to go in a different direction. Another Pittsburgh native, Mike McMahon, was elevated to the starting job when Batch was injured last year, and he will hold the seat warm until rookie first-round draft choice Joey Harrington is ready.
Batch led Detroit with 2,392 yards passing last season, completing 58.1 percent. He had a passer rating of 76.8 for the 2-14 Lions. He has passed for 9,016 yards in his career with 49 touchdowns, 40 interceptions and a 76.9 passer rating.
He was released by the Lions on the same day as Moore, who had hoped to continue his career with the Steelers. But Colbert and Coach Bill Cowher decided Mathis was a better fit because they wanted a slot receiver, and he fits that bill much better than Moore would. The Steelers lost their slot receiver, Bobby Shaw, to Jacksonville in free agency.
"What it came down to was who was the best fit," Colbert said. "Bobby Shaw was a big part of what we did last year. In drafting Antwaan Randle El, we think Antwaan will be a big part in replacing Bobby; we didn't know how quickly that would happen."
Randle El played quarterback in college, and they hope Mathis, 35, can be the bridge for them at slot receiver until Randle El is ready and help him learn the position. Colbert cited the case of veteran linebacker Mike Jones, who signed with them as a free agent last year after they lost Levon Kirkland. Rookie Kendrell Bell beat Jones out for the job.
"But it was good to have Mike there," Colbert said. "Even when Kendrell beat him out as a starter, Mike was still there to support him and help him learn. Terrance will help on the field playing and help Antwaan with the transition as he learns the position."
Many of the Steelers players know Mathis and favored signing him over Moore, including quarterback Kordell Stewart.
"When a quarterback pushes you like that, you can't disappoint him," Mathis said yesterday from Six Flags Over Georgia amusement park in Atlanta, where he spent the day with his family. "Whenever you play in the slot or play the fourth receiver and you expect to move the chains, you have to have a relationship with your quarterback."
Mathis agreed to a one-year contract that will pay him $750,000, including a $25,000 signing bonus. Under new NFL rules, he will count only $475,000 against the Steelers' salary cap this year.
Batch to visit Steelers today 
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