Absent a clear opportunity to land a starting job elsewhere in the NFL this late in the year, quarterback Charlie Batch wants to return home, play a backup role for one year with the Steelers and then become a free agent in March.
And since the Steelers seem more than happy to have him do that, it might be a matter of days before they have a 27-year-old quarterback who has been Detroit's starter the past four seasons.
"If I had my preference, then this is where I'd like to be," Batch said yesterday from the Steelers' offices on the South Side, a deep pass down Route 837 from his native Homestead.
An hour earlier, Kevin Colbert, the Steelers' director of football operations, said the feeling was mutual. "I think if Charlie is interested in joining us, we are very interested in having him."
Batch said money would be no barrier, although he would first check with his agent, Tom Condon, to discuss it. The Steelers would like to sign him to a one-year deal that would count $450,000 or $475,000 against their salary cap. Of the four teams he has visited, the Jacksonville Jaguars seem to be the only other team in serious contention.
While Mark Brunell is the undisputed starter in Jacksonville, his future is in serious doubt as the Jaguars go through a rebuilding process. Coach Tom Coughlin has expressed a keen interest in acquiring Batch, who also has visited Houston and Green Bay. He's scheduled to visit New Orleans Tuesday, but that might be canceled. Batch would like to have a deal in hand by then.
Colbert stressed that the Steelers are not looking for Batch to compete with Kordell Stewart for the starting job. He added that they have made a commitment to Tommy Maddox with the new contract and $500,000 signing bonus he received this week. He also said they are happy with No. 3 quarterback Tee Martin, but it's obvious that, if they sign Batch, Martin's roster spot is in jeopardy.
"With all that being said," Colbert said, "you might say why the interest in a Charlie Batch? My response is basically when a good player presents himself like that and really shows an interest in joining your team, more so than us actually pursuing him or going about it that way, I think we have to look at those situations, because you can never have enough good players at any one position, but, specifically, the quarterback position.
"A whole season can change on just one injury. If a guy like Charlie is interested in coming in, joining a group that we have, fighting it out and seeing where he lands and providing some insurance for us, then I think we have to look at it."
In other words, Batch could come here and serve as the No. 3 quarterback while he learns the offense. If Stewart were to be injured in a game, Maddox could replace him. If it's a long-term injury, the Steelers could decide whether Maddox or Batch would give them the better chance to win as their starting quarterback. Or, as Batch put it, "keep the train running."
The advantages for Batch?
"It is home and an opportunity to play in front of the home fans, and they want to win now. That's the key. As I visit other [teams], they're kind of, well, we're a few years away from being where we want to be.
"The situation I'm in now, I want to win now. I want to be in the best situation to win and right now I think it's a good situation here. And to have a chance to play for Coach [Bill] Cowher has always been a dream of mine."
Batch and Cowher talked about such things at Pine-Richland High School Thursday night as Meagan Cowher, his eldest daughter, played in an AAU basketball game. Then Batch passed a Steelers physical yesterday morning, toured their UPMC facility, met with Cowher, other officials and the media.
The Lions, with a new coach and new management, released Batch June 3, waiting that long to save room this year under the salary cap. They drafted quarterback Joey Harrington on the first round in April and had elevated Pittsburgh native Mike McMahon to the starting job when Batch was injured last season.
Batch started 46 games in the four seasons since Detroit drafted him with the 30th overall pick in 1998. He immediately became their starter but has had several serious injuries. He has thrown for 9,016 yards in his career with 49 touchdowns, 40 interceptions and a 76.9 passer rating.
The Lions gave him a $10 million signing bonus on a new five-year, $50 million contract in 2000.
Because he was released so late -- after virtually all spring practices and minicamps had ended -- Batch found it difficult for any team to commit to him as their starting quarterback. So playing a backup role for one year appears to be his next best choice.
"At this particular time, I'm not in a position to demand money," he said.
"I'm here to help, I'm here to contribute to this football team. [Stewart is] the guy. He came off a Pro Bowl year. At this point in time, everybody's goal in this organization is to win the Super Bowl. That's the bottom line, and he's the guy right now to be able to make that next step, to make it happen."
It looked close to a marriage between Batch and the Steelers yesterday.
"We're looking for some short-term insurance," Colbert said. "I think he may be looking for a place to get his career restarted, because getting cut at this time of the year, it's going to be hard going in and be anything else but a backup. And I think in Charlie's mind, if he's going to be a backup, he'd like to play for the team he grew up watching."
Steelers stir the quarterback pot 
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