Like B-Mac Before Him, William Gay Returns to The Steelers via Pittsburgh West

Who says that lighting does not strike twice?

Bryant McFadden was drafted by the Steelers in 2005 worked his way into the line up, and by the time he was playing out his restricted free agent tender he was alternating as a starter.

Following Super Bowl XLIII, McFadden departed to Pittsburgh West aka the Arizona Cardinals.

• A year later McFadden was back with the Steelers, via a draft day trade.

The Steelers drafted William Gay in 2007. He worked his way into the line up, first alternating with starters, then he won the starting, lost it to McFadden, and then won it back albeit he played in the slot position on 3rd downs.

As a free agent in 2012 William Gay signed with Pittsburgh West….

…Last week the Cardinals cut him, word leaked he was headed to the South Side, and presto he’s a Pittsburgh Steeler again.

Hopefully, however, he will not repeat McFadden’s return performance in Pittsburgh. While McFadden did a respectable job in his only full season as a starter, he struggled in the 2010 playoffs. He got injured in the Debacle at Baltimore and never to return as a starter.

When the Steelers found themselves 25 million over the cap in the 2011 off season, McFadden was one of the first cuts.

Does William Gay’s Return Spell Keenan Lewis' Exit?

The immediate speculation is that William Gay’s return signals the end of Keenan Lewis’ days in Pittsburgh. Lewis, by all accounts, wants to stay in Pittsburgh.

But he will likely command a multi million dollar salary on the open market, and the Steelers are strapped for cap space. Add that to the fact that Lewis will have to hold off Cortez Allen for the starting.

Gerry Dulac reported that William Gay signed for approximately 1.5 million dollars a year – not dirt cheap, but a lot less than Lewis will make.

Time will tell, but the probability of Keenan Lewis playing next year in Pittsburgh just took a hit. And irrespective of how it impacts Keenan Lewis' prospects, William Gay's return could also move James Harrison and/or Willie Colon closer to the exit.

We will soon know.

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