Ramon Foster joined the club as part of the Pittsburgh Steelers 2009 rookie free agent class and since then has developed into another shining example of Kevin Colbert’s unrestricted rookie free agent success.

Foster got a baptism by fire, starting in the Steelers 2009 away loss to Baltimore Ravens on the night when Dennis Dixon was their lone starting quarterback, which was also the first time that season where no sacks were allowed. Foster would go on to start vs. Green Bay, Baltimore, and Miami that season.

In 2010 Foster began the season on the bench, but began starting vs. New England when Chris Kemoeatu was injured, and started the second half of the seasons and all of the post-season.

Despite that, he started 2011 on the bench, but injuries and Kemoeatu’s ineffectiveness led Foster to start 14 games that year.

The arrival of David DeCastro was supposed to relegate Foster back to the bench, but David DeCastro’s injury and Foster’s solid play kept him in the line up. He, along with Max Starks, were the only offensive lineman to start all 16 games, although Foster did do double duty at tackle.

Steelers Likely to Say Farewell to Foster

Under normal circumstances, with that pedigree, the Steelers would be looking to lock up Foster to a long term deal.

However, that is unlikely to happen. Like fellow unrestricted free agent Max Starks, Foster is likely to fall victim to the Steelers salary cap crunch. Unlike Max Starks, Foster is now breaking into his prime years as an athlete and his prime earning years.

He has far less incentive than Starks to offer a “home town discount,” and even if he were its hard to imagine that another team will not reward him far more lucratively that the Steelers can.

• Expect Ramon Foster to play in colors other than Black and Gold in 2013 and beyond

This is unfortunate, but most probably a mathematical necessity.

Scenario for the Fixing up the Steelers with Foster

There’s a big X Factor for Foster’s future with the franchise, and that comes by the name of Willie Colon.

Once Willie Colon successfully transitioned to guard he transformed the entire line. But he got injured, and finished his third straight year on IR. A decision by the Steelers to cut Colon would clear the way for Foster’s return.

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