Ryan Clark will become an unrestricted free agent on Friday after he and the Steelers failed to come to a contract agreement.

Clark, the team's starting free safety the past four years, said consistently that he wanted to remain with the Steelers but the two sides never came close in contract negotiations.

He was one of three players football operations director Kevin Colbert identified as a priority to sign before free agency. They locked up the other two by signing nose tackle Casey Hampton to a three-year contract and making kicker Jeff Reed the franchise player.

Clark was the only other player involved in negotiations with the team before free agency so all of their other prospective free agents will become unrestricted at midnight: halfback Willie Parker, cornerback Deshea Townsend, quarterback Charlie Batch, linebacker Rocky Boiman, safety Tyrone Carter, defensive ends Nick Eason and Travis Kirschke, wide receiver Joey Galloway and two potential restricted free agents who did not receive tenders from the team, guard Darnell Stapleton and halfback Carey Davis.

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