Much like his release on Monday, there should be no surprise that former Steelers linebacker Larry Foote has signed with the Detroit Lions to a one-year deal for an undisclosed amount.
Foote, a six-year starter with the Steelers, was released Monday by Pittsburgh after the team was unable to find a suitable trade for his services.
Detroit reportedly offered a seventh-round pick for Foote, who was scheduled to earn $2.9 million in 2009, but the Steelers declined the deal, opting to hold onto the linebacker in the hopes a team would suffer a mini-camp injury and be pressed into action to fill the spot.
Foote, by the way, is from Detroit and starred at Michigan, where he was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 2001.
25 comments:
Dale - after we sign the rookies, do you think they will work on an extension for Miller before the season starts?
If 2010 is an uncapped year, Miller will only be a restricted free agent. Therefore, the Steelers really wouldn't need to give him a new deal just yet. I think they'll wait and see what happens.
Florio thinks the Steelers would have forced Foote to take a pay cut in August, and would have released him then if he refused. Is that true? Have the Steelers ever done that before?
In the past the Steelers have asked both Jerome Bettis and Mark Bruener to take pay cuts to stay with the team. Both did take the pay cut.
As for Foote, good for him. Hopefully he'll get the chance to prove himself to his hometown team. Clearly his move wasn't about money. It was about going home & getting the chance to play more & show his abilities in the league. I hope he does for his sake. He served well & got very little credit during his 6 years of service here. I hope the best for him -- especially since he decided to go to an NFC team where we'll only have to see him play against the Steelers once every three years.
They would not have waited until August to do anything like that. It's not how they work. Florio must be confusing the Steelers with, I don't know, Washington or somebody.
That's what I thought. Florio always assumes the worst intentions from everyone. That probably tells you a thing or two about what kind of person he is.
Viz-Burgh, I think this was 90% about money on Foote's part. The 10% about getting to play for Detroit was just a happy coincidence. He wants more playing time because he knows he'll make more money as a free agent in 2010 as a three-down player as opposed to a backup.
Florio is a shrewd businessman. He just wants hits on his website and therefore he intentionally instigates large fan bases like that of steelers, packers, crybabies and cheatriots.
You guys either really love Larry Foote or are just bored this offseason. No offense to Larry, he was a good player, certainly, I liked him and I advocated that depth at ILB isn't as deep as some people think it is even before this all started.
But I don't think I've ever cared less about a starter being released. Larry Foote is easily replacable and even if Timmons is potentially out of position on occasion he is almost sure to make up for it on most plays with his altheticism.
The only irony I find in this, is that Timmons seems to be more situated for a 4-3 and Foote for a 3-4. I think we only get such a great return on Timmons in his ability to cover and stay on the field on 3rd downs. Foote I don't think will have much of an impact at all in Detroit. He seemed to fit the 3-4 ILB position really well and I just see him being exploited in a 4-3 without some dominating linemen in front of him.
Good luck to him, and if I was wearing a hat, I'd take it off to him for his solid years.
But, um, don't let the door hit ya.... is how I mostly feel about.
Larry Foote's names has been mentioned 150,000 times more in 2 weeks than it was during the season. The guy was average at best. The talking heads just need something black and gold related to talk about. the ESPN 1250 Ken Laird moron was babbling about it for an hour last night, saying how Mike Tomlin made a hug mistake. For once, I would love to see the media called out for their mistakes/asinine comments. There isn't one good reporter out there today covering the Steelers. When is the last time you read something interesting about any of these guys? It is a shame really.
Just want to wish Larry the best of luck. he has always been a stand up guy, both on the field & especially off of it. Hope you have a great season in Detroit.
"Viz-Burgh, I think this was 90% about money on Foote's part. The 10% about getting to play for Detroit was just a happy coincidence. He wants more playing time because he knows he'll make more money as a free agent in 2010 as a three-down player as opposed to a backup."
You are wrong. It was more about Foote wanting to be able to get his playing time.
It wasn't about money. He just signed a 1-year deal with Detroit
If it was about playing at home in Detroit, do you really think he would have only signed a 1 year deal?
It's about getting PT and playing well so that next off season he can market himself as something more than a solid rotation guy.
I have no problems with this. Foote played well here and contributed to 2 championships. Good Luck LF, unless we're playing against you.
ok Larry, you will get more playing time to "market yourself" because the Detroit has inferior defensive talent. How does that help you?
It helps a free agent to play 4 downs instead of being an injury backup as he would have been this year.
Try to keep up.
Dale,
Do you think ILB Donovan Woods will probably win that backup ILB spot now that Foote is gone? I think he will be one of those players second year players that no one talks about who will step up this year.
The Steelers brought some depth and greatly improved their special teams this past year with LBs Patrick Bailey, Bruce Davis and Donovan Woods. I think Ryan Mundy and Roy Lewis will be in the mix for the backup safety spots.
Dale, does Anthony Madison get cut this year with all of the CB depth on the roster and who were the 2nd team and 3rd team tackles during the minicamp? I believe this is the year the Jason Capizzi makes a move.
Thoughts?
he couldn't even get the talentless Lions to give him more than a one year deal. What does it prove? He leaves the steelers because he lacks the talent to start... to start with an inferior team unwilling to give him more than a year? Starting for the lions will not help him get anywhere. foolish decision.
If Foote lacks the talent to start, why didn't Timmons surpass him at any point last year? Timmons is certainly faster & more explosive, but he hasn't proven that he can shed blocks & be a sure tackler in the run game. I hope he becomes that player, but the fact is this: if he was that guy already he would have started over Foote at some point last season. Timmons still has work to do in order to be a complete player.
Athletes are prideful. They need to think that they can run through walls & come out the other side. Foote doesn't want to ride the bench & wants to show what he believes he can do. More power to him. Do I think he's the guy he thinks he is? No. But I don't fault him for wanting to play either.
BTW - if this was really about money, why would he sign with the first team he met with after being released? In fact, he was ready to sign even BEFORE he was scheduled to meet with the team. He wanted to go home & that was stated by him back in Jan./Feb. when these rumors started. If you're in it for the money you don't sign one year deals because of the risk of injury. You look for guaranteed money - signing bonus, etc. And with the glut of teams switching to the 3-4 this year without the personnel in place to do so, I'd have to believe that a veteran starting 3-4 ILB would be able to score a multi-year deal if that was what he was interested in. Instead he took a one year "prove it" deal.
It's hard to say Foote started over Timmons last year because they shared time. Notice that frequently on plays such as third downs when they needed something to happen they had Timmons in the rotation. I believe the main reason Foote was starting over Timmons was that while he was only solid (compared to Timmons's talent) he had the advantage of being a vet who knew the defense and wouldn't make any costly mistakes. Timmons has another year of learning the playbook under his belt so he should be able to do more than just rely on his athletic abilities to cover up any mental errors.
and the Patriots just lost their 3rd Round LB pick
but I wouldn't want to send Foote to them anyway
Just because he started didn't mean he was better. Here's a stat that may surprise a few...
2008 Stats
Foote- 34 solo tackles, 29 assisted, total of 63 tackles. 1.5 sacks, 1 forced fumble and zero interceptions.
Timmons- 43 solo tackles, 22 assisted, total of 67 tackles. 5 sacks, 1 forced fumble, and 1 interception.
Of course, all stat-based arguments should note that stats are frequently situational. For example, in the above case--Timmons has 5 sacks, while Foote only has 1.5--but remember that Timmons played primarily last year on 3rd downs and obvious passing situations.
I do think it will be difficult for Madison to make the team given what they've added. But he is a very good special teams player, arguably their best. So they may find a spot for him.
As for Foote starting over Timmons, he did so because he was better on first and second downs. Tomlin showed last year when he benched Townsend that he would put the better player on the field.
Make no mistake about it, the loss of Foote will be noticable on the run. Timmons has yet to prove he can 1) read defenses as an every down ILB and 2) shed blocks and make the inside tackle .... as another poster mentioned above.
Foote was considered an average player with an above average understanding of our scheme and his role in it.
Foote struck gold now and then with above average performances when big plays were needed.
the biggest thing Timmons needs to improve in my opinion is beating the RB in the backfield on his blitz's
He was owned quite a few teams last year. Most noticeably by McGahee. He needs to be able to beat McGahee 2 out 3 times in a 1 on 1 situation.
I don't think he will have any problems against the run, but we'll see. It could be a concern if he really screws it up. The big boys in front of him and his altheticism though... I don't see it.
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