With over 20 years of experience covering the Steelers for the Observer-Reporter, Dale Lolley will let you know the insider scoop. Dale can also be heard on the Steelers radio network pre-game show on WDVE-FM game days and Tuesday nights from 6 to 8 p.m. on ESPN 970-AM and WDVE during the season as a host of the Antonio Brown Show. Follow him on Twitter at @dlolleyor
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Saturday, April 24, 2010
Steelers acquire McFadden
The Steelers dealt the fifth-round selection they received for Santonio Holmes from the Jets to Arizona for the Cardinals sixth-round pick and cornerback Bryant McFadden.
This should make Steelers nation very, very happy.
I can't say that I love this. Though he is an upgrade over Gay, I would have liked to see someone new. There was such talent in the first and second rounds, and with the number of picks they had I think they could have moved up to get someone. I was hoping they would even move into the end of the first to get Wilson or Robinson. That being said, McFadden immediately makes their secondary better.
I just think the Steelers are approaching this CB problem like they did the O-line a few years ago....they ignored a glaring need in the draft and EVENTUALLY drafted Tony Hills...I still am hoping he'll pan out. I am obviously aggravated that they seem to be dancing around the problem. The 5th round move, however, fixes this. Welcome back BMac. I am just saying that there was talent with high potential in the first two rounds that they could have moved up to get. I'm sure NO would have traded and they could have drafted Robinson.....but this is all why I'm not an NFL GM.
Put it this way, had they kept McFadden as a free agent, they would not have needed a CB heading into this draft. So they filled the need. He's 28 and knows the defense. They still have Lewis and Burnett as young CBs to groom.
Apparently, this trade was in the works in the days leading up to the draft. That would explain the Steelers lack of urgency to move up and grab any DBs in this draft.
It looks to like the Steelers went heavily on need and not so much best player available. But then again they were a non-playoff team so one could argue they had a lot of needs.
This draft isn't going to have a lot of flash to it, they got a starting Guard/Center and several new special teams players/future studs. I'm intruiged by Emannuel Sanders and see big potential in him if he can separate from the better CB's in the league.
I'll tell you another guy I'm impressed by. LB Coach Keith Butler. I've never heard hin interviewed before but in light of all the LB picks in this draft I got a chance to hear his thought process and I like him. I hear he's the heir apparrent to LeBeau and I hope thats the case.
I like our 2010 draft, not sure if I love it.... yet.
I was just telling the guy next to me that I've talked to Keith more this weekend than I had in the previous, I don't know, six seasons. He's certainly loosened up quite a bit. Of course, he was giddy this weekend with all the young guys they've given him to work with.
Dale, do you think McFadden's return pushes Lewis to saftey, considering they didn't draft any safeties.
My thinking is it does, with Burnett as the #3, and at worst Gay there. But I think Gay will be buried on the depth chart this year. And thats fine by me.
i like our 3rd and 4th round better than our second. i understand the need to backup our olb's. and i understand tomlin when he says olb's define our team, but what about ilb? could this guy from utah be an ilb prospect?
Gay is good as a backup but not as a starter (right now). Lewis shows promise but is unproven and will certainly experience growing pains. Burnett is in the same boat. We have three good backup CBs, and one gigantic hole at Starting CB.
Then we get McFadden back.
Is it me or did our secondary instantly go from our biggest weakness to being completely solid?
They did sign McFadden to a three-year deal. They actually got permission to talk to his agent Friday. They wouldn't make the deal without the extension.
I've done some research at different sites/books and Worilds and Gibson were both seen as solid second-to-third-round picks. In fact, one had Gibson as a first-rounder.
I think they had a solid draft, particularly if you consider they used picks to get McFadden and Leftwich.
how many of these guys actually have a shot to make the team?
getting bmac was solid, i like pouncey and understand some of the picks. but, no nose tackle? no moving up to get an impact player? that was disappointing.
Pouncey absolutely projects as an impact player. Just because he plays an unsexy position doesn't exclude him from making an impact.
Worilds might be one too, but he'll probably caddy for Harrison for a couple years. Won't know about him until 2011 at the earliest, most likely.
Hell, Dwyer may make an 'impact' just because he'll be able to gain a yard on 3rd and inches without trying to do 3 spin moves. :)
You'd think by now Steeler fans would be used to the idea that the Steelers hardly EVER are going to have any 'impact rookies' because they typically don't ever allow rookies to start.
Considering some of the recent crop of 'Day 2' types Colbert has brought in I think this draft is solid.
Pouncey is clearly the best pick, but he should be.
Worilds was absolutely worth that selection. I was disappointed they passed on Cody for him, which was compounded by the Ravens selecting him, but he was worth their second rounder.
Dwyer was minor theft. The triple option stuff is overblown. As a runner, once you get the ball you either have vision/patience or you don't. Dwyer does. Doesn't matter if he's getting the ball 2 steps closer to the QB or if the center is shooting it out of his a$$ to him 8 yards deep.
Gibson is the kind of guy Colbert would have taken in the 2nd round 3-4 years ago. I was just glad they waited this time around. He has some pretty serious 'fundamentals' questions. Sure, he's athletic, but those questions should have landed him exactly where he wound up: Round 4. In years past, the Steelers would have overlooked that and taken him based on measurables in 2 or 3. (Davis, 'Zo Jackson, et al)
I don't know that I'd have taken the WRs they took, but both were even value, or better, at their slots.
I'd have liked to have seen a second DL taken over the second WR. That unit needs an infusion of youth/some competition for the younger guys who ARE on the roster. Taking one guy in the 7th round probably wasn't good enough.
Overall not a bad crop at all, especially when you factor in re-acquiring McFadden.
I just watched a video of Jonathan Dwyer playing against Miami. I see flashes of Jerome Bettis in his younger day. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyLIiq1CmMQ&feature=related
I'm amazed people aren't thrilled with this draft. I'm pretty confident this is going to be our best draft in a long time. We picked half a dozen potential good starters instead of one or two with a bunch of really flawed guys who might end up as backups.
The OLB need was very real and this is how you deal with that unless you want to spend #1 picks every year for ready to go guys. Worilds is basically Woodley and yet all I hear is davis and zo from the cry babies???
You have to love that we selected linebackers with great speed and current coverage ability.
I agree with emac2, I like the choices they made. I think it will be a pretty competetive camp this year, particularly for some of the special teamers.
I think Dwyer will surprise Steeler fans. Compared to Frank the Tank's tape,his is much more impressive. Unlike the Tank,he doesn't seek out contact and has the speed to allow most of his touchdown runs to have occurred without any contact at all. The offense they ran helped. Yet what is most impressive to me was when he did contact people. He knocked them over and carried the pile. Now we have to see how he blocks and pass protects but he seems to catch well on the plays I saw. Looks like a stud to me.
pouncey is obviously expected to be an impact player. but your 1st round selection should be an impact player almost every year. i'm just surprised they didn't try to move higher with the extra picks they had.
i'm also surprised at the lack of a replacement for hampton. but, you can't address all your needs at one time.
i'll still be interested to see how many guys from this draft actually make the final roster.
Never saw that one coming, but good use of that Holmes draft choice. B-Mac must have really fallen out of favor in AZ.
ReplyDeleteGreat move...may turn out to be the most valuable move in the short term out of this draft...
ReplyDeleteHe did fall out of favor there last year. Struggled with injuries and his play suffered.
ReplyDeleteI can't say that I love this. Though he is an upgrade over Gay, I would have liked to see someone new. There was such talent in the first and second rounds, and with the number of picks they had I think they could have moved up to get someone. I was hoping they would even move into the end of the first to get Wilson or Robinson. That being said, McFadden immediately makes their secondary better.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWilson had all kinds of red flags. I heard he had three DUIs at Boise State.
ReplyDeleteI just think the Steelers are approaching this CB problem like they did the O-line a few years ago....they ignored a glaring need in the draft and EVENTUALLY drafted Tony Hills...I still am hoping he'll pan out. I am obviously aggravated that they seem to be dancing around the problem. The 5th round move, however, fixes this. Welcome back BMac. I am just saying that there was talent with high potential in the first two rounds that they could have moved up to get. I'm sure NO would have traded and they could have drafted Robinson.....but this is all why I'm not an NFL GM.
ReplyDeletePut it this way, had they kept McFadden as a free agent, they would not have needed a CB heading into this draft. So they filled the need. He's 28 and knows the defense.
ReplyDeleteThey still have Lewis and Burnett as young CBs to groom.
Dale,
ReplyDeleteAs always, your insight proves interesting and shows your knowledge. I appreciate you talking this out with me.
Adam
Apparently, this trade was in the works in the days leading up to the draft. That would explain the Steelers lack of urgency to move up and grab any DBs in this draft.
ReplyDeleteYa, I like this move. I think it should help the CB need, where Will Gay and McFadden are both good together, not so good when separated.
ReplyDeleteSo we have upgraded the CB and S positions this off season, added 2 LBs in the draft as well as free agancy, have upgraded the O line.
WR position I think still has a major ? after the loss of Holmes, and we still need a backup RB. I do like Scott from LSU though.
What were the comments of the visit to the steelers from LeGarrette Blount? Did they like this guy or not?
BMac!
ReplyDeleteI like Scott and Dixon waaay better than Blount. I haven't heard anything in regard to how his visit here went.
ReplyDeleteDwyer seems like a fair pick, could be typical steeler north-south type runner. So that addresses RB need
ReplyDeleteIt's an OK pick. Obviously, he was productive. But you wonder about the triple option stuff.
ReplyDeleteDale, it's a great pick for sheer value alone.
ReplyDeleteTashard Choice looks pretty good coming from Ga tech
I told you they'd get Dwyer.
ReplyDeleteI was only, oh I dunno, 4 rounds off
It looks to like the Steelers went heavily on need and not so much best player available. But then again they were a non-playoff team so one could argue they had a lot of needs.
ReplyDeleteThis draft isn't going to have a lot of flash to it, they got a starting Guard/Center and several new special teams players/future studs. I'm intruiged by Emannuel Sanders and see big potential in him if he can separate from the better CB's in the league.
I'll tell you another guy I'm impressed by. LB Coach Keith Butler. I've never heard hin interviewed before but in light of all the LB picks in this draft I got a chance to hear his thought process and I like him. I hear he's the heir apparrent to LeBeau and I hope thats the case.
I like our 2010 draft, not sure if I love it.... yet.
SK
I was just telling the guy next to me that I've talked to Keith more this weekend than I had in the previous, I don't know, six seasons.
ReplyDeleteHe's certainly loosened up quite a bit. Of course, he was giddy this weekend with all the young guys they've given him to work with.
Epic Fail!! Not one pick outside the top 2 will make a difference! What a joke!
ReplyDeleteDale, do you think McFadden's return pushes Lewis to saftey, considering they didn't draft any safeties.
ReplyDeleteMy thinking is it does, with Burnett as the #3, and at worst Gay there. But I think Gay will be buried on the depth chart this year. And thats fine by me.
i like our 3rd and 4th round better than our second. i understand the need to backup our olb's. and i understand tomlin when he says olb's define our team, but what about ilb? could this guy from utah be an ilb prospect?
ReplyDeleteIsn't BMac only under contract for this coming season?
ReplyDeleteThe way I see it he serves as a stop gap to see what last year's guys and Butler can do.
Sylvester looks like an ILB here.
Sylvester looks like the second coming of Mike Humpal.
ReplyDelete"Isn't BMac only under contract for this coming season?"
ReplyDeleteI believe he just signed a 3-year extension with the Steelers.
Gay is good as a backup but not as a starter (right now). Lewis shows promise but is unproven and will certainly experience growing pains. Burnett is in the same boat. We have three good backup CBs, and one gigantic hole at Starting CB.
ReplyDeleteThen we get McFadden back.
Is it me or did our secondary instantly go from our biggest weakness to being completely solid?
Link for McFadden 3 yr contract extention.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.steelers.com/news/article-1/McFadden-back-in-the-black-and-gold/5c9d5745-2a72-4da4-aec4-23cb9660052b
They did sign McFadden to a three-year deal. They actually got permission to talk to his agent Friday. They wouldn't make the deal without the extension.
ReplyDeleteI've done some research at different sites/books and Worilds and Gibson were both seen as solid second-to-third-round picks. In fact, one had Gibson as a first-rounder.
I think they had a solid draft, particularly if you consider they used picks to get McFadden and Leftwich.
And Stevenson is an ILB.
So much for the comment from Jerry Micco that Worilds is an inside guy. Shows what he knows.
ReplyDeleteAnd they've been impressed with what Lewis has shown thus far at CB. We'll see about a move later.
ReplyDeleteDwyer is the steal of the draft.
ReplyDeletehow many of these guys actually have a shot to make the team?
ReplyDeletegetting bmac was solid, i like pouncey and understand some of the picks. but, no nose tackle? no moving up to get an impact player? that was disappointing.
Pouncey absolutely projects as an impact player. Just because he plays an unsexy position doesn't exclude him from making an impact.
ReplyDeleteWorilds might be one too, but he'll probably caddy for Harrison for a couple years. Won't know about him until 2011 at the earliest, most likely.
Hell, Dwyer may make an 'impact' just because he'll be able to gain a yard on 3rd and inches without trying to do 3 spin moves. :)
You'd think by now Steeler fans would be used to the idea that the Steelers hardly EVER are going to have any 'impact rookies' because they typically don't ever allow rookies to start.
Considering some of the recent crop of 'Day 2' types Colbert has brought in I think this draft is solid.
Pouncey is clearly the best pick, but he should be.
Worilds was absolutely worth that selection. I was disappointed they passed on Cody for him, which was compounded by the Ravens selecting him, but he was worth their second rounder.
Dwyer was minor theft. The triple option stuff is overblown. As a runner, once you get the ball you either have vision/patience or you don't. Dwyer does. Doesn't matter if he's getting the ball 2 steps closer to the QB or if the center is shooting it out of his a$$ to him 8 yards deep.
Gibson is the kind of guy Colbert would have taken in the 2nd round 3-4 years ago. I was just glad they waited this time around. He has some pretty serious 'fundamentals' questions. Sure, he's athletic, but those questions should have landed him exactly where he wound up: Round 4. In years past, the Steelers would have overlooked that and taken him based on measurables in 2 or 3. (Davis, 'Zo Jackson, et al)
I don't know that I'd have taken the WRs they took, but both were even value, or better, at their slots.
I'd have liked to have seen a second DL taken over the second WR. That unit needs an infusion of youth/some competition for the younger guys who ARE on the roster. Taking one guy in the 7th round probably wasn't good enough.
Overall not a bad crop at all, especially when you factor in re-acquiring McFadden.
I just watched a video of Jonathan Dwyer playing against Miami. I see flashes of Jerome Bettis in his younger day.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyLIiq1CmMQ&feature=related
Frankly, other than the CB and DE, I think all of these guys have very good shots at making this team.
ReplyDeleteI'm amazed people aren't thrilled with this draft. I'm pretty confident this is going to be our best draft in a long time. We picked half a dozen potential good starters instead of one or two with a bunch of really flawed guys who might end up as backups.
ReplyDeleteThe OLB need was very real and this is how you deal with that unless you want to spend #1 picks every year for ready to go guys. Worilds is basically Woodley and yet all I hear is davis and zo from the cry babies???
You have to love that we selected linebackers with great speed and current coverage ability.
I agree with emac2, I like the choices they made. I think it will be a pretty competetive camp this year, particularly for some of the special teamers.
ReplyDeleteI think Dwyer will surprise Steeler fans. Compared to Frank the Tank's tape,his is much more impressive. Unlike the Tank,he doesn't seek out contact and has the speed to allow most of his touchdown runs to have occurred without any contact at all. The offense they ran helped.
ReplyDeleteYet what is most impressive to me was when he did contact people. He knocked them over and carried the pile. Now we have to see how he blocks and pass protects but he seems to catch well on the plays I saw. Looks like a stud to me.
pouncey is obviously expected to be an impact player. but your 1st round selection should be an impact player almost every year. i'm just surprised they didn't try to move higher with the extra picks they had.
ReplyDeletei'm also surprised at the lack of a replacement for hampton. but, you can't address all your needs at one time.
i'll still be interested to see how many guys from this draft actually make the final roster.
Hampton is signed for three more years. They also still have Hoke. Next year is a nose tackle priority year.
ReplyDelete