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Friday, August 30, 2013

Starks released by Chargers

Veteran offensive tackle Max Starks was released by the San Diego Chargers on Friday, one day after allowing three sacks in a preseason game against San Francisco that Starks called, "The worst game of my life."

Starks had already lost the starting LT job in San Diego to King Dunlap and might not have a lot left in the tank at this point in his career.

That said, he should get looks from a number of tackle-starved teams around the league looking for backup help.

Will the Steelers be among those teams?

Possibly.

Right now, the Steelers' top backup at tackle is Kelvin Beachum. But he's also the top backup at every offensive line position.

Behind him are Guy Whimper and possibly John Malecki. Whimper is a tackle - at least in name. But didn't show the capability of playing on the edge in the preseason. He was passable as a guard.

Malecki is strictly an interior lineman.

That's eight offensive linemen on the active roster. The Steelers could certainly use a ninth.

Starks' wife is from Pittsburgh and he's well liked in the locker room. But he was already given his walking papers when the team decided to go with Mike Adams and Marcus Gilbert at offensive tackle.

That duo will remain the starters unless one is injured.

Starks wanted an opportunity to go somewhere and be a starter. He might still get that chance somewhere else if there is an injury.

But for now, he's unemployed.

7 comments:

Easley said...

Starks and the Steelers, it's like Groundhog Day. They'll re-sign him and somehow by the 3rd game he'll end up as the starting left tackle again like always. It would be comical if it wasn't my team.

Dale Lolley said...

Ship has sailed on Max as a starter. The only way he'd be starting in week 3 is an injury.

Anonymous said...

I understand Starks is not the long term solution at LT, but he has got to be better than Adams is right now. Plus they can move Adams over to RT and bench Gilbert. Just my two cents

Dale Lolley said...

Starks "has to be better than Adams right now"

Adams will only get better the more he plays. Will there be some growing pains? Sure.
But he's the better long-term solution.

Anonymous said...

Dale, I agree Adams is the better longterm solution. Was just saying that Adams looks really shaky right now at LT but looked good last year at RT. Why not go get Starks who did a decent job last year and then bench Gilbert. They need the depth at the OL anyway.

Dale Lolley said...

That's part of the reason the front office started letting guys go. The coaching staff was relying too much on the veterans at the expense of playing the young guys.
Then, when the young guys reached time for a second contract without having played much, the front office was stuck - ala. Keenan Lewis.

Can't pay the guy before the season starts because you don't know what he's worth. And after the season, he's played himself into a big contract.

They're going to play the young guys and see what they've got.

Besides, Gilbert started at RT in 2011 and was fine.

Anonymous said...

Really good news. I'd love to see Whimper go and Starks get signed as the primary backup tackle. Can he backup RT?

Seems like the only thing stopping this from happening is pride?