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
Fine run down. Tho Paulson wasn't undrafted. And when did STs coordinator become a 2 man job? You don't see joint OCs or DCs. Each oversees roughly 60 snaps a game. STs, what, maybe a dozen? Not sure why Jones gets credit for Suisham having a career year. Rainey did pretty good on KOs, but punt returns sucked mightily as did both coverage units. And as mentioned penalties were epidemic and killer. Several games seemed like the O spent the entire game starting under the shadows of the goalpost. I'm sure he's a fine man, and Tomlin likes and respects him. But it's a results league, and if the job is too big for him, the solution isn't double down with more coaches, it's to hire a coach who can coach the whole unit.
Not to mention falling victim to multiple fake punts being converted for first downs. He would be gone from any other staff, were he not buddy-buddy with the head coach.
If Adams and Gilbert are the bookends they would be served to do better than Batch at backup QB, because whomever it is will be seeing significant playing time. I'd call Starks the #2 priority resign this offseason, after Lewis.
Ah, you're right on Paulson. Special teams has been a two-man thing since Tomlin got here. And even before that, they've always had somebody helping the special teams coach out because there's a lot involved.
As for the fakes, they had the first one against SD defended. Golden just got beaten to the outside. The second one, the run was right up the middle. When are the players responsible for that?
There are just too many unknowns about Adams and Gilbert, not the least of which is whether they can last a full season. I would say that Starks at this point has a slight edge over Lewis as being the most needed free agent. Last year at this time we were worried about whether Gilbert or Colon could last a season. Starks came to the rescue at least on the left side. If history is any guide...
The coaching staff has shown in the past that it doesn't necessarily value Starks. Plus, Starks isn't returning without the guarantee of a starting job.
The cost of a starting left tackle is also much higher than that of a corner who didn't have an interception - though I think those will come for Lewis. And they have Beachum as a backup, who has shown he can play as well.
It looks like the 2013 Steelers are going to look drastically different than the team that took the field in 2013. Hopefully the upcoming draft will yield a starting linebacker (Manti Teo); a nose tackl (Jesse Williams); or a DB ( Jonathan Banks). We need some young difference makers. Other than Cortez Allan there isn't much to shout about.
Dang Dale that's not much of a positive picture. It looks like the cap issues for this team are very, very real. There will be some tough decisions for sure. Thanks for the great read.
because of their long term success, the steelers are faced with difficult cap issues every year. they will re-work some deals and cut bait with some vets to free up room for the talented young guys.
they will also need to move on with the o-line. time to thank starks and colon for their service and go with the other guys. no way around it.
picking at 17 is a nice spot. there should be a few very talented players available to choose from. they are in a spot where they could move up 3-4 places to grab a guy they love, or drop 3-4 places and pick up another draft pick while still getting a quality player.
i'd really like to see them find a bruiser for a RB. i was hoping dwyer was the guy, but it appears he doesn't have the stones. a big, bruising RB would cause matchup problems for opposing defenses in haley's offense.
Nice assesment Dale. I agree on the O-Line, Adams and Gilbert stay, Starks goes, the biggest thing to work out is Colon. He looks great at times, but he is too much money considering the games he has played. I would not be surprised if they sign Foster and part ways with Colon. I am not overly concerned about the cap, Omar is great with the numbers and always comes through. I can see Harrison, Hampton (if he stays), and Woodley all getting their deals reworked, if Colon goes, that will help, Wallace is gone as well. I would like to see Mendenhall back, if not we need a new back. I am comfortable with the D-line at this point, maybe some more depth, but in my mind the top priorities are LB and resigning K Lewis. Woodley needs to figure things out or just go away, he was a huge dissapointment, we could easily use and ILB and OLB in the draft. My draft wises BPA (cuz that is how the Steelers roll) are: OLB/ILB/S/RB/WR/QB
They have enough wiggle room with restructures and such - they draw up their contracts to do it this way - to get under the cap easily enough. But it does prohibit them from being major free agent players without making a major cut. And despite what some might believe, the Steelers do dip in once in a while when needed. And this year would qualify. They've gotten Kevin Greene, Jeff Hartings and James Farrior when needed. All were mid-range free agent signings that became big-time contributors. But I'm not sure they could even swing one of those right now.
15 comments:
Fine run down. Tho Paulson wasn't undrafted. And when did STs coordinator become a 2 man job? You don't see joint OCs or DCs. Each oversees roughly 60 snaps a game. STs, what, maybe a dozen? Not sure why Jones gets credit for Suisham having a career year. Rainey did pretty good on KOs, but punt returns sucked mightily as did both coverage units. And as mentioned penalties were epidemic and killer. Several games seemed like the O spent the entire game starting under the shadows of the goalpost. I'm sure he's a fine man, and Tomlin likes and respects him. But it's a results league, and if the job is too big for him, the solution isn't double down with more coaches, it's to hire a coach who can coach the whole unit.
Not to mention falling victim to multiple fake punts being converted for first downs. He would be gone from any other staff, were he not buddy-buddy with the head coach.
If Adams and Gilbert are the bookends they would be served to do better than Batch at backup QB, because whomever it is will be seeing significant playing time. I'd call Starks the #2 priority resign this offseason, after Lewis.
Ah, you're right on Paulson.
Special teams has been a two-man thing since Tomlin got here. And even before that, they've always had somebody helping the special teams coach out because there's a lot involved.
As for the fakes, they had the first one against SD defended. Golden just got beaten to the outside. The second one, the run was right up the middle. When are the players responsible for that?
And you don't spend second-round draft picks on guys and then not play them. Adams and Gilbert have to be ready to play.
There are just too many unknowns about Adams and Gilbert, not the least of which is whether they can last a full season. I would say that Starks at this point has a slight edge over Lewis as being the most needed free agent. Last year at this time we were worried about whether Gilbert or Colon could last a season. Starks came to the rescue at least on the left side. If history is any guide...
The coaching staff has shown in the past that it doesn't necessarily value Starks. Plus, Starks isn't returning without the guarantee of a starting job.
The cost of a starting left tackle is also much higher than that of a corner who didn't have an interception - though I think those will come for Lewis. And they have Beachum as a backup, who has shown he can play as well.
yeah gilbert adams and beachum is good enough, but it makes resigning foster a priority cause he can play tackle in emergency
plus, they can still get yet another tackle in at least the 4th round
Foster won't return as a backup. He wants to start somewhere, just like Starks. For Foster to return, they will have to cut bait with Colon.
It looks like the 2013 Steelers are going to look drastically different than the team that took the field in 2013. Hopefully the upcoming draft will yield a starting linebacker (Manti Teo); a nose tackl (Jesse Williams); or a DB ( Jonathan Banks). We need some young difference makers. Other than Cortez Allan there isn't much to shout about.
Dang Dale that's not much of a positive picture. It looks like the cap issues for this team are very, very real. There will be some tough decisions for sure. Thanks for the great read.
because of their long term success, the steelers are faced with difficult cap issues every year. they will re-work some deals and cut bait with some vets to free up room for the talented young guys.
they will also need to move on with the o-line. time to thank starks and colon for their service and go with the other guys. no way around it.
picking at 17 is a nice spot. there should be a few very talented players available to choose from. they are in a spot where they could move up 3-4 places to grab a guy they love, or drop 3-4 places and pick up another draft pick while still getting a quality player.
i'd really like to see them find a bruiser for a RB. i was hoping dwyer was the guy, but it appears he doesn't have the stones. a big, bruising RB would cause matchup problems for opposing defenses in haley's offense.
should be an interesting offseason.
Nice assesment Dale. I agree on the O-Line, Adams and Gilbert stay, Starks goes, the biggest thing to work out is Colon. He looks great at times, but he is too much money considering the games he has played. I would not be surprised if they sign Foster and part ways with Colon. I am not overly concerned about the cap, Omar is great with the numbers and always comes through. I can see Harrison, Hampton (if he stays), and Woodley all getting their deals reworked, if Colon goes, that will help, Wallace is gone as well. I would like to see Mendenhall back, if not we need a new back. I am comfortable with the D-line at this point, maybe some more depth, but in my mind the top priorities are LB and resigning K Lewis. Woodley needs to figure things out or just go away, he was a huge dissapointment, we could easily use and ILB and OLB in the draft. My draft wises BPA (cuz that is how the Steelers roll) are: OLB/ILB/S/RB/WR/QB
They have enough wiggle room with restructures and such - they draw up their contracts to do it this way - to get under the cap easily enough. But it does prohibit them from being major free agent players without making a major cut.
And despite what some might believe, the Steelers do dip in once in a while when needed. And this year would qualify.
They've gotten Kevin Greene, Jeff Hartings and James Farrior when needed. All were mid-range free agent signings that became big-time contributors. But I'm not sure they could even swing one of those right now.
Dale,
Don't forget about Ryan Clark.
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