Our LG spot - present and future

So the rumors are that the Steelers will cut Willie Colon, and Ramon Foster is about to hit free agency. Prior to the Colon news I was sure Foster leaves because he's played well enough to get a starting gig somewhere. However, this might convince him to stay... The question is what kind of contract is he worth?

People will bring up Chance Warmack, but I don't see it. First of all I think he'll probably end up going to the Rams at 15... and I just don't see OG's in back to back drafts.



Really, the biggest thing I wanted to discuss here, is that Mike Pouncey has 2 more season left in Miami. If you read a lot of sites out there they say that Mike is in the conversation for the best center in the league, and that he really deserved that pro bowl spot more than his brother Maurkice did. I say I don't care who's better, I want them both!

I would roll with Beachum at LG in the short term, OR see if we can sign Foster to a reasonable 2 year contract, to wait for Mike to become a free agent. I know we never sign big names, but I could see this happening because I could see both brothers taking a little less to play together. They've played together their entire lives and the word is Mike was really upset with Maurkice when he decided to enter the draft the year before him. I would try to extend Maurkice this off-season if at all possible, and discuss him maybe taking a little less to help sign his brother in the future.

Another note... Maurkice took his brother, and the whole Steelers OL to Hawaii with him. Hope it's a bonding experience for all

 

I've always liked the idea of having both of the pouncey twins, but think its just as likely that Maurkice goes to Miami.

 

foster is more of the same as colon. he's to slow and can't pull or get outside to lead block. he's done a decent job filling in at RG but we couldn't pull him to the left. beachum gets the shot first. we are drafting for backups on the line this year. the youth movement is here and we will roll with them. be patient.

 

No way we let poucey out of the burgh right?

 

That's why I think locking him up ASAP is a big deal. The fact that Maurkice signed for 5 years, and Mike signed for 4 means they hit the open market the same season. The could hand pick where they go and say that they're a package deal with whoever signs them.

The fact that they're from Florida probably gives Miami a big leg up... No offense to those of you in the Burgh, but if I'm young and rich I think I'd rather live in Miami than Pittsburgh. If it's about winning, and being in a good organization then certainly Pittsburgh has the advantage.

It depends what they're looking for... but I would lock up Maurkice ASAP (or try to, he might not sign for the reasons above), so that it eliminates the possibility of both of them going to Miami. It's unfortunate that Rainey was such a bonehead because he was basically they're adopted brother, so having him would've tipped the scales our way too.

 

They will try to resign him, but there's no guarantee that he will accept their offer. I truly believe his desire to play with Mike again will be a huge determining factor.

 

The two of them have always wanted to play together, but they both want to play center, and excel at it......i think we lock up maurkice and miami will make mike an offer he can't refuse when the time comes......their days of playing together are over.

 

You are probably right, but you never know. Twins have that crazy bond. I have twin guy cousins and if they were in the same situation I think they would definitely try to one day be on the same team...

 

There's one problem with your plan. If Beachum was better than either Colon or Foster he wouldn't have been sitting on the bench praying for an injury. They moved Pouncey to Guard over Beachum. Going into 2013 with a guy that's never played guard and no backup is a recipe for disaster.

 

your logic is flawed..... tomlin was partial to alot of veterans simply because of their status on the team.. one needs to look no further than casey hampton starting over steve mcclenden as a prime example.. the best optipn is not always the one the coaches have chosen

 

Mclendon didn't start because he didn't know his assignments. There's an interview with Mitchell(dlcoach) talking about Mclendon's lack of understanding the defense, knowing the plays etc.The same thing happened last year with Antonio Brown. There were numerous reports of him not knowing the playbook, but fans would complain about some stupid veteran bias. This supposed veteran bias y'all ***** and moan about is a myth based on pure message board speculation. If they know their job and are better than they start, period. Look no further than Pouncey and Decastro.

 

but yet and still when brown got on the field, he never looked back.... The few times tjat mcclenden saw the field he was basically unblockable.... pouncy and decastro forced themselves in..... The coaches initially had no intention of starting pouncy at center.. he simply forced himself in the lineup... things like that only happen with the most special of players.... robert golden was inactive every week due to the veterans in front of him, but when the coaches had no choice, he playef very effectively (and out of position at that)......dwyer was inactive nearly every week last season... i know alot of that was due to his being out of shape in camp, but when they had no choice but to put him out there, he put up 100+ against the titans....it seems that once you're in tomlin's doghouse, there's no real chance to get out unless faced with no choice, and that's not anything i picked up from the board... it's simple observation

 

which play mclendon has to know ? every time the opposite center snap the ball he has to charge and destroy the pocket and chase down every people has the ball

 

Once he knew the playbook. If he doesn't know the plays, hot reads etc then he's a liability. Once Brown learned those things he became a starter. He forced himself into the lineup? They planned to start him off at Guard. However, he learned the playbook and earned the starting spot. You don't just give people starting jobs. They're earned and part of that is knowing the playbook. They had an open competition at RG and before long Decastro was named the starter. You can't possibly claim to know their intentions. If Mclendon knew his job he would have started over Hampton.

I'm literally laughing about the mythical status Dwyer is developing among Steeler fans. He sure is a stud he ran for 107 yards against Tennessee!! He did it on only 11 carries too! It doesn't matter that 10 of 11 went nowhere. He's a future member of the HOF. It would be really awesome if that mean old coach tomlin wouldn't hold a professional athlete accountable for little things like being in shape. I'm sure next year dwyer won't have to tap out of games after two 1 yard runs.

 

Now you're taking things out of context... i fully acknowledged dwyer being out of shape in camp... i only noted that when left with no choice, he produced.... just like golden.. brown was behind sanders on the depth chart and capitalized on injury opportunitie....... The fact remains that mcclenden was unblockable while hampton was a shell of himself..... do you really think the coaches would throw themselves under the bus???

 

The only job Tomlin et al have is to win games. Do you really think a coach would jeopardize their jobs/ livelihood? Which is more likely, Tomlin,DL,Mitchell know what they're doing and even a less than 100% Hampton is better or there's some bias and they put their careers in jeopardy? I can totally picture Tomlin and DL sitting around acknowledging that Mclendon is better, but they owe it to the vet. Who cares if they lose a few games, after all loyalty is what's important.

Oh boy someone played ok for a game or two they're clearly better than the starter. Dwyer had every chance in the world this year to show how great he was. Instead he put out an average at best season. Hampton was no where near 100% for the first 6-8 games and it showed. However, his play in the 2nd half was vastly improved and nothing even remotely resembling a "shell of his former self." The fact that Mclendon didn't start should speak volumes to you. Instead you want to make up scenarios that are truly laughable.

You keep bringing up Gulden and how well he played. His man was targeted 4 times against the cowboys. The result isn't quite so good, 3 completions 1td.

 

we will see mr.wizard. colon didn't play guard before either. think back to last year, foster couldn't even win the job until the final cutdowns and now he's a can't miss guard? please. try again.

 

RIGHT.. after all tjhey are from here in florida.. lakeland FL

HINES

 

The only person pimping someone out as a can't miss player is you with Beachum. Foster is a far more proven commodity than Beachum by a large margin. Beachum played better than everyone expected, but he wasn't an all star or even close. I would be ecstatic if he moved to guard and became the player you make him out to be, but what we've seen isn't outstanding by any means. The guy started 3 or 4 games, gave up at least 3 sacks, numerous pressures and you're practically making him an all star. I would be very surprised if he doesn't end up the backup in 2013.

 

we have a rookie that steps in and plays well and all you do is fault him. your off on sack and pressure totals by the way. it was also 5 games.

they have told him to work on a couple of things this offseason and he would get his opportunity to start, but not neccessarily at guard either. they must have thought he played well as a rookie. the only one that doesn't see it is you for some reason. he's the most intelligent o-lineman we have too.

we've had this covo before about the line when i said colon and foster and starks should be gone. it's sure looking like i was right about that too. we shall see.

 

Ok fine. He played 4 complete games and gave up at least 3 sacks. At least one sack against SD,D, and Cinci. I remember being surprised by his performance against Kugler in the game against Baltimore, but it wasn't outstanding by any means. I've already said once that he played better than expected. I'm just not ready to proclaim him the savior that you are. We have a small sample size from an him and it consists of an average performance.

Are you really trying to portray yourself as some prognosticator over common knowledge? Every Steeler fan on the planet knows we are probably going to lose Starks,Foster, and Colon.


I just did some more looking. Beachum is credited with a sack against Baltimore as well. So that's 4 complete games and 4 sacks.

 

all those fans didn't know it when i started saying it, including you.

i never once said he's an all-star, that was all you my friend.

i simply said he's the future next year and will start. at either RT or LG unless they move DD first. how many pressures and sacks did our first rounder give up in a couple of games? he was next to him. you are in favor of him though. and adams.

why not him if he's capable? how do you know he can't play guard? the coaches seem to think he can and told him he pulls well from that spot. they also think he played extremely well at RT for never playing there before, even in college.

colon never played there before and you were fine with it. at least this kid can move though. do you want the same thing we've seen for years now? where's the logic in that?

 

YOu sir are a delusional. You didn't school me or anyone else on what would happen to Starks, Foster, or Colon. Show me on this board where I've ever pimped out Adams. Yes, I'm in favor of Decastro. Up until the injury he looked very good in preseason(unlike Beachum). Oh noes our RG who missed ota's,minicamp, had a catastrophic knee injury and spent 5 months on the sidelines didn't light the world on fire against one of the best DT's in the game. Meanwhile your boy got destroyed during preseason at guard, had all season to practice, and then filled in and did better than expected(4 game, 4 sacks). WHoopee!

All I know about Beachum at guard is what we've seen from him at the position. That is him being an average at best guard with a multitude of holding penalties thrown in for good measure. Could he be an improvement over Foster or Colon? Maybe someday, but that doesn't change the fact they moved Pouncey to guard over him. I'm the one who's been screaming for Chance Warmack so clearly I'm not happy with our oline.

Do you really want to talk about logic? I want to improve the oline while you want to gamble on maybes and could be. I at least want players in place that have proven they can do the job. If they lose that job to someone I'm fine with it. However, at least we have proven backups. You on the other hand want to gamble with a left side that has never played LT or LG in an NFL game and a starting 5 that has never played an entire NFL season. Their backups are malecki and two guys we just claimed off waivers. Yeah, that is a sound plan you've got there pal.

 

did i ever say i wanted to go into the season with only malecki and the two PS players? show me where i said that's what i wanted pal. i said beachum will get the shot to start at either LG or RT. the coaches are the ones that gave him the vote of confidence as they left for the end of the season. i said we need backups. do you think we drafted two first rounders and two second rounders to sit on the bench for the next 5 years?