Steelers to release Woodley

Worilds isn't average, he's unproven and often injured. Once Woodley was IRed last season Worilds pulled up lame.

 

What's the point of waiting until we know the final depth chart? At that point no matter what it looks like the argument will become "Let wait and see how they play", and then the cycle starts all over again. All I can judge is what is there now.

 

I'm w/Steel1031. I wouldn't say Woodley was average, but he really wasn't a star. My biggest knock when they paid Woodley is he wasn't a complete player, very much a one-trick pony. He only had season of 50+ tackles. Yes he was a big time pass rusher but his best years occurred w/another guy on the other side in Harrison who was a DPOY and a complete player. To an extent, it is too bad about the injuries and he was having a very good year until he had that injury in the Patriots game. The biggest sin w/Woodley was the restructuring they did w/him - they made him far more expensive than he should have been.

I guess one thing I wonder is why now, though. They are pretty thin now at OLB and considering needs at corner and ILB I would have thought they would keep Woodley for one more year. Since they are allowed to apply the cap savings this year to contract re-structures (won't help for free agency now) I wonder if this is a first move to re-structure Ben.

 

I guess drafting a OLB is going to be more of a priority now they need depth at the position. Woodley will probably end up in Arizona aka Steelers West.

 

westerman,so'oto and carter. I think they sign westerman back. as I've said before maybe not household names as far as big stars but we have a 1st rd. pick in JJ and a young 2nd rd. pick in worilds. so'oto,carter and westerman know the 3-4 and may be just enough for a season or two as backups none of them are new, but still young enough to play as ST'ers and backups to our starters. westerman is signable and has a little starting experience as does carter. so'oto has learned from kevin green and dom capers so far in GB's 3-4. there is some depth at this spot in the draft, but I don't think it will be early.

 

why? we have young starters.

 

you never seem concerned if beachum goes down? LOL westerman is a pretty decent backup actually. he's going into his 6th season and carter and so'oto are going into their 4th seasons. are we going to bring in a starter to sit behind jj and worilds? I don't think we have the money this year. it may not be a perfect scenario but it's really some decent depth.

 

with what else we have to go after in FA, I think these guys may be as good as we get behind our starters. JJ was their hand pick and on the field quicker than most. I give most guys a pass in year 1 around here. if he stays at a rookie level in year two then we might have a problem, but I doubt it. he did a lot of things well last year, but getting to the QB was the least of it. he was still disruptive on many occasions in other aspects of his game. at least he showed an ability to be disruptive in coverage and against the run. the right side in our defense commands a different type of LB then just the pass rush. of course he's not going to play like a 5 year vet in year one. I think he'll start though.

westerman has 6.5 sacks in 5 years and a couple of starts. no not a ton but neither did worilds in his first few years. carter missed out on his first year actually with the lockout and this is really his year 3, if you look at it that way. usually when they quit thinking and start reacting more. so'oto the same. I'm not saying he will set the world on fire but he's got size and speed and we will take a look. he does have 2 years of learning the 3-4 from two good teachers though and not coming in blind, as a rookie would. there was also talk by butler of garvin as a possible OLB last year. I just don't think the cupboard is as bare as some think. are they ideal as starters? probably not but I think we will start like this and if there is an injury, then look elsewhere.

 

Anything with Carter and decent depth in the same paragraph has me worried. Anyone have Alan Baxter's number on speed dial?

 

carter played better last year than in previous years. he's close. we can hope he keeps building on what he's doing to get closer. I created a thread a while back about robinson and if it was a mistake to trade him away last year. at least we are not starting from scratch with any of these guys. we will see whose hungry for more playing time. we still need ST players too.

 

agreed. no way do we not draft or sign a guy. my guess is draft a guy that is an established linebacker and not a de to convert

 

do we have the money to do that? we still have a ton of money tied up in our LB'ers already.

 

Good move! Watch him being injured on someone else's sidelines this year.

 

What are the chances no one sniffs his high contract and has his agent look to the Steelers to take a pay cut?

 

I can't see that happening, but you could be onto something?

 

Well Ware, Peppers, and Allen are on the market so who knows.

 

Harrison......nuff said......Rooneys do not renegotiate.

 

I'd wager to say they at least approached his agent with a number, but after giving $9mill to Worilds then asking the former starter (Woodley) to take less than him, I have no doubt he flatly rejected it and said just cut me. He still gets his money without paycut and gets to go FA and see what he can get from another team.