Player Assessment and Transactions?

I just want to get everyone's opinion on how Kevin Colbert and our scouting department as a whole fits in with what is going on right now.

Colbert has given contracts to a few guys that really aren't up to snuff (Cortez Allen, Marcus Gilbert). And let a guy walk that shouldn't have in Keenan Lewis(would have been best CB on our roster this year), when at the same time we should have let a few guys go way earlier than we did. The 2008, 2009 draft class has no members on this team? And I feel Mike adams was a big time whiff along with other selections that were real head scratchers.

I know it wasn't highly publicized, but Doug Whaley was a guy that recently left us. He was a big part of our scouting ... Could that have hurt this teams ability to draft players that can compete? There may have been a few other losses to the front office that might have affected us as well, that we don't know about?

I just feel that I can't blame the coaching. The players we have right now just don't cut it. Even some of the better players on this team would not have cut it on teams of years past?

 

I agree and whoever made the call not to pick CB'S and DB'S high in the last 3 drafts should be fired immediately.....Both Gay and Allen got beat in every way ,they couldn't guard the pass and looked horrid in run support..

I do blame the coaches for the insane approach to the games as it is clear we lack the type of talent needed to play a certain way however we do have enough talent to be more effective if we play another way,,,,that goes directly to the entire Coaching staff....I can see the bad players we have yet we keep asking them to do things they simply can't do....Why ????

 

This has been a bone of contention for me for some time now. Growl.

 

I hope you aren't saying that adams was a head scratcher. I said when we got him he was a product of the big ten and would struggle. not trying to start a best conference debate but I was blasted and finally convinced that he might be alright.
when we picked him almost everyone thought it was a homerun so I would say 95% of America thought he was better than he is

 

Colbert did pretty good for a while. But, we having a losing season, he is toast.

 

Keenan Lewis wanted to go where it was warm, he stated that fact and he would have turned down any off unless it was outrageous, he even said if it was the right place he would even think about taking less, so there was no keeping him. As far as that goes, I blame the coaches because they are the ones telling the manager that a player is developing and they are afraid of the very thing Lewis did so they think a guy is beginning to get better and they give him a deal before he has a chance to get offered more and walk. I think we are actually hurting our play on the field over this kind of nonsense too, they aren't letting Worlids rush like he normally would, they are dropping him in coverage almost every pass play. I'm starting to wonder if that is for coverage reasons or if they don't want him to put up big numbers so they can resign him at a cheaper rate, that is how I feel because we look bad.

 

I believe the talent the coaching staff has been given by the scouting department and the front office has been sufficient to win at this level. We've had draft after draft where we've all been satisfied that we've acquired very good talent. Talent to build our football team with. The analysts always give kudos to the Steelers for their ability to draft well. So, ladies and gentlemen, I submit to you that drafting adequate talent has not been the issue. The issue is that the talent that Tomlin and company have been provided has either developed too slowly, not developed at all or developed somewhat and then regressed. THAT is on the coaching.

 

The Cortez Allen and Marcus Gilbert signing was out of panic. They have no one on the roster to replace them so why not sign them. As I can see Gilbert playing better they are both average players at best and you are not going to get much from them other then average play.

 

Me, too. I literally CRIED when we drafted Shazier and, to be clear, I LOVE Shazier. I have his jersey. I think he is going to amazing BUT we desperately need at least one top rated corner and we haven't had it for years. Our D is killing us this year.

 

Why did Colbert spend a 3rd round pick on a guy who will only get 5 snaps a game?

 

If not panic, then certianly lack of options. I only see one CB from this year's draft making an impact currently (could be wrong), and he was picked one spot ahead of us. Not worth losing an extra pick to move up one spot, imo. What we really needed was to bring in some more solid vets in free agency to plug the gaps. I know they were high on Blake and McCain, but they aren't at a level to give Allen the support he needs.

Although, much like the earlier versions of William Gay, the safeties have to be better at supporting Allen. The Jordan Cameron TD is a clear example of this.

 

I wanted to start the process of a transition away from these two last year but that didn't happen so we missed an opportunity in my opinion (that's on the Rooneys).

It is hard to "clean house" and not something I want to jump into lightly. And by clean house I mean fire Colbert, Tomlin and the entire coaching staff.

As much as I agree this probably wastes a year, we should probably just fire Colbert this off-season. Bring in someone to clean up the personnel department. Fire some scouts to shake things up. Take away some personnel decisions by Tomlin.

Next year, the GM is here to properly evaluate not just our roster (in person) but also evaluate the coaching staff and decide who needs to stay and go.

Next year, a new GM needs to say to Tomlin: "You are no longer in charge of the groceries, but if you want to make any changes to the coaching staff, go ahead. You are being evaluated on a year-to-year basis on what the owner and I consider over/under achievement."

Then you let the 2015 season play out with a new set of eyes WATCHING how Tomlin does his business. Is he really smoke and mirrors? Is his rhetoric not working with the players (like it's not working with us)? Are his practices being run correctly? Is he playing the right players?

Colbert just is not up to the task on these things. He's not doing his job (or doesn't have the power) to really EVALUATE Tomlin. Colbert can watch a WR tape well, but he is completely out of his element being a GM. He's just not smart enough or big-thinking enough.

The key is to find a good GM then have the GM start making decisions on the coaching staff and players. That's going to take some time.

 

I don't know, thigpen. Bradley Roby and the Verett kid from TCU were available and both are first-year contributors. Verett made a pretty spectacular INT yesterday. My personal want was CJ Mosely and he's a major contributor in his first year as well. Shazier may be a future stud, but it won't be this year.

 

I think it is combination of all the above. We draft guys that have talent but it takes too long for them to develop. By the time they finally get it their rookie contract is up and there is not enough "tape" to determine if the player had one good year or is really starting to get it. See Worlids, Keenan Lewis etc. In the past we let players go in many cases too soon. Now it seems we are hanging onto them a year or two too long. I think we need to clean out the entire house this off-season...