State of the Defense in 2015-2016

Terrible Podcast brought up a kind of scary thought of what our defense is going to be like next year, considering who we have, and who we are losing:

We will probably be losing Troy, Ike, Keisel, Worlids, Harrison.

Free agents we could possibly get rid of or lose are Will Allen, McCain, Moats, Golden, Blake

Then you factor in we have seen nothing that will make us excited for next year in Spence, Williams, Jarvis, Cortez, Shamarko, Mitchell, Cam Thomas, Mclendon(health?).


Dave and Dave said that you would think we would be coming out of our rebuilding phase next year, but might it just get worse?!

What do you think?

 

I posted a similar thread of our starting line up on defense next year. Here you go:

Tuitt, McCleadon, Heyward
Moats, Timmons, Shazier, Jones
McCain, Thomas, Mitchell, Gay

Now, it's a lot of variables that can happen. I doubt we will get a high priced free agent and if we draft a decent player he won't make an impact on defense because it takes so long to learn the system.

You think this year was bad on defense, I think next year will be worst.

 

That part has got to change. The NFL has changed. The Steelers have to change with it. Other teams start rookies on defense and get good play out of them. Its time DL change the way he's handling young players. I know his talent pool is smaller now since so many teams run the 3-4. He can no longer stash good players who can wait 3 or 4 years for them to play. Those days are over. And if you can't adapt your coaching methods, it's time to find a new line of work. I love the guy and what he's done for this team but you have to adjust or move on.

 

He has changed that somewhat - Jones played a lot for a rookie last year and Shazier was the starter this year before getting injured. The front seven have to find a way to get more pressure on the QB or its not going to matter who the DB's are. Steelers have one of the lowest sack totals in the league. Opposing QBs look forward to playing the Steelers these days.

 

DL won't be here next year.

 

Here's my outlook for the draft:

1st - Defense
2nd - Defense
3rd - Defense
4th - QB
5th - Defense
6th - Defense
7th - Oline

 

I would be perfectly fine with that draft.

 

I would change the 4th selection to Defense as well. Don't need another clipboard holder.

 

If there was one worth taking I would take a qb. Not one of these spread qbs who's stats are bloated but a real qb.

 

I meant to put that pick in green

 

Idk, I actually like the way our defense could shape up next season. In all honesty the players we will be turning over aren't gonna kill us. Tuitt can be every bit as effective, if not more so, than an aging Kiesel on a snap count. Plus I fully expect us to draft a corner or sign one that will be better than what Ike has given us so far. Add that with Blake and McCain showing themselves to be capable and I think we could actually be better at CB next season by a considerable margin. Having Shaz back will help a ton as well seeing how this past game against Cincy has been the first time Spence hasn't looked dreadful out there. And Troy has been so incognito out there that I don't think Thomas will end up being a problem out there. The only issue I see is replacing Worilds. Will it be a draft pick or a FA? Idk for certain, but we will have 10mil in cap space to play with by letting him walk. Not to mention Woodley's cap hit coming off the table too.

 

Is losing these (red) players all that bad?? To me, it is a step in the right direction, they haven't done jack this year and have been bad for quite some time now.

 

my guess is troy is back. one more year at least. right or wrong he has earned the right to make that call. that being said he doesn't have to be handed the starting job. I think worilds will be back at a reasonable price. I don't think anyone will look at this year and pay him to much.

 

1st CB
2nd S
3rd CB
4th S
5th CB
6th S
7th OT

 

I think it would be fair to say, in the 2015 Draft, your going to see a lot of defense picks.

 

1st LB or DE
2nd DE or CB
3rd CB or DE
4th CB or LB
5th S or RB
6th LB or TE
7th OT

 

IF we are drafting 25-32 we draft best player avalible, and don't reach for a player because of need

 

That starting DL should be solid, but there isn't nearly enough pass rush at OLB, and our DBs would still be pretty awful.

 

Lots of work to do, this will be a major under taking.I do not care for our OLB position,safety or CB talent/depth.

 

Trough either the draft or FA we need to find a pass rusher, a CB, and probably a safety... The good news is that we are pretty solid on offense for the time being, so I wouldn't expect us to draft on that side of the ball with either of our first two picks. I'd expect something like picks 1-3 being CB, OLB, S and the remainder being TE, QB, RB and another CB in some order or another.

 

i still think we should think twice to not cut allen .we save 1,5 million that can be used for mcain or blake and we clear the space after the next season.

 

That should've been the draft order in 2014. Instead we get 2 ILBs and a midget scatback who can't play

 

Do you think that the Steelers philosophy of drafting BPA over need has cost us, especially on the defensive side?

 

I almost did this last draft, but if they go #1 on a LBer again, I will literally break stuff.

 

I think sack totals only tell part of a story. Hurries are just as good sometimes and can mean the difference between a completion and an interception.