Polomalu

If Troy retires how does that affect our cap? Does the remaining count as dead money or does it go away?

 

http://overthecap.com/player/troy-polamalu/1631/

I wish it had retirement on there. I'm honestly not sure how it works

 

Yes....and no. I think the problem is the structure and knowledge needed to learn the system. Would you rather stay with the guy who may be slower and older and knows the system, or have to develop a rookie who may or may not ever grasp the system? It is a double edged sword.

 

Don't know when to cut the cord? Are you serious? Might want to look back on our history a bit, they've cut the cord to many a fan favorite / high profile player.

 

I think you hit it right there, SA. In the past, we could blow coverage and Troy could make it up with his uncanny knack of catching up and doing something outrageously unbelievable. Not so much anymore.

 

Troy also doesn't have his partners anymore. While Troy shined, I think a lot of his exceptional performance was enabled by a strong supporting cast. Without that cast, his style is a detriment, not an asset, and with slighty less physical skills, and he seems to be used differently, and thus lost and confused. And probably frustrated, though I am not sure that would show.

 

While i think there is no doubt he's not the same player he was 3-5 years ago...but what player is at this point in their career? I agree if the team continues to try to utilize him the way they always have, it will result in poor overall defensive performances. That said, i think the onus is on the Steelers to realize what the is still capable of. He's a smart player, understands the defense, and still has enough speed to play the game (not at the #43 level we're used to). It's time to put him in the Ed Reed position of playing center field and ball hawking. I my opinion Reed only ever had half the skill-set of Troy. I think tory could give the Steelers two good years if they play to his current abilities, and not the abilities of a 28 year old Troy.
part of his decline, has a lot to do with the youth/decline of the pieces around him. The lack of pass rush, and lack of pursuit, makes everyone on the D look bad.
Just my two cents.

 

I'll vouch for that (not joking!)

 

See Above,....

Sadly, I think Troy`s time is over.

Period.

He has been one of my favortite players, on the D, but I just don`t expect him to make the "big play" anymore...
(Keep HOPING for it, but haven`t seen it, in tooo long)

And waaaaay too often, he has beeen caught out of position, without the speed to make up for it anymore...

Does he belong in the Hall of Fame?


I think, YES!!!!

Does he still play at that level?...


Sorry, I gotta say "NO"...

Dude is just outta position too often, doesn`t recovr from being outta position, misses tackles..


I love Troy, but he ain`t doing what he used to... It doesn`t take a "Coaches Eye", to see that...

Love you, Bro, But, You got to go...
Not that we really have anyone better....at the moment...
DAMN...

GO STEELERS!!!

 

Amen to those wishes. It is the out of position and confusion that is most troubling. That is not necessarily physical decline, but reflects something else, either with Troy or the D in general. Sure he will be slower at his age, but you think he could make up for that with experience and savviness.

 

Troy and players like him that have competed at a high level for sometime it is frustrating to lose that physical edge that he once had. Your mind tells you that you can but your body just can't do it.
Its time my friend.

 

Absolutely.

It may also be the case that it was not the best thing for the team to do to let Troy go earlier. Quick question: who was his replacement starter? Sharmarko? He was injured, I think. Robert Golden? Will Allen? Are these the guys you're going with as a starter at the beginning of this season...?

It made sense for us to hold on to Troy up until now. His play has dropped dramatically this season, and I think that's surprised a lot of people. But I wouldn't hang this on the FO, particularly.

 

it's never easy for athletes in particular to get old... I've lost count of the many tearful retirement speeches I've heard over the yrs., when players acknowledge that they just can't do it like they used to anymore....
I see it with ike and troy right now.... the mind is processing everything just as quickly as ever and telling the body to go here, while the body is screaming in protest.. it's not easy to face
that's where the coaches come in, and do what's best for the team, not what's best for the legend..
aaron smith said straight up that the team would have to kick him out for him to retire, so they did just that.... i'm pretty sure keisel echoed that statement

 

Personally I don't care how much Troy's cap hit will be, he needs to retire. He is a shoe in to the Hall of Fame and will go down as one of the greatest safety's to play in the league. He is now just hurting the Defense. And it shows. Hard to watch. Same with #24.

As far as letting old vets go I believe this lies at the feet of Dick LeBeau. It's time for him to get on with his life's work after this season.

 

When all is said and done, I really hope Troy does the right thing and retires after this season. Not dump him now and hope for the best! As for Ike, he could've gone 2-3 years ago as far as I'm concerned.
Viva loyalty!

 

If you're losing to garbage teams it doesn't take a Dr Phil to know that guys are pissed off, especially when average QB"s are tearing it up on Ike and Troys side of the field. 2,, .500 seasons is losing it sucks, maybe it's great to the bad teams but in Pittsburgh we expect more ( cus we're spoiled in that sense)

What happened in the past doesn't count for what's going on now, lets keep signing and bringing back the old over the hill farts and this team will never see another trophy.

 

If those players are asking for too much money , then ya I'd say bye bye too, and how many of those players got their money elsewhere, and went on to play better than they did in Pittsburgh? Former NFL poster boy Mike Wallace took a nose dive, Porter took a nose dive, Sanders has Manning throwing to him, Holmes had maybe 1 good year with the Jets now he's a nobody. I'm sure the list goes on for the ones who left further back in time.

 

Yeah, I wouldn't really call Troy a "has been". That is pretty harsh. I agree, he should retire as he can not play at the level he wants to anymore. As far as Ike is concerned, there is absolutely NO comparison between Ike and Troy and, again, I agree that Ike could have been cut at least two seasons ago - and probably should have been.

 

These are some of the examples I was referring to when I questioned your comment above when I mentioned how the Rooney's have demonstrated many times that they aren't afraid to part ways with players...

 

Both were asking for crazy money they were easy cuts, more so on Joey cus he was closer to donesville than Wallace. In Ike and Troys case Pittsburgh threw the money at those 2 , they didn't threaten to leave. No other team would've signed them for the same amount.

 

Well when Troy's off the books it'll definitely open up their checkbook options that's for sure!

 

I really don't think Troy is done. Sure, his best days are behind him. But I think he still has some left in the tank. The bigger issue is what has been around him the past couple of seasons starting with a couple years ago. Our LB woes forced DL to move troy into the box more often than not. This season is another story. He just doesn't look comfortable out there and I think it has more to do with scheme. Troy was at his best where he was free to roam about and read the QB/play. He was allowed to do that due to his supporting cast, something that lacks today.

 

Father Time is undefeated.