What do we do at ILB?

I know everyone says draft someone but, we have so many needs right now.Might our starting ILB already be on the roster?
Mcfadden did play really well during the pre-season and after reading this article i looked at some of Brian Rolle's tape and it looks promising all they talked about at this years combine are the tweener guys who we converted from Saftey to LB and how valuable those guys are for covering today's TE position. Rolle is fast...Couldn't find anything on Kion Wilson.....

I'm kind getting tired of us NEVER running a young player out there.
We never have that surprise young player on our Defense. Save the $$ let Foote walk and let's get some young guys in there who are athletic.It's a young man's game but to play on our D you have to sit 2-3-4yrs. I'd rather watch a younger guy miss a few plays because he's learning. than and old guy miss some plays because he just can't make them....

Link to the story http://www.steelersdepot.com/2013/03/steelers-ready-to-rolle-on-without-sylvester/

 

rolle will be a nice surprise

 

The Steelers are going to do what they do every year, they will bring someone in at every position they are comfortable with starting. It may be a young guy. It may be a vet who they know has some flaws. One way or another, they will have every position filled with someone they are "okay" with starting if they have to. They then will go to the draft looking to take the best player available, but at a certain number of positions. In other words, I don't think QB or Center are an our list, but I bet LG, WR, RB, TE, ILB, and OLB are on the list.

 

While I like what I've heard about Rolle, I just can't see us going into the season with him as the number 1 option. I think we bring Foote back on a 1 year deal and see what we have in Rolle.

 

i've been talking about rolle for months. he will do fine in our D. mcfadden did play well in preseason and they are looking at some guys too. i love cameron lawrence from miss.st. ex-qb that really has taken to LB'er. he could be gotten in the 7th. i agree the cupboard is not bare without foote.

there are alot of TE's as FA's this year, if i was a bettin man , i'd have to say we get a vet in here to cover while heath is out and mix our young guys in. maybe heller from detroit or the skins have 3 TE's as FA's. it just makes more sense to get a vet in the mix with what we already have in paulson,pianalto,mccoy and will.johnson. he can be used in that position too as an extra blocker and pass catcher. he's been a real plus to this offense silently.

as far as center tarheel, we may be looking after the draft for one, all we have is malecki right now. we may look for one that can play guard a little better as depth, though i like malecki. we also need a qb as a backup somewhere along the way. i wouldn't rule anything out.

 

why not rolle sbd?

 

If Foote is replaced, then who calls the signals? Is the plan to get one more year out of him, and groom his replacement? Does Timmons make any of the calls?

 

I believe they have been phasing Timmons into it.

 

Because he's just too big a question mark to rely on as your guy going in. If he looks like crap in camp what's your plan B?

I love the signing, I just don't see the Steelers going into camp with him as plan A.

 

TY Snack.

 

Sign an affordable FA (Larry Grant or Dan Connor if he is cut by the Cowboys). There is no stud in the draft that can come in and be successful in our defense right away. Pick up a guy on day 2 or 3 in the draft for depth/future and special teams.

That is what they should do, but based on our past we will bring back Larry Foote to start again and squeeze every last bit out of him. Even though he probably should retire. No other team will pick him up if we don't.

 

I believe dan connor was released today by the cowboys. But he will probably command more money than we can afford

 

I think we could get him or Larry Grant for a 3 year deal for 7-8 mill and a cap hit of less than 2 mill this season, so i wouldn't say it would be too expensive. It just comes down to whether they would rather that or Larry Foote at a vet minimum contract.

Trust me the Steelers will definately add a vet ILB in Free Agency, just depends on who. They won't go into the season with what we have on the roster now and a draft pick.

 

he's a spence clone as i've been saying. he's been a starter in the league and i know they had plans for spence, why not carry them through with rolle is my thinking.

he's a little bigger then spence and a little better then spence. i've seen tons of both guys play. they are better options then larry. you're from cinci, surely you saw him play at OSU. he's actually bigger then foote weight wise. i thought this was a great off season pickup.

mcfadden was close to making this team last year. he should have beaten out sylvester in preseason. again it should be an interesting camp and preseason this year.

 

Like i said at this point i'm starting a young guy i have already on the team and letting Foote go. That position has been old for a Loooooooooooooooooong time on out D.Just a stat or 2 on our ILB position..
We've had Foote or Farrior at ilb since 2002. 10 years....
Since 2005 we've had at least 1 Ilb who is 30 or older
And finally Foote has been around so lonnnnnnnng he replaced Kendrell Bell as the starter when Bell left for KC.....that seems like forever ago...
Looking at the stats the last rookie to start for or D was Casey Hampton.....lol 2001 Wow not even Troy...thats crazy

 

I think Spence is smaller and faster, I wouldn't say clone, but you're right... I think it's clear they want to go with a more athletic guy in the middle next to Timmons, which is smart considering the new NFL.

That's my point though, even though they liked Spence, they had Foote. It's just covering all your bases. I agree with "why not carry through that plan with Rolle." We agree on that, just not on what that plan was...

I say the plan in bring in Rolle along with some veterans (like Foote) and let them fight it out in camp. You either get a young talented guy who looks ready to start, or you let him learn behind a veteran that you trust (but lacks upside). That was the plan for Spence, and that will be the plan for Rolle. Give him every opportunity but have a plan in place in case he doesn't look ready.

To be clear, that's not a knock on Rolle. Expecting any player (especially a young one) to come in and shine in Lebeau's system in 1 offseason is a tough task.

 

once again i trust the organization to do what needs to be done. I think we draft 2 linebackers. one inside and outside. but i also think that they believe foote may be back for 1 yr and that rolle and mcfadden are decent backups. the foote thing i may be wrong about. i havent heard anything other than a week or so ago they were talking. i am in the minority i know but as far as needing someone to come in a start right away, i dont think we have that problem. we have 3 or 4 solid wrs on roster. a couple of decent rbs. oline looks good. dline is set with starters. i think the lb are even set. ike and cortez at corners and clark and troy at saftey. we need depth at almost every position, but as far as a free agent or rookie coming in and starting? i dont see it. maybe rb if we draft one high enough or te since heath is out awhile

 

Wasn't he an Eagles castoff or am I mistaken? What makes us think that another team's reject will star here?

 

But we ALWAYS go with the veteran ALWAYS! Last year when talking about Spence Colbert even said we don't start rookies but this guy is really good..
I get the experience thing.....but that's part of the problem with our D we don't have that young guy who is fast enough to jump a route and make a play to cause a turnover we have guy's like Foote who tackles the guy 9yrds down the field because he's slow and trailing in coverage.....We get NO turnovers because we don't young guys who are athletic enough to make them. look at where the turnover we had came from..Timmons the Allen & Wood...

 

There is only one ILB on the roster right now that has any worth above warm body....and that's Timmons. Timmons, and Woodley are the only 2 worth anything...and Woodley is coming off a down season.

I would put Foote, Johnson (if resigned to a 1 year deal) and Worilds are in the next level....then everyone else.

I would go after Rolando McClain and draft another OLB.

HACK

 

I know you used to be super into Te'o and David Amerson. Are you still? Where do you value them in the draft?

 

rolle was drafted by the eagles and they put him as a starter at outside LB in their 4-3 defense. not a good fit. he played the ilb spot at ohio state in a 3-4 role.

actually rolle is faster and stronger then spence also. spence came out at 5-11 231 ran a 4.66 and did 12 reps. rolle came out at 229, but is now 240 5-10 ran a 4.53 and did 28 reps. plus has 2 years starting expierience in the nfl. out of position but still starting expierience. i think he'll thrive next to timmons.

we are also looking at burrdette from UAB. he tops out at 5-9 240. i've read two teams are pretty high on him and one of those teams were the steelers.

remember foote lost a ton of weight and is playing around 6-0 230, so he could gain some speed. rolle is actually heavier then foote right now.

i think alot of people are selling rolle short right now.

 

With Foote coming back I think we take a late round pick on a ILB unless someone falls in our lap.

 

I think Teo and Amerson are both 2nd round picks at this point....I would take them both.

I would prefer to trade down from 17 and take either in round one...especially since they signed Foote...which means they probably not looking at an outside ILB to start.....

Honestly...Amerson is still my favorite player in this draft...and I would not even care if they took him at 17....I think me might make it to 48...might not....I really believe in a few years he will be one of the better DB's in the league.....I like Amerson better than I liked Sean Smith and I loved Sean Smith.


HACK