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Bell Impressing At Camp

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by Blast Furnace, May 23, 2013.

  1. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    I know a lot of people have their concerns for this team, certainly a lot of "experts" have written us off and finishing 3rd in the division but I am very excited about this season. I think Bell will be tremendous for us, I feel the secondary is going to be one of the strongest units we have right along with the line and Ben seems to be all on board with the offense now, I'm expecting a big year from him. And lets not forget Wheaton, lot of promise with that kid, Sanders is primed for a big year too. I think my biggest question mark is how the pass rush will be? Lot of rah rah talk I know but I like how things are setting up for us. As always, injuries will play a big role in how successful we are, I hope we have moved past all that, the team has gotten younger in some areas and seemingly in better shape so far, that should help.

    Here's the article on Bell, short piece:

    http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/...-Veon-Bell-earning-rave-reviews-Steelers-camp
     
  2. blountforcetrauma

    blountforcetrauma Well-Known Member

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    Man I wish he would be like Eddie George and Matt Forte but just with a lot more durability. I noticed also they referred to Dwyer as a "journeyman". I suppose they must think that Dwyer is gonna be the odd man out?
     
  3. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    If reports are true that he showed up out of shape, definitely won't help his cause. The one thing that I think is in Dwyers favor though is, if they cut him, they get nothing for him where as if they keep him and let him go via FA next season, we'll get a pick for him. Lets face it, despite the competition talk, Bell is going to be the starter and as a 3 down back, going to be getting most of the carries, all they need is some one to spell him once in a while, Dwyer would be effective at that, then sit his but down and catch his breath while Bell carries it a dozen more times. Red would be effective at it too but they won't get anything back for him no matter when he walks, I think that will work against him.
     
  4. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

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    he would have to sign for a big enough contract and play a big enough role for his next team or we could get nothing for him next year. we wouldn't get his pick until 2015 class if we kept him just for that.:cool:
     
  5. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    Ah, thought it would be an automatic 6th rd pick in 2014. I think Red deserves it, I was just thinking they wouldn't want to lose a pick.
     
  6. TarheelFlyer

    TarheelFlyer Well-Known Member

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    Well, it looks like Bell has a shot to be the starter, but we all know Tomlin won't hand it to him.

    Redman and Stevens-Howling I would think are pretty sure to make the team. That would mean the final spot between Dwyer, Batch and McNeal who I think could be the dark horse for the spot. I think they kid may have some talent that is yet untapped.
     
  7. HugeSnack

    HugeSnack Well-Known Member

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    I see no reason to cut Dwyer. If he came in fat and terrible, then fine, he loses his starting job. But even fat and terrible he'll most likely be good enough to make the team. And you don't have to worry about him getting winded and taking himself out if he barely sees the field. If he's playing really, really ugly, and the UFDAs are honestly performing better in preseason, then fine, but I seriously doubt that happens. It's easy to forget, but he does have some talent and has played well. Just not up to the level of a starter.

    Haha, they said that about Redman and Stephens-Howling as well. Two guys who've been with one team their entire careers, and another who's been with one team and only done an OTA with another. Methinks they don't know what that word means.
     
  8. TarheelFlyer

    TarheelFlyer Well-Known Member

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    Haha, they said that about Redman and Stephens-Howling as well. Two guys who've been with one team their entire careers, and another who's been with one team and only done an OTA with another. Methinks they don't know what that word means.[/QUOTE]

    My guess is they are using the term more as a description of their talent level than their reality of teams they have been on. They are sort of right there, and will probably either be journeyman or out of the league.
     
  9. TarheelFlyer

    TarheelFlyer Well-Known Member

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    This FO will not go into the preseason with a predetermined roster. Dwyer will either play his way onto the team or off of the team. He has no more free passes which earn him a spot based on potential alone. Here is what he has working against him at the moment:

    1. Bell - given to make the team
    2. Redman - appears based on how he showed up to camp, to simply want it more.
    3. Stephens-Howling - they brought him here with a purpose, with a role to fill. A role that quite honestly Dwyer isn't fit for.
    4. Batch - he can play special teams. If he plays Dwyer to a tie at the RB spot AND can contribute here...he will get the spot.
    5. McNeal - I think he probably is destined for the PS, but it also wouldn't surprise me if he becomes a message board favorite pretty quickly. You don't go to USC as a TB without having talent. He rushed for over 1000 yards in 2011 as the primary back. Silas Redd forced him to take a back seat, but I think MANY on here will love him by the end of game 2 in the preseason.
     
  10. HugeSnack

    HugeSnack Well-Known Member

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    I don't disagree with any of that. And Batch has a big edge on Dwyer with special teams. But Dwyer does have a ton more experience running the ball with this team, and that's a bigger edge to have on Batch. I know we haven't seen a ton of Batch yet and he could still be something, but so far to me he's disappointed as a RB. Between Redman, Bell, and Stephens-Howling, I see plenty of 3rd down RBs, so I'm not sure we need that from Batch. He was brought in to be MeMo, but MeMo he ain't. And let's not forget that Dwyer wasn't kept around just for potential. He's lit it up when given the chance in preseason, and he had some good games in the regular season too. He's way too inconsistent to be our starter, but he's not just some promising kid that might be worth something someday if he lost weight.

    I'm not trying to defend Dwyer here, and he sure sounds like he just doesn't care enough, but he still has a ton of time until preseason to turn it around. And I think if they're pitting Dwyer against Batch as runners in the preseason, Dwyer will win - unless he continues this spiral. It doesn't take long to gain 80 pounds and get addicted to cough syrup.
     
  11. Busman

    Busman

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    I believe Howlings will be utilized as a 3rd down back and Batch will remain on special teams and not get much action. Quite honestly I am not high on Batch at all and wonder if he is Steeler material

    Bman
     
  12. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    Are we stuck with LSH? Does anyone know the cap hit if we were to let him go? Because honestly I don't see a need for him if Bell is everything the Steelers are touting him to be, if he truly is a 3 down back then what need would would we have for LHS? I think what we need with Bell on the team is either Redman or Dwyer backing him up, someone that can pound away for a bit while Bell gets a breather.
     
  13. TerribleTowelFlying

    TerribleTowelFlying Staff Member Site Admin Mod Team

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    He's completely cuttable from a cap standpoint. The team would only have to eat his $65,000 signing bonus.
     
  14. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    I knew you'd be the one to answer this! Should have just directed at you, I think you are really Omar Khan.

    Well with that bit of info, I bet he's out. I think Dunn is going to make the team so won't even need him as a return man.
     
  15. HugeSnack

    HugeSnack Well-Known Member

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    LSH undeniably brings a different skill set from the rest of the backs. Even if he's the least talented, he's still the fastest and shiftiest, isn't he? And he's an experienced RB, as opposed to Dunn. I have no idea if he'll make it, but with Bell, Redman, and Dwyer all being more power than speed, LSH has at least one thing going for him.
     
  16. TerribleTowelFlying

    TerribleTowelFlying Staff Member Site Admin Mod Team

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    Aww, shucks. That might be the nicest thing anyone's ever said about me. :)
     
  17. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

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    unless dunn learns how to field punts, he's not worth a roster spot just for KO returns. reports are he's not very good at fielding punts.

    i think mcneal has a real shot. the kids short but he's built. he's also very quick. they may end up with two power guys (bell-redman) and two smaller quicker guys for our newly found outside game in (LSH-mcneal).

    i think batch has another year of PS eligability. i will say batch should be a little different then last year. the knee should be much better this year and the ZBS should help play to his stregnths.

    dwyer and redman will have to show their off tackle game alot more then what they have. we won't just pound it up between the guards and strap our O down this year.

    mcneal as tarheel mentioned went over 1,000 yds. his junior year, but what is amazing is the 6.9 yards per carry that he used to get it. that was on 140 carries. redd did supplant him this year, but when called on mcneal went for 6+ yards per carry last year. his last two games he started for USC and went for over 160 yards rushing in each of them. they will have to take notice.

    whomever they decide on, we need to get them signed. next year we will only have bell signed. will johnson,dwyer,redman and batch are all FA's next year. if they do well this year we could lose them anyway.

    :cool:
     
  18. Bleedsteel

    Bleedsteel

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    I share your enthusiasm.
    For one, we generally seem to do better, when the media sells us short.
    For two, we don`t usually have back to back disappointing seasons.(At least not in a while...)
    For three, everything I`ve read has indicated that the players still on the roster are extremely disappointed in themselves for blowing it last year, and almost to a man, on both sides of the ball, are commited to not letting that happen again.
    I think(hope), that they all got a good dose of "humble pie", last year, and recognize the effort required to win games in this league. Not just showing up, and thinking "We are the Steelers, We will win"...
    Even tho we have a history of "playing down to our competition", last year took that to a whole new level, and I strongly believe that no one from Tomlin on down, will let that lazy, uninspired type of play happen again!
    As for the rb`s, I know pretty much nothing about Howling, and I hadn`t heard that Dwyer showed up outta shape, again.
    I find that hard to believe.
    I think Bell is gonna turn out to be the real deal.(Barring injury)...
    Not sure what we have in Batch. Just haven`t seen enough to judge him.
    I don`t see a whole lotta difference in Dwyer, or Redman. They both seem capable to me, but neither one looks like a feature back, to me. I`m guessin we keep one or the other. Unless we give up on both Batch and Howling, which I doubt...
    At any rate, we should have decent horses.
    Hopefully we will finally have a decent line in front of them.
    It looks good on paper... Time will telll..
    GO STEELERS!!!
    Edit...
    Sorry, Didn`t read the "Who wants it more" thread about Dwyer and Redman, before posting this.
    Can`t believe Dwyer would show up to camp heavy, AGAIN...:shrug:
    If that is accurate, it would make it a pretty easy choice to go with Redman this year...
     
  19. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    Tomlin really likes Dunn though, they were on the phone with him before the draft even ended. And you're right, I read somewhere they are going to see how he does fielding punts, Tomlin said he didn't do a lot of that because they had better people at Utah to do it. Is there a reason no one is speaking about using him as a receiver? It is his position after all, he must have something to offer in that regard.

    http://www.ksl.com/index.php?sid=25075115&nid=481

    And I like the Mcneal pick up too, I think he will be backing up Bell next year, I see him on the PS this season, they are going to want some experience behind Bell at that position for this season.
     
  20. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

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    here's what i read on it. http://www.steelersdepot.com/2013/0...reggie-dunn-has-yet-to-master-catching-punts/

    if this is the case, he won't be put on the field if there is a chance he'll turn it over. i'm sure they would have tried him at it in college too. unless he masters it very quickly his days will be numbered in the preseason. he's not a great receiver or he would have had far more receptions in college with his abilities. maybe the kid has bad hands and should be a corner for us? LOL just kidding. i dunno BF, i'm thinking longshot. if there was room, heck yea, but with 45 dressed on gameday, i'm not seeing it.:cool:
     
  21. HugeSnack

    HugeSnack Well-Known Member

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    If they were kicking off from the 25 instead of the 35, you could make a good case for him... actually, if they were kicking off from the 25 then he would have been drafted, by someone else, so never mind.

    As it is, I'm with mac. If he can't do punts reliably, then all he's got is kickoffs. You could talk about putting him on offense, but Chris Rainey and Stefan Logan were way more polished than Dunn as offensive players, and Haley and Tomlin didn't do jack squat with them. And both those guys were not only better football players, but shiftier side to side. All we've seen from Dunn so far is straight line speed. I can't wait to see him, but I don't see him getting on the field in the regular season unless he can do punts.
     
  22. Blast Furnace

    Blast Furnace Staff Member Mod Team

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    Oh man, major brain fart, I'm just thinking 53 man roster :goofy:

    Oh well, still a ways to the end of camp, we'll find out what he can do.
     
  23. Iowasteeljim

    Iowasteeljim

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    Non of this solves our problem of needing a four-down back!
     
  24. Thigpen82

    Thigpen82 Bitter optimist

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    At the moment, I think there's plenty of potential for Bell to be that guy.

    I'm also wondering, though, if Baron Batch is going to turn into a Sweed-type guy - looks great in training, never quite reproduces it on the field. But his body of work is very slim so far, so I'm presuming he'll get one more season at it.
     
  25. Busman

    Busman

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    I heard Haley comment that Bell was considered and every down back.

    Very encourage by film and the comments I am hearing about this kid. We could have something in him . Maybe he is the next Ray Rice ? Hopeful

    Bman
     

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