We have MONEY!! We have MONEY!!!!

I want to see Johnson succeed as much as everyone else; especially as hard as he has worked to get to this point.

I'm probably going to regret saying this too (LOL), but in addition to the OL/RB injuries & issues last year, it's not too dang hard to understand why we didn't have an effective running game, especially when the Fullback only got a handfull or so of rushing attempts.

 

Maybe it is just my view of a fullback but he is nothin more than a really athletic guard in my world. I never wan to see a FB touch the ball more then 7 times a game receiving and running. I'm good. I love fullbacks but they are only for "punching" purpose; to help create and explode.

 

Who are you looking for the overrated player known as mike alstott??

 

Nope, and they don't have to be the 2nd coming of Franco Harris or John Henry Johnson either (though I wouldn't turn either down); heck I'd gladly settle for a Dan Kreider v2.0 at this point.

 

they were pretty rugged in college. now I believe since pouncey is the leader, this bunch is in far better shape this year. gilbert looks pretty solid. foster has stated he needs to drop the weight. DD looks good. even adams looks fitter. beachum looks stronger. so i'm hoping we can put some of these injuries behind us in this unit. I hope they remain a cohesive group right down to the PS players. they are not much different in age really. I think Bicknell will bring them all along together at a pace where everyone learns at the same time, it will be invaluable.

 

Haha, wow, how generous of you! That's like "settling" for Ben Roethlisberger at quarterback.

 

LOL ... I'd also gladly settle for a v2.0 of "someone" the Steelers drafted in 1959 and rather too promptly released.
:kapow:

Edit: "Someone" = Charlie Tolar ...
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/01/sports/charlie-tolar-65-fullback-known-as-human-bowling-ball.html

IMO regardless of who I or anyone else wants, if they don't get a whole hell of a lot more rushing attempts than Johnson did in 2012, someone else may soon be looking at a "Rooney type-retirement". LOL

 

Will Johnson played well last year for what he was asked to do. He will be better this year and I predict right here right now he'll be ranked top 3 among NFL FBs this year. He'll be a huge asset helping our young OL, RBs and protecting Ben. Lets not forget "the FB is always open in the flat" and this is key in moving the chains.

I see us extending Sanders now. Cruz was just signed to the largest contract for a slot receiver and that will help set Sanders pay scale now. Cruz is a much more accomplished receiver than Sanders so I'd expect him (sanders) to be extended at a lower contract. 5 yrs @ 30-35 mil with a 8 mil sign bonus.

I doubt we extend Hood right now, we may wait to see how he does this year. Same with worilds though he'll probably be extended before Hood. I also see us signing either Dwyer or Redman to an longer term deal before camp breaks.

Cajun-

 

Do you really think they're more likely to re-sign Worilds than they are to let him walk after this season? They'll want to have Jarvis starting by 2014 and it's logical to expect he'll be able to. Woodley is set in stone. If Worilds performs well he can land a starting job elsewhere, and if he doesn't or gets injured again we may not want him. I know it's possible he'll play at exactly the perfect level for us to re-sign him to continue being the #3 behind Jones and Woodley, but that seems like a tricky balance, and I can't help but think he'll play better or worse than that (probably better).

I agree that they wait on Hood until after this season, unless he really looks better in camp and they think they'll save money by doing it now. But even then, isn't it super rare for us to sign someone after camp starts?

Hope you're right about Will Johnson. And I think you are. I think he won't get the recognition for it, but he'll be one of the best fullbacks in the league if he can shore up his lead blocking.

 

Yeah, so, um... I don't know how to tell you this, but the "Fullback" position has changed since 1959. In Charlie Tolar's day, that term was used to describe what we now call a Running Back, or Half Back. I don't know why the terminology changed, because it was certainly more accurate before, but nevertheless, in today's game a Fullback is a lead blocker who doesn't get the ball very much. Tolar was a Fullback in the same sense that Jim Brown was a Fullback - that is, they were running backs who got the ball almost every single running play, and not lead blockers.

Today on almost every single team, a fullback will only get a handoff on a somewhat surprise play, or short yardage. Will Johnson is plenty capable as a running back and more than capable as a receiver, and his skill at those things are better than the Steelers have had at the position at least since I've been a fan, so there's really no room to complain there. He's also a decent lead blocker with room to improve. He could get more carries, but frankly, we don't need him to. Isaac Redman is excellent in short yardage situations, and we need Johnson to lead block. You're placing a lot of importance on the number of carries the fullback gets, and that doesn't really make any sense, given that it just isn't his job. To me worrying about how many carries our fullback gets is like worrying about how Casey Hampton is going to perform when he drops back in coverage. Not a big deal; he just needs to be good at what we need him to do.

 

Since Will Johnson got a grand total of only 2 total rushing attempts in 2012 (and I not saying that is his fault), I wonder just who the opposing defenses decided to key on during obvious running plays? LOL

The real question becomes WHY did Johnson only get 2 total rushing attempts in 2012 (far too predictable to suit me) and it also concerns me as to who will be the "designated" backup Fullback in 2013.


Edit: I am aware of the changes in the Fullback position over the years and the only reason I even mentioned Tolar was because I was getting flack for my 1st choice of a Dan Krieder v2.0, so I thought I'd choose someone who the Steelers had originally cut. LOL

 

john L. was probably the last FB/RB this team had, that could do both at a high level.

 

Our fullbacks never get many carries, no matter who they are. In fact, I might be wrong, but I believe both rushing attempts from Johnson came while he was temporarily playing the RB position, not at FB.

In terms of defenses keying in on a player, defenses are not ever zeroing in on a fullback to get a handoff... pretty much ever. And they don't need to, because they follow the fullback anyway, since he's the lead blocker. Once they see he has the ball, they just have to tackle him instead of trying to power through him. The fullback will be a lead blocker, or go out for a pass. Since Johnson is a threat to do both, they can't just assume anything by his presence in the game. And as a guy with RB experience, he can get handoffs. The team just chooses not to do that. So it's really got nothing to do with Will. It sounds like you want a change in philosophy. Personally, I wouldn't mind a few more traps here and there, but I don't think it'll make a significant impact.

 

Yes I do. People look at the Lewis/Allen situation and assume the same for the Worilds/Jones saga. I don't. I think the CB position commands more cap money and while we wanted Lewis we couldn't afford him since we were cap strapped and considering they knew what they believe they have in Allen. They believe Worlids can be the successor to James but has to deliver. Jones is a luxury right now and hopefully he can push worilds.

Hood just hasn't done what it takes to get that 2nd contract in my opinion. Worilds has even though he has less starts. Worild can play both sides. Jones is exclusively lining up on the right side. Woodley is strictly Left side. I can see us extending worilds if he's having a solid camp because it gives us so many options.

Cajun-

 

I think that if anything, CB is where you need more players. There, your #3 gets tons of playing time every game, even without injury. At OLB, without injury the #3 might see a handful of snaps, or none. Comparing the Lewis/Allen situation to this makes it seem even more likely they let Worilds walk.

I think your point about where they're lining up supports my argument, as well. Jarvis Jones came from a 3-4 defense where he played both sides every single game. But Pittsburgh has locked him into the right side only. Why? The backup should be able to play both spots. They taught Worilds both spots when he was a rookie. They are focusing Jones on the right side because they are grooming him to start there opposite Woodley, and by letting him forget about the left side, they speed up that process. They are planning to start him in 2014. In 2013, if Woodley goes down, Worilds can slide over. After that they'll rely on one of the other backups like Carter, or maybe a new guy. I think the odds of Worilds taking a backup job here are slim to none.

I think Hood's done enough to get a small 2nd contract. A big one, no, but I think he's worth keeping around. And this figures to be his best season yet. So let him play for that contract.

 

I have us keeping 9 LBer and 9 DBs on my pre-camp 53-man roster. The only way they let worilds walk after the season is if they can't extend him before the season opener and Jones plays well enough to become the starter @ ROLB by next year and either Robinson or Carter improves enough to at least give a serious competition to winning a OLB starting role. This is all possible of course but I think worilds plays well enough the Steelers will want to keep him, of course Worild could become like Lewis and Wallace and test the market for big bucks.

I agree Hood has earned a small 2nd contract.

Cajun-