The demise of the Steelers defense

Indeed, I looked at the 2010 season...I was confusing much of the 2010 reg season with the 2011. Those two seasons are a kind of a blur to me.

 

Amen brother. just keeping it real.
the truth shall set you free.

 

Our defense has declined, but I do think they took steps last draft to help fix it. We had 3 guys from that draft making contributions almost from the beginning on that D. Jones, Williams, and Thomas. I also think we could eventually get some from some others in that draft mostly on the Dline. Arnfelt and N. Williams look promising to me as well. Now, we need another 4 from this draft, but this time it MUST be in the secondary. If you look at our D starters, it isn't like we had a ton of experience in our front 7 this past year. Basically the major experience was Hood and Timmons, and when not hurt Keisel. After that you had 2 rookies (Williams and Jones) and 3 first year starters (Heyward, McLendon, and Worilds). Allen was basically the only new starter at the DB position, but Shamarko got reps as well. If we can get another 3-4-5 good contributors from this coming draft class, the 2015 defense will once again look very, very good.

 

3 not likely....5 impossible.... JMO

 

Well, we got 3 from this past class, so I'm not sure why you say it is "unlikely". We have already done it in just this most recent draft. In fact, IF...and I know this is a BIG IF....Arnfelt and Garvin and N. Williams work out...we might have gotten 6 from this class. So no....5 contributors is not impossible. I am not asking for 5 starters, we would be lucky to get 2 starters in the coming year from this class, but we can get 5 guys who can make the team better on D either through the draft or as UDFAs.

Personally, if we go like I am currently wanting I think we get 3 at a minimum. Gilbert CB/Robinson WR/Brooks S/Desir CB.

I think all 3 of those defensive players can contribute this year.

 

we can put bodies at any position we need playmakers to make us championship caliber.

 

We'll get playmakers or a playmaker for sure... It might take 3 years to see em make a play tho.

 

if we have a 3 year plan we might as well draft a qb too. LOL.

 

I honestly am not worried about this at all. I really am not. This D was really young other than at the DB position. The guys will only get better and I think what we are seeing right now is the inevitable transition from seasoned vet to young player.

 

Totally agree, passionate players that love
football is what we need. People with some heart
that want to to be the best at their position.
Now if you find them you will have a championship caliber team. Our dynasty years
brings back some very fond memories. I
believe most of those players had a genuine
love for the game. I just don't see it in today's
players. And it shows.

 

I'm not really concerned about our D- front. I like what we have there. my concern is Williams though, I thought I had read somewhere that he is still walking with a cane. (anybody have anything on him?) we could use some depth there depending on who they bring back. ( keisel, hood, woods) if Williams is still hampered, we only have arnfelt, heyward and mclendon, which I'd go into the season with as starters.

as you said 58, we could use another OLB, but if they re-sign westerman, and worilds we could be OK.

if molls pans out and spence can get on the field in preseason, I will feel pretty good about our ILB'ers too.

CB and a play making safety would be high on the list of draftees.

we need more turnovers from the starters.

my main concern is relying on so many guys coming off injuries. foote, pouncey, spence, Williams, embernate, velasco, LSH, Woodley, mclendon, shamarko, and even tez allen. quite the list of players that were limited last year. add that to guys that shouldn't be here sly, curtis brown, Paulson, and aged players like ike and troy and that's a big chunk of players that are really unknown for next year. not to mention who will get signed and if we have money to sign. I never remember having this many unknowns going into a season.

 

I agree. it's time to let go. I think garvin is going to take over inside. if they put a few lbs. of muscle on him, I think we could have a good one next to Timmons. not that Williams didn't improve as the year went on but I think garvin has a lot of upside as defenses change to counter these passing offenses. our thinking has to change some from what we always considered the norm. my biggest concern is OLB even if worilds is signed. he and JJ are not the fastest guys we have had at that spot.

garvin, Timmons, heyward, arnfelt, mclendon, Thomas, are nice additions in speed. a fast good cover corner would be nice and a fast cover safety/corner tweener added would really help the D overall.

 

You might as well get your bucket ready as he's already under contract.

 

cutting him won't kill them though strummer. Curtis brown and Paulson are under contract too, but.

 

thanks TTF. I think woods would be the easiest to re-sign. I think he's got nearly as much talent as ziggy and the price would be far better. he's also a two for one guy. I hope arnfelt takes a step forward this year. he's strong as an ox and has some speed. Williams may need another season on the PS if he can go. IF. I wouldn't mind brent urban with one of those 5th rd. picks. we also need to start doing some work to keep heyward here longterm.

 

Another cut needs to be made with Woodley. He'd save and estimated 25.5 million over the next 3 years. It don't really fix the situation heading into the upcoming season but frees us up to get out of the hole we've been in moving foreward.

 

I honestly have no problem bringing back any of the older guys, the change that needs to be made is one of role not roster IMO.

Hood/Woods/Heyward/McLendon/Keisel/Arnfelt/Fangupo/N. Williams on PS - IMO this group of 8 guys are the most possible to be on the team. If Arnfelt isn't ready to be on the roster and contribute, then I have no problem bringing Keisel back to play a role. I don't want him starting, but I think he can bring value to this team.

Worilds or Woodley/Jones/???/??? - This is an obvious area of weakness. Carter hasn't shown he can play, but they may give him one year with Porter to see if they can bring out his best. Other than that...we have some holes.

Timmons/Garvin/Foote/Williams - Here is where I could see bringing him back. He knows Timmons position and the other position of the D, so the value he brings is one of the ability to plug and play should someone like Timmons get hurt. Garvin, Williams, and a draftee don't give you that.

Gay/Allen/Ike/????/????/Brown - Again I think this comes down to who we find in the draft. Brown I do think could keep his job due to his special team abilities, but we need to draft at least 1 CB in the draft. Ike's role to me would be as the #3 CB. He no longer covers the teams best WR.

Shamarko/Troy/???/???? - I don't want Clark back, but am okay with Troy being back. We need some talent here.

 

here is crazy a thought, how about adjusting the scheme to play with the players we have...idk why DL is always above any criticism ....