My Final Case to Keep Hines Ward

I have been a proponent of Hines Ward and Heath Miller all season. Now I will make my final case as to why the Steelers need to keep Hines Ward for one more year.

The game is football and the objective is to win. To win you need to score points and play defense. Hines Ward has been scoring points for the Steelers for 13.5 great seasons. He gets the credit for being one of the best blocking wide-outs in the league, but we need to look deeper at what he has done for us. The guy is a leader and the heart and soul of the offense. He also scores points.

One year ago we were playing in the Super Bowl where Hines Ward started. He had a good game. We also had Wallace/Brown/Sanders and Randel El. That year we got to the Super Bowl with Hines Ward starting, Randel El playing 3rd/4th, and Sanders and Brown making plays and developing.

We lost the Super Bowl when we decided to only target Mike Wallace on the final drive, failing to move the ball.

Lockout happens and the new receivers have little time to work to get better with Ben. The 2011 season starts with Hines Ward starting at reveiver. Halfway through the season, after a good half of football where we saw Wallace score long TD's and Ward picking up first downs, the Steelers decide to yank Ward in favor of Brown. Brown then proceeded to have a good season, whereas Wallace declined rapidly.

The only problem is that while we could move the ball as we wanted, we couldn't score points.

Now I am not here to say that Hines Ward would have carried us to the Super Bowl and set touchdown records, but when Wallace/Brown and Sanders cannot get separation inside the Redzone because they cannot run routes, scoring problems happen. And they did happen. Lob passes to Brown int he corner of the endzone will never score touchdowns for the Steelers.

The idea of a possession receiver apparently was thrown out the door ever since, well, when the Steelers decided to draft three of almost identical build receivers. While Wallace is faster, what seperates him from Brown and Sanders? Are the differences the same as between Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson? That is up for opinion, but I don't think by a long shot.

Now the Steelers seem to be inclined to part ways with Ward, who has been a captian forever and holds almost all the receiving records for the Steelers. They feel that $1 million is too much for his role.

But would you pay $1 million for one of the best team leaders as well as a possesion receiver who has proven over 14 years that he can score points? We pay $5+ million for offensive linemen who are consistently hurt and ineffective, yet we cannot find a spot and spare $1 million for Ward? Even if he only sees 10 snaps a game, he will make the other receivers better as well as provide leadership to a team that might cut ties with most of their remaining leadership in Smith/Foote/Farrior/Hampton.

You cannot argue that its bad to pay $1 million for a 4/5th receiver who cannot contribute to special teams. First, pay what we are paying our current kicker, $1.6 million, to someone with a stronger leg so we wouldnt have to worry about kickoff coverage, and second, we carried Battle all season and he was hurt and inactive most of the season.

You just don't cut players like HInes Ward when it is completely feasable to keep him. The Steelers are regressing if they do in fact cut him, and I would question their ability to make rational decisions.

When we are driving down the field against the Raven in the playoffs next season, down by six points with 4th down and thirty seconds left, I guarentee that Ray Lewis will be the one that lays the hit on Wallace who drops the touchdown and the Steelers lose the game. Afterwards in the postgame interview, Harbaugh will rave about how Ray Lewis is the heart and soul of their team and he would never replace Lewis with anyone until the day came that Lewis couldnt walk anymore. Meanwhile, Hines Ward is watching, thinking about how he could have made the catch for us.

My friends, I fear this to be reality.

 

Let's also not forget that Hines really did not have an offseason either...he went from Preseason to Super Bowl to Dancing with the Stars to training camp.

His legs at his age had to be getting weak....Ill give him benefit of the doubt and give him one more year at Vet min.

and I was a guy who wanted to cut him last year.

HACK

 

I remember when you said that on the official forums Hack.

But do you really think what Wallace/Brown and Sanders will be good for us long term? What have you seen in them that I haven't? Clearly nothing from the last half of the seasons and playoffs makes you think that that trio is worth keeping.

You have to have a possession receiver like Ward. I don't see any of them being able to fit that role.

 

Honestly...I would bring Sweed back in as well....Sweed did well on ST....Wallace, Brown and Sanders will be very good....Ward is still the mentor/possession guy....Sweed could at least be a better "Arnaz Battle" and give the tall target Ben has wanted...and I believe Haley will actually want to use packages and matchups vs. BA and his favorites.

BA lost me when he said he would not put Redman on the goal line because it wasnt fair to ask Mendenhall to buy the groceries, cook the groceries, and then let Redman eat.....Its not about one guy eating a TD....its about the team eating a W.

HACK

 

Yup...

But I want to keep Cotchery for a while.

 

I would like Cotchery too. I hope Hines just decides to retire. Wallace, Brown, Sanders, Cotchery is an extremely good corp. I too would bring Sweed back for another shot - so much potential there and if he can be given a new opportunity under Haley, maybe he will get it. Could you imagine a 4 wide set with Wallace, Brown, Sanders, and Sweed?

 

What makes you think that would be good? Did you see the second half of the season where you had Wallace/Brown and Sanders?

I guess my main point is why do so many of us think that Wallace/Brown/Sanders is this amazing corp when they couldnt produce more than Ward/Wallace/Brown from the beginning of the year OR Ward/Wallace/Randel El from last year whenw e actually went to the Super Bowl?

 

Did you see Ben hobbling around like he had his foot in a block of cement?

Plus, that was with "the most UNinteresting man in the world" calling the plays!

Plus, plus, Sanders had a foot thing going on. The team was just sort of decaying in a bunch of manners and never started off good. They might have had their head up their ass just like they did with the last two SB appearances too.

I could go on and on. I'm just ready to hit the re-set button in 2012

 

I know Hines is close to being done, but I think he has one more year in him. I think last year was partially a fluke.

First: He was hurt worse than what was let on. He had to have surgery on his ankle recently.

Second: They changed their playcalling to things that didn't suit his strengths. THey wanted to bomb the ball down feild when they should have worried more about moving the chains. Hines still has the best hands on this team. Let him help the Steelers in the Redzone.

 

Plus brown/sanders passed el halway through the season.

 

Sup Hack, glad to see you back. You made very good points. I hope to see Hines back again for one more season. Also, he shold be a coach after his career is over. It would be nice if Tomlin hired him to coach the receivers as the receivers coach or as an assistant to the current receivers coach Scottie Montgomery. He is a future HOFamer and should be afforded the opportunity to do it one more time and then offered a coachig job.

I know he would do it for the vet min.

 

I wonder what role will Haley play in keeping Ward or letting him walk away.

 

I've said this before. Hines Ward provides more to the Steelers than just yards and catches. The younger receivers look up to him and depend on him for leadership and inspiration. Without Hines, I don't think receivers like Wallace or Brown know what it means to be a STEELER. They may be great receivers, but I really think that it is because of Hines that they understand what it means to be a Pittsburgh Steeler. I think they should do whatever they can to have him retire a Steeler. If that means bringing him back for one more year at the veteran minimum, that's fine. It will be like having a player AND a coach for one salary.

 

This is 99% of why I'm for bringing Ward back one more year. I've said it a million times now. This is a team with no leaders right now. Tomlin has no fire. The young players can't (and shouldn't) be expected to rise to the occasion when each week it's about the "flavor of the game". Ben a leader? Hardly. This is a team suffering a pretty severe lack of motivation and fire in the belly, and it badly needs someone (more than one) to bring it together and give the locker room a reason to get fired up. Ward has always been a leader, always played that role. Sometimes more outspoken than others, but you could count on him to tell it like it is and rally the team. I remember when Ben was in the middle of a string of bad decisions/accidents, Ward came forward and smacked him in the head and told him to get his stuff together.

To me, Ward isn't just about playing, and he does. Hard. Yeah, he's slowing down and getting older, and this should probably be his last season. But give him that last season. He's obviously willing to give his all if he's willing to take league minimum. He's putting himself out there, heart and soul for a team who he has always given his best. We gave it to the Bus, and yes, I think we owe it to Ward. His loss won't be measured in yards as much as it will in team heart and soul.

 

hines want at maximun 2 milion cut , he is not accepting a salary minimum
http://www.steelersdepot.com/2012/02/co ... ines-ward/

 

That's based on what some guy supposedly "Heard" and not what Ward actually said publicly. I don't know if he'd take vet minimum but based on everything he has said publicly I still wouldn't rule it out. We may soon find out I guess. I'm in the camp that hopes he gets one more year.

 

Wallace, Brown, Sanders is a really good trio of receivers. I am stunned at the people on here saying they aren't. :o

I would like to keep Cotchery as the "Hines from years Past" receiver and I would love to keep Hines just because he is Hines if at all possible

 

When we are driving down the field against the Raven in the playoffs next season, down by six points with 4th down and thirty seconds left, I guarentee that Ray Lewis will be the one that lays the hit on Wallace who drops the touchdown and the Steelers lose the game. Afterwards in the postgame interview, Harbaugh will rave about how Ray Lewis is the heart and soul of their team and he would never replace Lewis with anyone until the day came that Lewis couldnt walk anymore. Meanwhile, Hines Ward is watching, thinking about how he could have made the catch for us.

My friends, I fear this to be reality.
ThrowToHeath Posts: 59Joined: Mon Nov 28, 2011 12:32 am



The thing I fear the most is Hines will be on the Rats sidelines celebrating with both Ray Lewis and Harbaugh.

 

That is some imagination.

 

What visual evidence do you have to support this claim? Did you watch the same final half of the season that I did as well as the Denver game? I don't see this trio scoring points, and you need to score points to win.

 

That's true, if you're going by the last half of the season, as FeartheBeard said she was doing, then it's a foolish claim that they make a good trio, since Sanders didn't play in most of it. And two guys ain't a trio.

 

I would rather the Steelers re-sign Crotchery he has more to offer Ward would be at best the 4th wr if he came back, he won't contribute much.

 

As much as I hate it, I have to agree. Ward has been a great Steeler and he time may have come. Cotchery can play a big role.

 

Why do we have to choose?