1. Hi Guest, Registrations are now open. See you on the inside.
    Dismiss Notice

Line backers

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by mac daddyo, Jul 15, 2019.

  1. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

    27,703
    5,277
    Oct 22, 2011
    We have a lot of guys in here to compete. Three new draft picks. A new FA. Former picks. Plus a few guys that were pretty good college players.

    Olasunkanimi Adaniyi 6-1 248 21 yo year 2 Toledo

    JT Jones 6-3. 245 25 yo year 1 Miami(oh.)

    Tegray Scales 6-0 227 23 yo year 1 Indiana **

    Tuzar Skipper 6-3. 247 24 yo rookie Toledo

    Robert Spilane 6-1 229 23 yo year 1 W.Michigan

    Mark Barron
    Tyler Matakevich
    Ulysses Gilbert
    Devin Bush
    Vince Williams
    Anthony Chickillo
    Bud Dupree
    Sutton Smith
    TJ Watt

    Many of these guys from the MAC. 14 linebackers in camp. Seeing who makes some plays and is kept on the PS may be huge for next year. I could see some movement of a couple of guys by then for some youth and money savings. Looking for the next diamond in the rough but still the same coaches trying to find them. That's the sad part of this. JMO. :cool:
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  2. HeinzMustard

    HeinzMustard Well-Known Member

    10,761
    2,642
    Nov 18, 2015
    Ola Adeniyi. This LB is key to the Steelers success this season, IMO. If he can supplant Dupree, the defense should be good enough for a deep run in the playoffs.

    I doubt he will get much playing time, though... even if he is a better OLB than Dupree. Tomlin and Colbert will have to eat crow if they decide to bench a first rounder. Don't see it happening.
     
    • Agree Agree x 4
    • Winner Winner x 1
  3. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

    21,270
    5,117
    Apr 21, 2016
    Like the depth here. Some unanswered questions though on the Inside. Hoping Gilbert III wins a spot. Really like him.


    Ola hopefully can take that next step. Realistically speaking, hopefully a leap. Going to need him to develop greatly.



    Key here is still Devin Bush Jr. How well this team performs will depend on how quickly he can catch on. The sooner the better.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  4. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

    27,703
    5,277
    Oct 22, 2011
    Barron and Bush for me. Vince needs sent back to the bench in the rotation. Bud and Vince were a huge drain on cap space for what they do and the amount spent.:cool:
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
    • Like Like x 1
  5. thorn058

    thorn058 Well-Known Member

    16,211
    4,202
    Oct 19, 2011
    You do realize they benched a first rounder for Cody Sensabaugh last year right? I'm not saying you're wrong because I agree that they wait until it's too late to make a change but they also ate some tasty crow last season .
     
    • Hilarious Hilarious x 1
  6. AskQuestionsLater

    AskQuestionsLater Writing Team

    21,270
    5,117
    Apr 21, 2016
    Seems Vince Williams is well aware of what is transpiring;


    https://steelersdepot.com/2019/07/vince-williams-on-devin-bush-were-gonna-need-him-man/


    Best quote from him in my opinion was this;



    "You don’t draft a guy in the top 10 unless you’re ready to put him in there, plug him in and let him make plays. I’m just happy he’s available to do that”.


    What I have been saying this whole time. For that matter, this is the Steelers we are talking about. Beyond the year 2000, no other time has Pittsburgh selected in Top 10 Territory. Clearly they see Bush Jr. as more than just a three down player.
     
    • Agree Agree x 3
  7. HeinzMustard

    HeinzMustard Well-Known Member

    10,761
    2,642
    Nov 18, 2015
    Yeah, but Dupree is not as bad at OLB as Burns was at CB. Burns totally collapsed.
     
    • Agree Agree x 4
  8. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

    27,703
    5,277
    Oct 22, 2011
    I don't mind dupree that much, just the money we are paying him. He should be making Chickillo money at the most. Both should actually make less then they do. Both chick and bud should be at watt money and watt at dupree money. Vince should be at about 1-1.5 mil a year. :cool:
     
    Last edited: Jul 16, 2019
  9. HeinzMustard

    HeinzMustard Well-Known Member

    10,761
    2,642
    Nov 18, 2015
    Agree on the money... Dupree would be a good backup at OLB and he's welcome to stay if he signs for backup money. I doubt he'll do that and most likely will test Free Agency.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  10. Roonatic

    Roonatic Well-Known Member

    8,558
    1,814
    Sep 4, 2017
    Agree. I just don't see them bringing Bud off the bench at $9mil. Ola hopefully gets some snaps but I see them riding Dupree until he hits FA.
     
  11. Daddymac10

    Daddymac10 Well-Known Member

    683
    57
    May 1, 2015
    Even though I think Bush & Barron should start & get most of the snaps, Vince is gonna be needed just in case there's an injury somewhere...
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  12. Wardismvp

    Wardismvp Well-Known Member

    14,304
    2,167
    Oct 26, 2011
    I hope this makes for good competition, I still feel that the Steelers should package some players
    for a FA/ draft picks. I believe a free safety should be in there cross hairs.
     
  13. Steel_Elvis

    Steel_Elvis Staff Member Mod Team

    15,299
    4,324
    Nov 4, 2011
    Package who? Who would you trade away that another team would value highly?
     
  14. Steel_Elvis

    Steel_Elvis Staff Member Mod Team

    15,299
    4,324
    Nov 4, 2011
    I hope Ola Adeniyi is the player that many out here believe he is. I saw flashes of something in him last preseason, but have to acknowledge that we’ve all seen plenty of players flash talent in the preseason and not pan out long-term.

    Dupree isn’t a terrible player. He’s a guy you can win with at ROLB if the players around him are solid. He won’t make guys around him better, but guys like Heyward, Tuitt and Watt help him to be effective enough to be on the field. Realistically he’s the best option at ROLB on our current roster for 2019. His draft position and 2019 salary exceed his value IMO, but there’s nothing much to be done about that now.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  15. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

    27,703
    5,277
    Oct 22, 2011
    Butler is terrible at getting new players on the field. Flashing in preseason is something many coaches build on. Bush has been force fed to the defense and butler. He doesn't have much choice in that matter because of his draft status and the amount spent.

    I don't think butler would know talent if he tripped over it. He's stubborn and hard headed on change. My concern is Barron and Bush allowing this defense to do many things but his love for Vince to bring that all down when butler force's him in the lineup.

    Gilbert should be a guy being fast tracker over vince. Fort should have been kept as well over him. We complain about bostic but he was in year one in this defense and ended up with near the same amount of tackles as vince. Throwing more money at Vince won't make him a better player.

    We don't have the coaching to bring these players to their full potential in my opinion. The wrong players were let go. The right players may never get their chance under this regime either is my concern. Bud has never evolved. Chickillo only slightly. OA may not under butler. The wrong players were let go. The wrong coach was kept. Not that porter didn't need to go either. I would have kept Fort. I would have kept Bostic. I would have kept Sensabaugh.

    Indy showed how a defense could be transformed by coaching and how to make an average LB an all pro. Too many undeserving scapegoat players and coaches for butler's ineptness. Colbert and MT are part of letting it continue. JMO rant over.:cool:
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  16. HeinzMustard

    HeinzMustard Well-Known Member

    10,761
    2,642
    Nov 18, 2015
    The Sensabaugh cut concerns me the most. Steelers can thrive without Fort and Bostic. If Layne doesn't catch on quick... Steelers will have a serious depth problem at CB if either Hilton, Haden or Nelson miss any amount of time. Haden is a damn good CB, but he's getting long in the tooth... and minor nagging injuries tend to creep up on older CBs as the season progresses.

    TE depth worries me too... but I think Grimble will have a chip on his shoulder and something to prove after the Denver debacle. Just hope McDonald can stay healthy and the rookie TE or some camp/preseason cut from another team catches on at #3.
     
    Last edited: Jul 17, 2019
    • Agree Agree x 2
  17. mac daddyo

    mac daddyo Well-Known Member

    27,703
    5,277
    Oct 22, 2011
    Sensabaugh should have been kept for depth. Fort over vince. If we want to play with faster LB then keep the faster LB and build on that. I'm not saying either guy is an all pro but we wouldn't be changing how we play and our capabilities of they have to come in the game.

    I would have rolled with haden, nelson, sensabaugh, hilton, layne and allen or sutton.
    fort, bush, barron, Gilbert. I would have bostic, scales, red and Vince in competition for the 5th LB. With our coaching to bring them along though I think it's a mute point. :cool:
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  18. bigbenhotness

    bigbenhotness Well-Known Member

    21,276
    3,292
    Nov 1, 2014
    honestly if Ola, bush and nelson pan out, watch out. that is.. until the injury bug kills us and browns win the stupid bowl or whatever.

    Bush/Barron/Ola/Watt full time with bud/vince/whoever to spell them.
     
  19. turtle

    turtle

    8,542
    1,375
    Jan 14, 2015
    You should be hoping Ola can supplant Chick as the first one off the bench. They will never start Ola over Bud, that is just not going to happen imo. Especially in a contract year, the team will be viewed as trying to undermine his value and that will probably not go over well with other players. Plus no one has even seen Ola play a meaningful game.

    But if Ola comes in for Chick and takes more and more snaps as the season goes on and is killing it, then you can say adios to Bud next year and you have a much better picture of what you have in Ola as a starter.

    The difference b/t benching Burns and Dupree is that Burns performance and mental state warranted the benching. Dupree's play does not. He may only be steady eddie at the position but he is not costing us big plays like Burns.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
  20. Steel_Elvis

    Steel_Elvis Staff Member Mod Team

    15,299
    4,324
    Nov 4, 2011
    If a pass rusher gets pushed/run 5 yards past the QB with ease vs 1 on 1 blocking, and the QB has time to make a big play downfield, then it can argued that the pass rusher cost us a big play.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  21. turtle

    turtle

    8,542
    1,375
    Jan 14, 2015
    True, the same can be said for all those d-linemen/olbs/stunting ilbs since none of them got to the qb.
     
  22. Steel Hog

    Steel Hog Well-Known Member

    4,758
    1,289
    Dec 6, 2017
    .
    Just like Bush and many having him starting day one. Too many 1st round disappointments for me to assume anything unless transition to the NFL is confirmed starting next week. That's just my way of thinking. Hope he demonstrates what it takes to win the starting job.
     
  23. Wardismvp

    Wardismvp Well-Known Member

    14,304
    2,167
    Oct 26, 2011
    Gerald Hawkins, Dirty Red, Allen, Sutton to name a few.
     
  24. thorn058

    thorn058 Well-Known Member

    16,211
    4,202
    Oct 19, 2011
    I don't think it will be getting better this year either Mac. I was really hopeful but then I caught Tomlin on an interview on ESPN the other day. I came in at the end so I suppose it was mostly about replacing Bell and Brown and along that line. Then the reporter asked him specifically about OBJ and Tomlin yawned and fanned his mouth. Then proceeded to say he is no different than any other star player they faced and that he won't change what they do or how they approach the game.:facepalm: really Mike? That approach cost you games last season you know like thinking Allen didn't need to be covered by anyone other than a LB or that Mahomes wasn't that big of a threat.
     
  25. Steel_Elvis

    Steel_Elvis Staff Member Mod Team

    15,299
    4,324
    Nov 4, 2011
    We’re not going to get quality players or high picks for any of those guys. We may not be able to even get a 7th round pick for any of them.
     
    • Agree Agree x 3

Share This Page

Welcome to the ultimate resource for Steelers fans. Sign Up Here!