Our lines and defense

Offensive and defensive lines are very important. I agree with this. However, we have been very successful in terms of wins with a very bad offensive line for the past several years. Our offensive and defensive lines have been injury plagued and really poor for quite some time.

So we have been drafting lineman. Great call right? I'm not so sure.

Pouncey was a great addition no doubt, and I expect Castro to be good as well, but are all of these picks (Pouncey, Castro, Adams, Gilbert, Hood, Heyward) really worth the high picks that we used? I'm not so sure.

When you invest four first round picks in lineman in 5 years, you would expect to, I don't know, maybe be good in these areas? Well, due to injury or sheer lack of skill or talent, both of these areas are not where they should be for the amount that we invested in them. Im not calling Heyward a bust yet, but it is disappointing when I see all of these great DEs on other teams that were drafted around where Hood and Heyward were, but the difference is that the other guys are producing and Hood and Heyward are not.

Now we see the likes of players that really carry our team and especially defense, Harrison and Polamalu, aging and injured. There is no doubt in my mind that these two guys, along with the leadership of Farrior and Smith, carried the defense over the past few years. No doubt. But now that they are hurt, our defense is really bad because we don't have replacements for them because we have been investing draft picks in lineman, and the lines aren't even good.

Has that idea occurred to anyone else? Is it really the defense in its entirety that warrants the glorious reputation? It will be interesting to see what happens this weekend when we will be down our two best defensive players. Heres hoping for a good outcome, but it just seems unlikely with the lack of talent in the defensive skill positions that we currently have.

 

I don't think you can expect to draft people of Troys caliber very often in fact it may never happen again. Certain players are just not as easily replaced.

No fear of picking Oline next year. At least IMHO they better be looking at corners and safeties. The group we have know in Gilbert and Adams, Castro, Pouncey and Foster are going to be fine for a few years. We just need to have them stay healthy.

I don't think there is a Steeler fan that is not concerned about depth and replacing the veterans but we have to give the young recruits time to settle in. Last year they missed OTAs so this year can we expect to see them further develop . I think so but its really early at this point. It's only one game. You could say Carter has been a disappointment as well filling in for Harrison but really he has not even had many reps yet to form a decision. Give it time

Bman

 

there is a guy named keisel in front of heyward. i did think heyward had a decent game in denver though.

injuries have nothing to do with draft where these guys were drafted. the best get hurt from time to time.

our d-linemen were both drafted late in the first round also. it's not like they were the top picks in the draft. closer to 2nd rounders.

 

that dereck wolfe was good

 

i did like him.

 

I didnt know this until the day after the draft...but he went to HS 10 min away from my house (which is my old HS's #1 rivals)...I liked what I read about him leading up to the draft and had we not spent 2 1st rounders on DEs lately I would have loved to have him (he'd had to have been their 1st rounder for that to happen though, haha)...and after the game last week (my first time seeing him play)...WOW...hope he continues to tear it up...just not against the Steelers. Speaking of which...living not too far from Pittsburgh (here in Ohio)...I wonder if he was a Steelers fan...that would be a cool thing...your first NFL game against your fave team growing up...and your first sack/tackle against them too...haha.

 

Castro? The guy from Cuba?

 

I believe our oline will be good in time. Probably in another two years.

Adams, Colon Pouncey Decastro and Gilbert

Our defensive line is something totally different. I'm not so sure about this group.

Heyward Taamu Hood.

It might take a little longer. I don't understand why they drafted Hood/Heyward in the first. Was they the best player on the board for a position of need? I can't remember now but I don't think so. When was the last first round we draft pick that we pick on the defensive line? Hampton? But the defensive ends have all been later rounds picks and good ones.

For what we ask our dlineman to do (take up blockers) we don't need first round picks at that position unless he's an absolute beast. Heyward/Hood didn't "wow" anyone when they were in college and didn't warrant a 1st round pick for what we need them for. That's just my opinion.