James Harrison out until week 5

According to reports from those in the know. I could see the Steelers releasing him after this season 34 years old and the last few seasons he has been injured and he has a big contract.

 

I think this is his last season here. Unless he has a Defensive MVP type run when he returns.. which he's capable of.

 

It can't be his last season here, other than Woodley, the linebacker group is thin and underperforming.

 

exactly , who is going to replace him ?

 

will he still say he is playing next week until friday?

 

As of right now we have no one to replace him if we release him next here. But I do agree that it would not surprise me if he is release or take a hugh pay cut.

I mentioned in another post that it will depend on who we target in the draft. If we draft an outside linebacker i can see him being gone.

We released Lloyd, Greene, Porter, haagans and Gildeon. I think Harrison will be next in line.

 

sure, there's nobody on the roster that really has established himself as a replacement of James - but the team will probably take a cold, hard look at the money:reward ratio, Harrison will probably be a big salary cap hit next year and the team might just decide that - despite him probably still being a good player - he won't be worth that cap hit.
especially if they try and sign young(er) players like Wallace, Sanders, etc. to long-term deals

 

I wouldn't be shocked to see Harrison, Taylor, Clark, Hampton, and Keisel all gone after the 13 season. I think the bulk of the money is gonna start going to the offensive side of the ball. With all the new rules in favor of the offense, it only makes sense. I would rather see us try to stay young and fast on defense and pay the vets on offense.

 

I have not given up on Worilds yet. He seemed to develop last year and we have hardly seen him this year. I think that he is more physical at the line of scrimmage than Carter. Carter is more of a pure OLB IMO. We should see him at least this week and next to see what we have.

Harrison can play OLB and play at the line of scrimmage like a 4-3 D-end, which transitions to the Steelers 2-4 nickel well; same with Woodley. The replacement needs to be similar for the current scheme.

 

I would try Keisel at ROLB. He's seems athletic enough.

 

He's easily our best run defender, and he'll have enough juice left in the tank for at least another year after this one, giving Worilds a little more time to get ready. I like th emove keeping him out until the meat of the season begins, and I think Mendy should do the same.

 

I could see him leaving if age is factored with a new contract for Wallace and the need to free money up.

 

Do you have a link saying that Silverback is out for sure until week 5? Thanks

 

If he can stay healthy he has a chance to return but a pay cut is a given and that will probably be the determining factor in his status for next year. Rebuilding the defense should obviously be the focus of the next few drafts. It's too bad defensive players like Timmons, Hood, Worilds, C. Brown, C. Allen, and Heyward haven't shown more/developed faster. I don't think its time to give up on them yet but I also think thats why the Steelers don't quite have that swarming, attacking look to their defense that you saw tonight that Atlanta had in their victory against the Broncos.

 

Did Troy ever take a paycut when he missed all his time as a PGH STEELER?
How about Woodley and all of his missed time? Troy has missed more time than ANY
PGH Steeler yet he is the 2nd highest paid safety in the game. Has Troy done anything IMPACTFUL
for the PGH STEELERS the first two games? Did Troy do anything IMPACTFUL in the playoff loss
in DENVER last year?

 

I have felt all along this was his last season with us. Salary cap hell is coming sooner or later with Worlds and Carter one of those 2 will take over the ROLB spot next season.

I think we are good at milb with Timmons and Spence