Aaron Smith to be released

Not surprising, but I was hoping Smith would announce his retirement rather than the Steelers releasing him. Anyway, Adam Schefter is reporting that Smith is going to be released along with Ward.

Really sad day in Steeltown. 2 all time Steeler greats gone.

 

good day in steeltown. we just opened up a hell of a lot of cap space to improve our football team by releasing some unproductive players that were past their prime.

but, yes, sad day as well. aaron smith will forever be one of my favorite steelers. one of the most underrated players in nfl history. perhaps the best 3-4 defensive end in league history. and, hines . . . no explanation necessary.

 

Smith was still productive and could probably still be our best lineman, he just can't stay healthy anymore.

 

. . . which made him unproductive.

 

It's been a good ride Aaron. Best of luck to you and Elijah!

 

Yea because Wallace and Brown were really scoring those points for us in the second half of the season and in the playoffs, and all of the other defensive linemen were putting constant pressure on the opposing quarterback all game long.

I don't understand you TheWanderer. You want to clip players that you think are past their prime, yet you make no mention...in any of your posts....about clipping young players who aren't producing.

 

I wouldn't blame either one if they played for another team next year. They are football players first and Steeler players second. I don't understand why so many on here would suddenly hate them if they played for another team. They have a passion for the game, that passion doesn't go away once the team gives up on them (they didn't give up on the team).

If the Steelers were to move to a different city or fold altogether, I wouldn't suddenly stop watching football. I'm a football fan just as much as I'm a Steelers fan.

 

This one I think we all saw coming more than Ward. Unlike Ward...i do think Smith will end up retiring...I just have a gut feeling. And just like Ward...thanks for everything Aaron...wishing you and your family well.

 

I think Aarin will retire... and what's sad is as far as football ability I think Smith's probably got more in the tank than Hines, but he can't stay healthy.

 

[quote="ThrowToHeath
Yea because Wallace and Brown were really scoring those points for us in the second half of the season and in the playoffs, and all of the other defensive linemen were putting constant pressure on the opposing quarterback all game long.

I don't understand you TheWanderer. You want to clip players that you think are past their prime, yet you make no mention...in any of your posts....about clipping young players who aren't producing.[/quote]

Wow, Wallace and Brown? You sure those are the two you want to blame for our not scoring points? Really?

 

Wow, Wallace and Brown? You sure those are the two you want to blame for our not scoring points? Really?[/quote][/quote]

I actually do blame Wallace, and I think last season shows that there still is room for Ward on the Steelers and that Wallace is anything but our savior. The 1st half of the season when Ward was playing, we were much more successful than in the last half of the season when Ward didn't play at all. When there's nobody to catch passes underneath, they can cover the deep guy (Wallace) all game long. Great, we have Wallace and Brown, two burners, but who is going to catch balls underneath?

 

No doubt we're going to be a lot younger this year. Maybe going from one of the oldest to one of the youngest. A few more roster cuts may just do it (Farrior, Foote, Snack,Batch,...Hood) Sorry, had to throw that name in there just because.

 

[/quote]

I actually do blame Wallace, and I think last season shows that there still is room for Ward on the Steelers and that Wallace is anything but our savior. The 1st half of the season when Ward was playing, we were much more successful than in the last half of the season when Ward didn't play at all. When there's nobody to catch passes underneath, they can cover the deep guy (Wallace) all game long. Great, we have Wallace and Brown, two burners, but who is going to catch balls underneath?[/quote][/quote][/quote]

the last half of the season? . . . the half where ben either didn't play or was jumping around on one foot? that half? that's where our receivers' production went into a decline? hmm . . .

antonio brown can't "catch balls underneath?" cotchery can't? heath can't? sanders can't?

 

I actually do blame Wallace, and I think last season shows that there still is room for Ward on the Steelers and that Wallace is anything but our savior. The 1st half of the season when Ward was playing, we were much more successful than in the last half of the season when Ward didn't play at all. When there's nobody to catch passes underneath, they can cover the deep guy (Wallace) all game long. Great, we have Wallace and Brown, two burners, but who is going to catch balls underneath?[/quote][/quote][/quote]

the last half of the season? . . . the half where ben either didn't play or was jumping around on one foot? that half? that's where our receivers' production went into a decline? hmm . . .

antonio brown can't "catch balls underneath?" cotchery can't? heath can't? sanders can't?[/quote][/quote][/quote][/quote]

Brown can catch balls underneath, but he is going to be the deep threat if Wallace leaves. Cotchery is not signed next year, so we may not have him. Heath is always used as a blocker due to our ridiculously bad Oline, and although Haley has hinted that this will change, until it does, I'm not expecting much. Sanders can catch underneath stuff, yes.

 

We are going to get younger this offseason...period. Next year it will continue as Hampton won't be back either. It also wouldn't surprise me if next year is Harrison's last as well as Clark. The FO has a plan to "attempt" to replace these guys, but we will see.

 

we should all be prepared for polamalu going barry sanders on us as well. he's a unique dude and football isn't a priority for him. i don't see him 'holding on' towards the end of his career. if anything, i see him leaving early. although he was the DPOY the previous season, he got a free pass this season as he played rather poorly. and he has been getting banged up in recent years. 43's days are nearing an end too, i'm afraid.

couple that with an aging ryan clark, we'll only have ike left in that secondary (which has been long regarded as the weak spot of this defense anyway). hopefully, keenan lewis can continue to progress and gay can give us some steady play in the subpackages.

harrison's back issues, hampton and smith being finished, keisel starting to deteriorate . . . that front five is going to be undergoing some massive changes in the near future, too. let's hope worilds, hood, and heyward develop.

farrior is an enigma (but probably washed up). he was flat awful in '09, great in '10, and awful again in '11. does he have another '10 in him again? probably not.

for all the knock on timmons, he was being talked about as DPOY in the league for the first half of 2010. i'm confident he can play at a high level for years to come. woodley too.

i will agree that foote played some pretty good football last season but, all things considered, unless we can add some more value on the defensive side of the ball in this next draft, and combine that with these young guys that we've drafted in recent years stepping, we'll be on a decline . . .

 

Back to the subject matter, it sucks that the Steelers my kids grew up knowing are going to be retiring/cut, starting with Smith and Ward. See a few more going in the next couple of days. Hampton, Farrior, Foote. Maybe having one or two more good years in them, maybe not.
Thank you for the great years, Aaron. And thank you for the part you played in getting the Steelers #5 and #6. Wear those rings proudly.

 

This is not surprising to anyone. Through all the talk about our DL no-one has included A.Smith. He was no doubt the best 3-4 DE in the league when healthy. In an interview @ the Steelers.com at seasons end he said he was gonna talk to his family about his future and retirement was a possiblity after his neck surgery.

With the great improvements in his son's health maybe he is struggling with retirement and his football career. Who really knows. Point is the Steelers are saving some cap space at his release. His contract would have ended last year but he restructured to help the steelers in another cap strap season.

He's my favorite DL. He will be missed. Hopefully Heyward can grow to fill his shoes.

Thanks for your play, Steeler Nation Loves you man!!!!!!1

Cajun-

 

It seems likely he'll retire then. Great player, very underrated.

 

Hines had a down year no doubt about that. I tend to think the concussion had alot to do with it as he was not the same after that. And you're right he is past his prime, but so are alot of players that are still productive. I guess my point is I trully believe Hines could have helped this team and would have loved to see him retire as only playing for the Steelers. It wasn't in the cards I guess and I will eventually get over it, but right now I'm mad and you rubbing it in every chance you get is not helping.

 

oh, i'm not rubbing it in. just providing my opinion. be thankful our front office is doing all it can to make our team ultra-competitive. we've watched a lot of studs leave this team over the years while remaining the winningest team since the merger. hats off to them for cleaning house.

i think they just learned a valuable lesson thru aaron smith. when guys get to this age, it's a bigger gamble to pay them seven-figures for another year or two than let them go and replace them with younger guys. loyalty gets you little more than a broken-down player and a huge cap hit.

believe it or not, kemo is the guy i'm most disappointed to see go. we have no o-line depth and he was one of the best of the worst. we let flozell go and then were sent scrambling after max starks after some early injuries last year. i hope we have a solid plan in place for the o-line. that's my biggest area of concern right now.

 

Peter King from SI put him on his list as the best DE for an all-star team a few years back. I guess some people 2nd guessed him about it, he said "Aaron Smith is the best DE in the NFL the last 10 years and no one knows about it."

 

[/quote]

Peter King from SI put him on his list as the best DE for an all-star team a few years back. I guess some people 2nd guessed him about it, he said "Aaron Smith is the best DE in the NFL the last 10 years and no one knows about it."[/quote]


100%!!!!!!!!

 

I agree. You pay people for what you are going to get out of them. Not what they have done for you. Age is undefeated. Ward and Smith had great careers. Had though. Hats off to them forthe years of service, they made a great living doing the game they love and now they must move on.