Colbert, Steelers Architect.

With the retirement of Jason Worilds, we now have 2 players (Antonio Brown & Maurkice Pouncey) to show for our 2008, 2009, and 2010 drafts ... and the 2011 draft ain't looking so hot either with 3 remaining players (Cameron Heyward, Marcus Gilbert, and Cortez Allen). We're just not drafting enough quality players, and not retaining enough of the picks we hit on.

 

At a position that relies so heavily on confidence, have you ever seen a player implode that bad for that long, and then bounce back to become a good player?

 

BF, again hopes and dreams bud. we are taking a lot of tackles and plays made away from last years defense. you like to keep going by what we did the prior year and it doesn't matter.

we are taking as of right now 120 tackles and 7.5 sacks away with worilds and troy. as of right now take away JH and will allen and cortez until he shows something <(hopes) and that's a huge chunk of an already suspect defense.

willie gay can't hold up for long being the 3rd leading tackler on the team. 69 tackles for a small corner? that's a ton.

we also have a #2 wr that is 4th on the team in yards and catches, with only 2 TD's. we will be without bell for at least 2 games and possibly 4. let's add a far tougher schedule to all of that and a new DC. we aren't as close as you think.

 

My knock on Colbert is not drafting - I have complaints about some of the picks like Archer, but I don't see it as a major downfall. And if you criticize that pick you have to admire the drafting of Brown, Bryant, and Vince Williams who appears to be a solid 7th round pick providing service. Drafting is not a science, it is hit and miss. The Pats have had misses too. My knock on Colbert or the Steelers in general is holding onto veterans too long and perpetuating cap hell.

Even now with the supposed better situation of the Steelers cap, they have at best about $6M or so to play with for this year in assessing FA. That isn't much.

Other teams, especially the Ravens and Patriots welcome the constant churn of moving on from players and constantly re-evaluating need in conjunction with value.

I respect and generally like that the Steelers do not go full froth into FA with big wide eyes, but I wish they would take an outlook at FA and the draft where they leave themselves some room to address concerns on an annual basis through both FA and the draft. Relying mostly on the draft is rather difficult in this day and age where there are only 4 year contracts.

 

Ike went through something similar in 2003-4 I think.

 

most have bad seasons. I think it was 2012 willie gay, Patrick robinson, janoris Jenkins were all ranked as the worst

 

Can't win too many titles when you are whiffing this badly.

 

I haven't. Especially after signing a nice contract to be the #1. His meltdown was disturbing to say the least. From meltdown to a #1? Or #2? Colbert said he is coming into camp to compete.Guess we will see if he goes from the outhouse to the penthouse. Or if it was a rash signing...

 

It was Cowher's last season in 2006. But while he got benched, he was never banished and shut down like Allen was. In fact Ike started the last game of the season after missing 5 starts.

Hopefully Cortez just had some sort of injury that he kept quiet and was affecting his play last season. But I doubt it.