Could Ike switch to safety?

I think the bigger question is will he take a pay cut
if so he will do well at safety
i like his size and atleic ability
if no pay cut i think hes gone

 

I think most analysts in the Burgh for the most part says no.

Ike can still play, at his best this year he could hang with the number 1 receivers. He just can't do it all the time for a full year.

So he is not a #1...so what? If he takes a paycut he could be our #2 or #3 guy for a few years... he doesn't have to play safety just to play here.

 

Let me get this straight. We want the guy with the worst ball skills and HANDS to be a safety? That's hilarious!

 

I posted about this two weeks ago, Ike probably knows he can't play CB too much longer.

 

http://thesteelersfans.com/forums/showthread.php?8347-Ike-Taylor-to-safety

 

Regardless of what happens, I like his attitude. Seems to have his head on straight and know that he's declining as a CB and he can prolong his career and make a lot more money by switching to S. Thats hard for an athlete to admit...that their skills are declining.

 

You can't knock his attitude but why does anyone think just because he isn't what he used to be at CB ,he can just switch over to safety like its so easy. He's no Rod Woodson...

 

Agree...plus who the heck is gonna play CB

 

Theoretically yes, because he is definitely a good enough athlete for the position. I doubt the Steelers would consider him a starting calbier safety though... he'd basically be depth at the CB and S position for a year then will not be re-signed.

This is more of Ike letting the team know that he wants to be here, and is willing to do anything in order to ensure he gets to stay with the team instead of being released before next season.

And to answer your question Lersgofor7... Allen, rookie, and Gay in the nickel. Another rook at CB4 and CB5 will be one of our current end of roster/practice squad players.

 

Perhaps a move to safety would convince Ike to take a pay cut. Perhaps a move to safety would convince the Steelers to keep Ike after a pay cut.

 

My initial gut is no, he shouldn't switch to safety. Now that being said...

1. His largest obstacle to ANY position right now is his salary. That is step #1.

2. One thing I look at for this team is I actually feel we are in better shape at S right now then we are at CB. You can get through a year with only 2 safeties, but you have to have at least 3 CBs maybe 4. We have 2 without him and no #1. Sharmarko and Troy can hold down the safety positions, and Golden and W. Allen (if he is brought back) can contribute with minutes. I also think we could potentially bring in a FA much like we did with Clark a number of years ago.

3. I worry about the drop off in his ability to tackle. Can he do that consistently from the FS position?

4. I think he has the speed and ability to maybe play a centerfield type position for this team, but I am not sold on him there in a base defense.

5. My gut is he is a fallback option only....

 

I said this a couple of years ago. yes, ike can play safety. he has always been a solid tackler and played the run game well.

he has already said he knows at this point he'll have to take a pay cut.

he would fair much better facing the play as far as interceptions. his trouble mostly has been turning and finding the ball to make the pick. facing the qb and playing the deep field could actually be an upgrade over clark and troy as they diminish too.

I look for the team to possibly move the shark to more of a nickel corner role. they used him some at this position this year.

it will buy us another year for a couple of draft picks to get up to speed.

I look for a mid level FA to be brought in too at CB.

 

Should be. Not a ball hawk, but must have some catching ability, which Ike doesn't have.

I do like the guy, but he has nothing to do as a safety.

 

Ike will be CB another yr. tutoring a 14' pick ...Danny will make sure his boy gets some favorable jingle in the pocket before he leaves and rightly so!

 

I agree. ike works his azz off every off season to get better. he's tight with dan. ike knows this defense. ike's lost a step or two but from what he was, that's still fast. ike doesn't have many injuries at his age. stays in top shape. is getting old, but still can play. ike has good size. I think he's better than will allen, whom is old too.


troy
allen
ike
draft pick s
shamarko playing both safety and nickel or dime cb.
tez
willie g.
mid level FA
draft pick cb

that's 9 DB's next year. add a PS guy or two for the future.

 

Well, he does have a pretty good guy (Lake) to work with him if he does switch. I'm willing to bet that he had a talk with Woodson and worked on it a little with him as well. So, yes, with those two (IMO the best 2 at making the switch ever) I think he can do it and perform well.

 

Ike is not afraid to tackle,
actually he use to be very good at
tackling, he still can run so yea there
is a possibility; if he will take a HUGE paycut.

 

Pay cut or gone. I say gone. Time to move forward, the past is gone...

 

To me there is a big difference between tackling and hitting. He may still be able to tackle although in open space it's a whole different animal. Part of what made our D dominant a few years back was Clark's ability to lay the lumber especially in run support. Ike's body would never hold up to that punishment just as you see Clark starting to lose steam. Now if you want to say he may be good at just staying deep and breaking up passes,maybe. We all know he won't catch them. As strictly a center fielder I give him a outside chance,but this isn't baseball. We ask a lot more from our safeties in our system. He's not that.
One more point is Ike was always "swaggin" are you telling me he has lost confidence in his ability at CB. We are weaker at CB than safety ,so if he is truly being a team player why not worry about getting better at what you already are? To me it's a sign that he has lost that confidence and that may spell trouble. If he can no longer play his natural position it might be time to move on. Thinking you could just move over to safety especially in our system just to prolong your career is silly.

 

I refuse to hate on Ike, how I read into his comments are, he is willing to do what will help this team. He does have a special bond with Dan Rooney. I don't see Ike playing for another team. Why wouldn't he try to extend his career? He gets to play for the Pittsburgh Steelers!