farriors agent doesnt think he will be back

OK, I get it, you guys dont like Foote, but are more than willing to support a Linebacker with a sky high potential that has never lived up to it. I admit Foote isnt the best linebacker on the team or in the league but that doesnt mean he CAN be better than the best on the team or in the league at some things. I am quantifying one aspect of his game and comparing it the linebacker who has vastly underachieved his entire career in that same area. For a number 1 pick he has been a huge disappointment in my opinion.

IowaJim, I agree everybody who has ever played the game has found themselves on the wrong side of the hit. I respect that, but my assertion is not that he was standing still and lost a battle based on physics, my assertion is that he lost that battle because he didnt attack the play. He let the play come to him and he lost based on technique and being out physicalled. As a defender, on a goalline, you have to deliver the blow or else you will be trucked. Its a battle of wills and intestinal fortitude, both of which I havent seen from this guy.
I guess you young guys have never seen the NFL draft last longer than 7 rounds since you think a 4th rounder is backup material. I have seen 11th round draft picks make the Hall of Fame, I have seen UDFA make the pro Bowl, 4th round is not for backup material.

 

When Larry Foote was drafted, Kendrell Bell (DROY) was going into his second year and James Farrior was in something like his 6th year when Foote was drafted. Plenty young and the leader of the D. Foote was drafted to be a backup. Unfortunately, Bell's career fell apart after a million injuries and he had to take over. Foote was not drafted to start for this team.

I don't know if we're thinking of the same play with Timmons on the goal line, but I do remember one a year or two ago where he had a one on one with a RB at the goal line, somewhat away from the pile, and the guy got by him and crossed the goal line, and came down about a yard in. The message board blew up like Bo Jackson had just run over Brian Bozworth. But I remember thinking that Timmons just didn't have a chance at stopping the guy. He couldn't get his head in front. I even thought that if it was anywhere else on the field, it would have been considered a good open field tackle. But that might not be the same play, I'm just thinking of it because the MB had such a reaction. Can't remember who it was against off hand.

I'm a bit of a draftnik and I like to do re-drafts and stuff, and decide who was a good pick, who wasn't, who would have been better... but I think we often talk about three things when we talk about a guy like Timmons.

Performance vs. draft position
Performance vs. potential
Overall performance on the field

For Timmons, the first one is debatable. I don't want to get into Steeler expectations vs. reasonable expectations (let's not forget many teams just hope their first round pick is still playing football 3 years later), but I think he's lived up to that billing, and still has plenty of time to grow/settle. If he plays like he did in 2010, no one can possibly say he doesn't live up to the #15 pick. As for his performance vs. his own potential, you can definitely say he doesn't live up to that. His physical abilities are among the best in the league, so it's hard to live up to them. I think it's safe to say he never will (consistently), which leads me to the last part, overall performance on the field. I think so many people don't think Timmons does well enough in those first two categories that they just skip straight to bashing his overall performance.

 

Huge, I would love for Timmons to become the greatest LB to ever play the game because he is a Steeler. I am a Steeler fan and thats what I want. I also want to win the Powerball, but I dont think either one is going to happen.
I dont think any team drafts a player hoping that they become a good backup player. Every player is drafted with the hopes that they can develop and become a starter and contribute to winning championships. Some players are more works in progress than others and if they dont pan out, they are usually cut. I think Foote was a very good LB'er and worked great with Farrior in the middle of our defense several years ago, Timmons was drafted as a number 1, he had to see the field. We couldnt cut him loose without giving him an opportunity to prove what he had in real games, not just practice or preseason games. He wasnt going to take Farriors spot, or Harrisons, Woodley was outplaying him already. The only chance he had was to take Footes spot. I dont think he did better than Foote in his first 2 years in Footes spot. He started 2010 like a man possessed and like he finally got it.....then he disappeared the second half of the season. I agree he has all the skills that could make him great, he just isnt living up to the billing and I really believe if he wasnt a #1 draft pick, he may be gone. This may be pre-mature, but lets say he was a 4th round pick and this is what we got from him....do we really stay with him or do we give another draft pick a shot? Now we are financially stuck with him....hopefully it will pan out.

 

Well, okay, he wasn't expected to ever be the long-term starter. He was drafted to play ST and play in relief of either ILB in case of injury, and I guess MAYBE eventually take over for Farrior, but they had to know that was 6+ years off. I'm not saying it's a bad move, but tons of guys are drafted to be backups. Like... any QB since Ben. Yeah, they might eventually start, but it ain't the plan. It's called depth, and it happens every draft.