Front Office must be very confident in Secondary

I don't know if I should be annoyed that we didn't take any defensive back talent in the draft or if that means that they have alot of confidence in the guys we have starting or the guys we have waiting in the wings that we haven't really got to have a good look at yet.

I would have been nice to see them grab George Iloka, Casey Heyward or even Alfonzo Dennard in the later rounds... althought Dennard comes with possibly too much baggage to be worth it. Regardless there were other guys out there I didn't name. I do not know if Sean Spence was a necessary pick... I guess we need another LB that can cover but this guy will not be ready to do anything anytime soon most likely and I think that pick could have been better spent on a defensive back.

I just worry that Clark and Troy are getting too old and injury prone and if they go down we do not have many options. Ryan Mundy is just totally average at everything and beyond him who do we really have that you would say you are confident in? Not just Safety but at corner as well. Ike is good and he doesn't get injured but he does get burned from time to time (but who doesn't) but on the other side who are we starting this season? Keenan Lewis? I don't know, I just have never seen anything from him that impressed me and he seems to be kind of stupid for some reason. And with the departure of William Gay (i know many of you love it) who will take over the nickel spot? Does anyone know anything about Curtis Brown or Cortez Allen? Or Crezdon Butler? I don't even know which one of these guys is actually still on the team or what they are capable of.

Obviously the front office knows something we don't to neglect the defensive back field with any high round picks however I understand this year because we simply could not pass on those lineman and now we can finally field a strong o-line and maybe focus on the secondary in next years draft. Anyways, sorry for such a long post but I would like to here your guys thought or if you have any good info. on any of those DBs I named that are on our roster.

 

Lewis, Brown, and Allen will be competing for the #2 CB spot. Last season we addressed the CB position and I suspect next season we will address the safety positions. The o line was a must this season as far as upgrading goes. Especially when guys like DeCastro and Adams fall into your lap.

 

I'm not sure how I feel about this. Under Colbert, the Steelers have taken an approach to CBs that they're a dime a dozen. I can't argue with the results. Sure, I wish this team would have signed Jonathan Joseph last season, but at the same time: I'm not sure CBs have much impact on the game anymore. This is the cynical part of me talking, now. The rules have gotten so out of hand that the best a good corner can hope for is that the WR drops the ball or that upon tackling him, the ball is jarred loose.

I don't believe that defense wins titles anymore. I believe that RED ZONE defense wins titles. This appears to be the Patriots' approach, and it seeems to work. Let your opponent score FGs while you score TDs.

 

They are very high on Brown and Allen, and Lewis played pretty well last year... Maybe a move to Safety is a possibility for him??

Butler isn't on the team anymore.

 

Last time I looked Troy and Clark are pretty good safeties. If Clark was playing in the Denver I believe that pass might have been caught but he would not have made it to the end zone. just sux we open in Denver,and Clark will sit this one out also.

 

I agree ,no way could we or should we have took a CB with those 2 OL on the board...I am not so high on Lewis I hope he proves me wrong,but I think very highly of Allen and Brown.....IMO both of those guys are very good CB'S,I suspect the short off season slowed those 2 and I expect big things from both of them this year...I think they will both leap frog Lewis....

 

We took 2 CB's fairly early last season. You have to give them a chance, otherwise what was the point of drafting them?

My guess is we'll get at worst a future #2 CB out of one of the two sophomores.

 

I worry about the secondary everytime this team plays against a great QB but the offense on the team right now is great and the only thing holding them back was the oline. We all loved blaming BA for the failure to score from inside the twenty but lets face facts, the oline couldn't stop a blitz, it was totally incapable of opening holes to run the ball and how many times have we watched the ball snapped to the QB in the redzone and watch as defenders poured into the backfield as if there wasn't a single person blocking? I think the combination of a new OC with a basically new oline will make a world of difference, the offense can be balanced and choose to throw the ball rather than being forced to by the most horrible line play I ever witnessed in all my 40 years of watching football and as a Steeler fan. Even bad teams had mediocre lines that looked really good compared to what the Steelers were putting on the field, Johnathon Scott and Ramone Foster have no business on an NFL practice squad let alone a starting position on a playoff caliber team and besides Pouncy the only bright spot was a backup center playing at the guard position. I think if Haley can game plan and these oline picks work out half as well as we think they should do then the secondary will be ok as the team should be playing with a lead the majority of the time and if they can run blaock it will give the added gift of running down the clock with a lead rather than letting a team go 92 yards in less than 2 minutes simply by making 3rd and 15 look easier than 3rd and inches.

 

If anyone has ever paid attention to my MOCKS every year for the last decade...I want DB's early and often......Not this year....none really interested me after the top blue chips......and it was due in part to Lewis, Brown, and Allen.....I saw no one better than what we have....I saw no one that would break out top 4....and no one that would work his way past these 4 into a possible starter in a year or two.....


We have those guys on the roster....

As for Safeties...I liked Iloka....and I would pay very close attention to the Bengals cuts...they have stockpiled talent on the defense...not all will make it.

Mays, Sands, Iloka....I bet one gets the ax......I am praying Burfict does well for them....not only because I want to see the kid turn it around....but because Mauluga is a FA next year..and maybe they let him walk if Burfict is ready The Steelers need a starting capable ILB could be a Farrior/KVO type pick up...even if you dont like Mauluga...if he is available someone will...leaving a spot open for a ILB you do like.

HACK

 

While I was rooting for Burfict to turn it around, he probably went to the worst possible locker room for getting his sh*t together.

 

I think Cinnci might be turning it around.

HACK

 

I was just saying to my wife this morning that the Steelers obviously place a low-importance value on the cornerback position as it relates to their defense. The D-line opens up holes for our Lb's to make plays, with the Fs generally being the last line of defense and Troy freelancing.... I'd say that in their eyes (if the defense works the way it's supposed to), our Cb's should only have to cover their man (or zone) for a few seconds before the Qb is pressured into throwing the ball. Since they are neither the first nor last (except in Ike's case at times) line of defense, the Steelers are content to use low draft picks on Cb 'projects'. It seems like it's been that way since the failed Chad Scott pick....

 

i think we will bring a veteran db when the cuts begin

 

If the refs ever start calling holding on linemen who hold and tackle Harrison and Woodly, our corner backs may have a chance to make some plays. I hate to say that but, watch the replays,

 

I will agree harrison gets put in a choke hold a lot not to condone it or anything but I think part of it is due to his height but it still should be called.

 

not only am i worried about an untested secondary, but our receivers if wallace holds out and sanders isn't healthy. i don't think brown and cotchery are going to be the most feared tandum in the league. i would feel alot more comfortable with the full slate of receivers practicing against our young db's.

 

The Steelers should be pretty confident in the secondary. 4 solid corners and 3 safeties is more than what most teams have. Add some young guys willing to play special teams...you have a good secondary.

This FO has set themselves up to deal with some other weak positions next offseason for another focused draft.

Potential weak spots:

LG - If Adams succeeds at LT, you could move Gilbert or Colon to guard. If that happens, you may not need this. We will have decent depth. Watch out for Essex getting a shot to start at LG.

RB - If Mendenhall is let go and Redman, Dwyer, Batch, et al. don't step up, we may need a new RB.

WR - This would be only if Brown and Sanders or Wallace cannot be resigned.

ILB - Sylvester will have an opportunity to be the starter, but if I am right this is Foote's last contract year. It would be against our MO to resign him at his age.

OLB - Harrison replacement pure and simple. Worilds and Carter need to either step up this year or they will get replaced.

S - Troy and Clark are getting older. Replacements will be needed.

The #1 priority will be determined by the play of the guys we have here.

 

As far as winning yes but they lack leadership other than maybe whitworth. Burfict will be backing up mauluga who was just arrested a couple months ago for punching a bar owner.

 

Until recently, I accused him of taking the same approach to the OL. What Colbert has proven to me is that he won't reach for need and will take the BPA within logical reason. Cards fell for OL recently and not for DB. Next year may be a different story and Troy Polamalu II may fall into our laps like DeCastro did this year.

I agrre with you that CB is becoming a position that is being severely diminished by the rule changes and interpretation of said rules.

 

What CB/CBs would you have taken over DeCastro/Adams tandem? You play the cards your dealt.

I think finding a great CB may be the hardest thing to find deeper into the draft outside qb. H@ll, you maybe able to find a QB in round three better than a great CB. I think this maybe the hardest pos to fill in this era. Times have changed.

A decent CB? Well we have decent and a case can be made that Ike is a great one. He's not top 5 but he's not far off of that too, so just adding another decent CB is less than we have now and won't help.

If a potentially great CB (a Revis), is there for the taking they'll pull that trigger and pull it fast but man, they're an elusive breed.

 

Too bad you it's not a reality to train WR's who don't have the whole package to become CB's. Limas Sweed would have the height, speed, leaping ability and possibly the intuitive instincts to do the job. He might even catch the ball sometimes too!!!

Go ahead guys...kill me for even suggesting it. Practice squad for a year working on the finer points then back to the show. OK, my flak jacket is on. Shoot!!!!

 

they do train WR who cant catch to be CB in collage Ike started off as a WR

 

A great pass rush will help any secondary, especially ours. this is why I am
so frustarted with Dick Lebeau. As I have stated numerious times we must
find a way to generate a pass rush. I am hoping Dick stresses upfield pressure
from our DL and attacks the opponent. (like Cowher use to tell Lloyd,
GET THE QB).Curtis Brown, watch him take off.

 

Well yeah I dont think we should have taken a DB with those two lineman there, I mean they were both steals. However, I think we could have drafted someone instead of Sean Spence.... Mostly because I cannot see where he fits in on this defense yet but he does look good on tape.