Hines Ward

As much as it pains me to say it...I think the offense is better off with Hines as the #4 receiver. I don't think you can play him at the expense of taking Sanders or Brown's play-making ability off the field.

Watching all the speed at the receiver position today was a welcome sight. With the play-making ability on the outside...it's only a matter of time until the run game becomes more consistent and efficient.

Thoughts?

 

I partially agree, but the things that the stat sheet ignore are his blocking, his ability to intimidate DB's and his ability to come up with that one big catch when it's desperately needed. If there was any WR on the the Steelers that was needed to haul in the most important catch of the game, there's no one I would trust more than Ward.

He's not done yet, they just need to use him appropriately.

 

Heath is not a WR but in my opinion as good go to go in crunch time as Hines.
And nothing stops Tomlin (or Arians more likely) to have Hines on the team as a 3rd down / special packages guy for situations when his type of play is needed. And don't forget how he was on the sidelines talking with everybody (including some of the DBs, guess them getting a WR perspective on some of the coverages might have been interesting for them too). Really hope they find some place on the team for him when he hangs up his pads after his contract is over ... WR coach would be cool

 

We need to lock down Wallace Brown and sanders for a long time they are the future of this team. I hope we win the super bowl this year and hines can ride off in the sun set like bettis.

 

That would be awesome to cap off Wards career in that fashion. I too was thinking yesterday that the Steelers need to keep this guy on the sidelines for years to come as a coach if he is up for it.

I have a feeling Wallace, Brown, Sanders will demand too much $$ collectively to all be here, but at least some tandem...hopefully Wallace and one of the other guys.

 

Dear Hines,

Thanks for the memories, but as the great Chuck Noll used to say, "it's time to get on with your life's work" as the Steelers new wide receiver coach in 2012!

 

All posts in this thread are true, but i hope one isn't.

Ward is as clutch as they come even though his speed is gone (never really had much), but his heart is still there. Miller is right there with him in this respect. He needs to get his catches and go out like Bettis. He should be made a coach on this team as Mean Joe Green is still with the organization. The young money crew I hope can re-sign for may they deserve. Sanders and Brown are awesome and have major potential, but they don't yet have numbers to demand huge deals, so I hope we don't lose one of them (this is the one I hope isn't true). Sign them now at discounted rates. I have no issue with Ward being the #4 guy. At this point it's still respectful.

This team needs Hines to make a presence felt during the ravens game. It will get into both teams heads.

 

I agree with you 100%. The young money crew is too fast to take any one of them off the field. The youth movement should be on. Sanders and Brown took over after the Pats took Wallace and the long ball out of the game. We don't win the game without what both of those guys did.

Also, Sylvester played an outstanding game. Farrior should never get his spot back after how Sylvester showed that he got the job done in Sundays game. Farrior was on the sidelines and the Steelers had their best defensive performance with Sylvester starting. Farrior is 36 years old and slowing down very fast. Sylvester is young and will be even better when Timmons moves back inside, then we will have two studes starting inside.

Farrior's injury is a blesing in disguise. If he is ot a month, he will not get his spot back because Sylvester will win his spot with his special play. The more Sylvester plays, the better he will be.

Sorry James but the youth movement is on!!!

 

I certainly agree I don't want it to happen, but it seems likely. I don't know anything about current contracts and when they are up. If memory serves, Wallace is on the last year of his rookie contract so signing him after this season is going to cost some coin. I don't know if Brown and Sanders contracts are up the same year since they both came in as rookies last year, but if they both have another year or more on their initial contract it only allows more time for them to show this league what they have and if they keep it up they will demand some decent coin. I hope I am wrong...hey look at Green Bay. They are really deep at WR so hopefully we can stay that way.

 

I want to see Ward stay around because he adds the gritty element associated with Steeler Football. Young Money is not there, yet. And they'll need him to get them there. There were a couple of occassions, yesterday, where I noticed one of Young Money could have thrown a block, but didn't. Then there was the play where one of them started blocking before the pass was thrown. Ward can get them in step. But I'm not opposed to this happening with him as a coach. I would like for him to be on the roster once they have reached the apex of the Stairway to Seven, and retire with another ring. Then, he can coach, if he chooses to.

But as far as all the talk about the Youth Movement...

 

I think the offense has potential to be more explosive without Ward.

The only thing I can say is Brown and Sanders are still good for one or two misreads on a hot route per game. Those type of things can be drive killers. Ward knows the hot's and knows where to be.

 

Well if we cant keep all 3 of theese young recievers the 2 we keep should be Wallace and Brown. I like sanders but i think Brown has better hands. If you could pick 2 which would you choose?

 

On the game yesterday, I watched him giving advice to William Gay during an injury timeout, and to Brown / Sanders / Wallace after Ben called a timeout.
He needs to be here for another year, even if he's playing only a situational receiver, to help develop the rest of the young guys. Not only on offense!

Having a guy with his palying experience (reg season, playoffs, etc) is priceless to a team with young developing talent on both sides.

 

Hines will go down as one of the all time great Steelers and on most teams he should still be a #2 or #3 guy, but with Wallace, Brown and Sanders he is the probably the 4th best wr on the team right now and to have him playing more than any one of those 3 is a huge mistake.

the speed those 3 have makes it almost impossible for any team to match up defensively.

that and the fact that they all run beautiful routes and are all very sure handed puts the coaching staff in a tuff position.

how do you tell a guy that has been the ultimate Steeler that you are now the #4 guy? you would hope he can see that, but hes an athlete and they usually dont like to admit that someone is better than they are.

the Steelers run a ton of 4 wrs packages so he would still get a lot of playing time, but those other 3 have to get the bulk of time.

 

Hines is worth every penny he is paid, for his leadership, his mentorship, and his underestimated value to the offense in the red zone passing game. Hines can stay as long as he wants!!!! Ulitmate pro!

 

I think we have 2 guys on that sideline every week that are basically coaches at their position: Hines Ward and Charlie Batch. The ideal IMO is that we find a way to keep both on in some capacity after they retire.

 

This is the intangible that Hines brings to the offense. Honestly, I don't care if he starts - or is scaled back on playing time. With the youth of the receiving corps, it's nice to know that there is some leadership that comes from Ward. They did fine with him on the sideline last Sunday, but I am sure happier when he's out there than when he isn't.