Karl Joseph's Turn Now

Hey Everyone.


Quick Question: Why isn’t Karl Joseph starting?

Again, and I will continue to beat this subject into the ground given the insane nature of this team's results when it comes to drafting, and developing, Secondary Personnel.

During the Tomlin Era, the record of drafting, and developing, Secondary Personnel is absolutely abysmal. Now, I am not going to place all of the blame on Tomlin. The “Drafting” and “Developing” processes are a collaborative effort that includes several key members from the Steelers’ Organization.

However, as the rhetoric goes, “It all starts with the Head Coach”. Head Coaches will tell you as much. Now, whether they actually believe it or not is another issue. Nevertheless, fair or not, the brunt of the Team’s successes, as well as the failures, fall squarely back on the Head Coach. This is the case in all Businesses:

• The CEO of a Fortune 500 Company.
  
  
• The Principal of a School.
  
  
• The Manager of a Supermarket.
  
  
• The Commissioner of a Police Department and so forth and so on.

The Administrative “Face” of all of the above is the one to take a “bow” or receive a “boo” in the public’s eye for the performance of its organization and the components that make-up that organization.

Track Record for Secondary Personnel Drafted During the Tomlin Era​

Safety Position

During the Tomlin Era there have been seven Safeties drafted. The highest picks were Sean Davis (Round #2) and Terrell Edmunds (Round #1). Neither, as we all know “Lit the World on fire.”

Cornerback Position

During the Tomlin Era there have been fifteen Cornerbacks drafted. Out of that group, I dare anyone here to name one “Above the Line Player” from that group besides Keenan Lewis. As we all know, Lewis headed off for his hometown of New Orleans. He was good but not great. Overall, and again, none of these fifteen players has, “Lit the World on fire.”


So, in total, year to date, 22 Secondary Personnel have been drafted during the Tomlin Era with basically ZERO ever developing into a “Top-Notch/All-Pro” caliber player. How does an Administration do that!? What a horrific track record! Did the scouting department whiff on all 22? I doubt it. Did the coaches in charge of player development strike out that bad? My best guess is that it was a combination of poor drafting and player development (coaching).

AGAIN, THIS IS BEYOND BELIEF. As I stated, and documented, numerous times here, Tomlin’s area of expertise “per se”, is seemingly the Secondary. His coaching resume clearly indicates this. If the Position Coaches have been doing that bad of a job regarding player development, then Tomlin MUST step-in to help out. This is no different than if the Head of the Math Department at a school is struggling to get the Math Teachers to perform. If one of the school’s Administrators (Assistant Principals and/or Principal), has a background in Math then it is his/her duty to step in and help out as I see it

The “Success” that we have had in the Secondary during the Tomlin Regime are “Outsiders” per se:

• Haden
  
  
• Nelson
  
  
• Fitzpatrick
  
  
• Hilton
  
  
• And now seemingly Witherspoon, who has been doing well, given his short time in a starting role.

So, given Edmunds documented "mediocrity" over his time with us, why not start Karl Joseph and see what he has? Another First Rounder that we may be able to "resuscitate".


View other positions from Gary Dulac’s article back on 4/26/2021.

Article Link



STEELWINDS The East Side Kid

 

Sounds good 2 Me.

 

Short answer is he isn’t good enough. If he was showing any signs of being better in practice he would get playing time. Considering how poor Edmunds is, there appears to be a reason the Raiders and Browns, not great teams, had no use for him.

 

I'm not so sure of that. We dang sure know if You look at past bust, or not so good picks....if they were 1st rounders they played until their contract was up, or they were hurt. So again I'm not so sure.

 

Tomlin does not know how to coach his players to their highest potential. This deficiency has a lingering affect in development of his players. He actually can draft some elite type players and make them very average. Not sure why Management hasn't caught on to this continuing problem.

 

If your a "Tomlins" guy, he will play ya , no matter what .....

 

To be fair, drafting talent in the secondary has always been our weak spot. Sure we nailed it with Troy, Keenan Lewis and Ike. But along with those there are Bryant McFadden, Ricardo Colclough, Hank Poteat, Scott Shields, Joe Burnett, Crezdon Butler…

 

McFadden, and Poteat didn't suck.
Best I got.

 

Was it Lewis and Burnett who were best buds in college and they both ended up in the pros? or Burnett and another DB

 

The Raiders let him go twice. That's like drinking sour milk and putting back in the fridge thinking it might be better later.

He's just not that good.

As for Tomlin the comparison to a CEO is a bit off IMO. He does have a boss who is in charge of personnel decisions, at least in terms of who is on the roster. That guy also has a boss. The NFL HC is more like the COO than CEO. Very important and with a lot of responsibility, and therefore accountability, but let's be real, the GM is more like the CEO with the owner being Board Chairman. Not saying Tomlin should be keeping his job or anything just that the people you should be bitching about are higher.

 

^This x20. I dont know if Banner would be better but Id like to see him play a whole game.

 

Cliff’s notes

tomlin sucks

 

Joseph isn't better than Edmunds, the Raiders signed Joseph during free agency, and cut him before the season for a reason.

 

Yeah I think Edmunds is overall better.

 

I bet if they signed Edmunds...He would have been cut also.

 

At what?????
Besides running a 40. Watching a play being made???? Covering the wrong guy???
How about my favorite....knocking His own player out of the play.

 

You can not be sure, but as fans...our opinion does not matter.

 

I enjoyed the read. But for a fair comparison you need to show me the teams that have knocked it out of the park in the secondary over the last 15 years


HACK

 

Let's see first hand what he has. Let us take the eyeball test.

 

Whoa... easy on Bryant McFadden he was a little better than you give him credit for, and doesn't belong in those other group of names.

 

Drafting players in the secondary is a difficult task at the best of times, particularly at CB. Almost all the best corners in the league are top 20 picks. Steelers trail only the Patriots in terms of overall draft position over the past decade, all the really good guys are usually long gone by the time they pick, albeit that may change soon.

The thing is the guys the Steelers have selected in the first round in recent year were really raw and had bust written all over them, desperation picks. Burns and Edmunds were not first round talents by all accounts and then they were forced in to starting roles too soon.

They should get some credit for recognising Mike Hilton’s talent and for drafting Sutton who is decent but overall their drafting in that department has been a bit of a disaster.

That said, I can’t think of a team that continually drafts good players in the secondary. It’s the most difficult area to draft for after QB

 

I'm jealous of Ravens and Browns: Ravens got Marlon Humphrey and Browns have Denzel Ward.

We are going to be dealing with those 2 for years to come. Great players.

 

The same Humphrey that couldn't cover Diontae, Ward is talented, but he seems to be injury prone.

 

Joseph did start the game against the Chargers, I guess the Steelers weren't impressed .

 

The Browns 0-16 had no use for Joe Haden