The calm before the storm?

Its getting to be that time,about three weeks left before
the Steelers must do some significant cutting from their roster
or serious restructuring. I personally think they will cut, the window
has closed on this group of ball players. Yes it is going to be painful
watching someone you have watched for 8-10 years on the greatest team on the planet,
get their walking papers.


The young players are going to make mistakes,they will have to learn on the fly
since they never get much playing time? Oh well in this era of FA you can't keep them all.

My question is will we be able to keep up with the NYG, GB,NO,NE, SF Houstons?
Hell even the Ravens or Bengals, that robbed Oakland for that piece of crap Carson Palmer.
Can you imagine if Cincy gets it right in this years draft? Say it isn't so.

 

By "gets it right", I presume you mean "fires Marvin Lewis."

 

I think he means not drafting a criminal?

 

yea, but how will this new guy fit in without a rap sheet. i mean really. they can't change their whole team chemistry. :-D

 

As a cincinnatian I've always thought that Marvin could be a good coach, but Brown doesn't give him a chance. Even though a lot of people here think Brown has changed just because he traded Palmer for so much (c'mon a complete moron would've made that trade)... I think Marvin has gotten stale. You can see him on the news here and he just has no energy whatsoever.

That being said I hope the Bengals take Janoris Jenkins... And I'm REALLY hoping Trent Richardson doesn't fall to them.

 

Ward, my answer to your question is,
IMO, it depends entirely on what Haley brings to our offense.
If you look at the teams you mentioned, their offensive production and ours, are worlds apart.
I don`t believe those teams have better all around talent, or even better qb`s.
(maybe, better studied, quicker to read a defense, and throw the ball away, or to a quicker route, or to check to a better play, qb`s),
but, not more physically gifted qb`s...
or better players on defense, than we will let go this off-season.
I honestly believe the answer to your question lies in whether Haley will bring out the best in our offensive weapons, and if Ben will buy into whatever Haley is selling.
I would hope that at 30 years old, Ben is mature enough to recognize that Haley is gonna do what he believes is best for this offense to score points, and not pout about it.
I also hope Haley can do that.(Call offensive plays that can score points like the Packers/Patriots/Saints,etc. can)
I believe we have the talent to do that.
This season will show whether Haley is the right man for the job, or not.
I firmly believe he can`t do worse than our previous O.C..
On a side note... Yes, you are right, It is going to be painful to see some of the old guard leave...
Smith, Hoke, maybe Hampton, Farrior, or Foote, or both, feel like I`m forgetting a big one on defense,
But, We will still have Troy(as long as he stays healthy, which you can say for any of `em), Clark, Harrison, Woodley, Timmons, Hood, Cameron, McClendon(which is probably the most questionable, but I don`t know how to replace)...
The defensive side doesn`t worry me too much.
(edit, forgot about cornerbacks... Gay played well last year, Taylor is back(say what you will... he was OUTSTANDING last season),then we have Mundy, and another possibility or two whose names elude me right now...injured near the end of the year
On the offensive side...
I hope we keep Hines Ward, but I wouldn`t be shocked if he is gone.(hurt, but not shocked)...
With Wallace, Brown, Sanders, and whoever plays the 4th spot(Cotchery did nothing to make me dislike him, but he will never be Ward)...
Then Heath and ? Johnson? or whoever at tight end...
Redman, Dwyer(unless Baron Batch heals, and takes his job), Moore has shown he can make plays when needed, even if not my favorite player(too small), Who was that kid that went almost to the endzone on his first run? Clayton? or something like that?...
Runningback is not a position of need, whether Mendy heals, or not...
Then we have Pouncey hiking the ball to Ben, flanked by?
THAT is, and has been, our weakspot for a while now, but we still seem to get the job done.
With better playcalling, and quicker recognition/throws from Ben, we can overcome Legursky, maybe Gilbert, or whoever, and just maybe they will get better too, with more reps...
(on a side note... I tried to stay away from second stringers like Sylvester, Worilds, and offensive linemen whose names I forgot,(Colon, Starx, NOT KEMEOAOU) just to try to make a point)...
Point being...
I`m not scared of ANY of the teams you mentioned...
We have a better all-around football team than most teams in the league...
Have for a long time... and WILL for a long time!
Comes from building our team thru the draft, even though we get late round picks, because we make the playoffs more years, than not...
I know you didn`t say "The window is closing", in your post, but that is how I took it, when you said "Will we be able to keep up with......."...
Hell... I would ask, "Can they keep up with us?!?"...
Last time I checked, we had more Superbowl Trophies, than any team in the league, and I don`t see us losing so much talent
that we should have any reason to worry about that!!!
Respectfully yours....
BLEEDSTEEL!!!!
HERE WE GO STEELERS!!!! HERE WE GO!!!!

 

No, what I meant is Cincy is due from the Raiders for that piece of ****
Carson Palmer 2 first round draft choices this year, combined with some of their
most recent drafts and if they get 2 good ones again this year they will be
a team to be reckoned with for years to come. I really like their QB and think he is a
winner in the same mold as Ben. They are close and if Mike Brown doesn't screw things up
they will be very competitive.