Boom or BUST year for these 4 players

2013 will be an important year for many players on the Steelers' roster, but for the following four I believe it will be the year which defines their careers. They are all at pivotal points in their respective careers and are all either first or second round draft picks which means the Steelers have a lot invested in them and have high hopes that they will be major contributors to the team's success. Here they are in no certain order.

1. Ziggy Hood -- I don't know how else to say it, Hood has been a major disappointment since he was drafted number one a few years ago. He's supposedly one of the strongest players on the team but doesn't play strong. He seems to get pushed around and controlled by his man at the LOS. He'll make an occasional play but these are far too infrequent for a player drafted in the first round. If he doesn't respond this year, I'm not so sure we don't start using that ugly B word that no one likes to hear where he's concerned.

2. Cam Heyward -- Ironhead's boy. If ever there was a guy meant to play for the Steelers shouldn't it be Cam Heyward? He was the number one pick a year or two after Hood. Unfortunately, it seems that he's followed in Hood's footsteps and his career has been defined by mediocrity at this point, not what you want out of a number one draft pick. Heyward just looks confused at times and seems to get outsmarted by his man. His desire just seems to be lacking somehow. If he wants to make an impact as a Steeler, the switch has to be turned on this year!

3. Marcus Gilbert -- Marcus has shown flashes, especially in his rookie year. Last year, Marcus ended up on IR and took a couple of his teammates with him when he got blocked (or fell or stumbled) into the knees of DeCastro and Adams. He's a little slow footed but he can be effective at times. He's a second round pick and it appears that he may be protecting Ben's blindside this year. Just in case, Ben may want to make sure his life insurance premiums are paid up in the offseason.

4. Jason Worilds -- This is his opportunity to become the NEXT great Steelers linebacker. JH is gone so it's his turn to grab the glory. If JH can do it as an unheralded and undrafted linebacker out of a MAC school, then why can't Worilds do it, a second round draft pick out of a strong defensive college program? It's all about DESIRE at this point and while we've seen some promise out of Worilds, he hasn't developed as quickly as the Steelers would have liked and has had a few nagging injuries as well. He's got a great opportunity now to show whether or not he can be that next Mr. Nasty for the Steelers.

If these four players can step into leadership roles and perform the way first and second round draft picks are expected to perform, they can begin their journeys toward Steelers stardom. But one thing is for certain, they all must show more than they have at this point in their careers. Their individual success depends on it and the team's success over the next several years depends on it. I hope they all realize where they are and approach the upcoming season with the same kind of tenacity that Jack Lambert had when pursuing the opposing QB.

 

I'd just like to see them both have a positive impact on a football game. At this point in their careers, they have been mostly non-factors in most games they've been involved in. Can you honestly say that you've come away from any game Ziggy and Cam have played in with the thought of "wow, Ziggy (or Cam) had a great game today!"? I think first round draft picks are supposed to be difference makers. And why shouldn't we expect as much out of two first round picks as we do out of a guy we drafted in the fourth round? Aaron Smith worked his tail off to become the type of player that he was. Why aren't Hood or Heyward capable of that?

 

Personally, I'm not so worried about 3 of those guys.

Worilds has shown steady improvement since he's been here. Gilbert - before he started injuring everyone - was solid as a rookie. Heyward just needs to be in place as a starter, not a BU. I think he will tear it up next season.

Hood, meanwhile... Lebeau has to think about how he uses him. He's going to be the starter, so the scheme needs to consider his strengths. If he's been a bit quiet filling in for Smith or Keisel, then he needs to be utilised in a way that isn't filling in for Smith or Keisel.

 

I understand that and I also know that Aaron Smith had more desire and more heart than most players have. I guess that's what disappoints me most about these two, especially Hood. The desire and heart just seem to be lacking. Obviously, the physical skills and abilities are there but what about their work ethic. What about the sheer determination and dogged willpower to DEFEAT the man (or men) lined up across from you? It would be nice if the Combine could measure HEART, wouldn't it?

 

You've probably limited this list to younger guys but, when I first read this list, I thought Troy Polamalu was going to be at the top of it. He is my #1 'Boom or Bust' guy for 2013. I think this next season will determine his future as a member of this team.

 

Yeah, I was primarily referring to guys on the upslope of their careers. Troy "has been" a superstar and he's trying to get back there. These four players haven't sniffed stardom yet.

 

If Polamalu does his impression of Staley this season for 6 or more games I will consider his career done.

 

I m also disappointed in Ziggy. The video he did before the season of him working out had me excited....it didnt last. Troy has been hurt for a while, a long while. I think the last year to year half, his body finally just said 'no more, time to heal'. The good thing about Troy being out was the defense learned to play without him. And they played pretty good. As much as I hate the thought of it though, if he doesnt perform or gets hurt, his time in the 'burgh is probably over. :-cray:

 

I don't get all the Ziggy and Cam "HATE"... I think Ziggy has been pretty good....Yeah he was a 1st rd pick does that mean he has to be Joe Green or even an Aron Smith? He's been solid and consistent. Cam i think will be just fine.....Drafting a D line player in the 1st rd to play in our scheme is a no win situation...Being a 1st rd selection your expected (unrealistically) to do something "special" but our scheme does not allow it....Case in point Aron Smith! Nobody outside of Steeler nation knows who he is and he could very well have been one of if not our best player in the past 10 yrs!....
I'm cautiously excited about seeing our YOUNG D-line play together with Mcclendon,Ziggy,Cam and even Ta'amu...

 

How about the team gives Heyward some real playing time to see what he can do before saying he has been a disappointment, put Kiesel on the bench. Worilds will get 10 sacks next season that's my prediction.

 

if they play to well we can't afford to keep them anyway. ziggy had his best year ever last year.

the thing aaron smith did so well was to get off blocks when needed. he could tie his man up until he needed to make a tackle and then disgarded his man and make the play. ziggy and cam have a hard time of it. cam mostly because he's held alot.

i've seen on alot of occasions that cams ready to breakoff and make the tackle only to be jerked backwards for a split second by a lineman. just long enough to be close but not make the tackle. as he gets more playing time he should learn to use his hands and arms better then he does. at OSU there were times he was unblockable. i'd sign him now before we have to, just so the next contract doesn't get bigger.

i also think mclendon is going to see some DE time. he's another guy that needs to show what he's got this year.

lets not forget da beard plays some good ball too in front of cam. i'd like to see a couple different alignments with cam. cam and keisel. cam and mclendon. i'm hoping a little of this will be seen this year, since it's keisels last. i do feel this is one of the more solid spots on the defense though. maybe moreso with casey gone now.

 

Another thing that made Smith so valuable was that he could tie up two blockers leaving our linebackers open to make a play. It seems that both Hood and Heyward are pretty effectively blocked with one man.

 

The Ziggy topic was beaten to death last offseason, so I want to focus on Heyward. I gotta say, I don't understand a single complaint about Cameron Heyward. He's barely seen the field, but when he has he's made an impact. He's got more potential than Ziggy, especially as a pass rusher. And he's shown it. He just needs more playing time. Frankly, I'm surprised he hasn't seen more playing time rotating with Brett/Ziggy on passing downs. I think he's better than both of them at getting to the QB.

We all saw the stat that said if you take Worilds' snaps in 3 years they work out to about 1 full season, and he has 10 sacks. I'd be curious to see Heyward's per-snap stats expanded out to a full season. I bet they would have everyone screaming for more Cam.

I think Gilbert's pass protection is underrated and his run blocking is overrated. Does anyone agree with me on that?

 

i believe all of them will have a great year and one of them may stay for the next. back to back exodus years
damn you Tomlin. what kind of cute quote are you working on now?

what's eating gilbert? the defense.

 

to be honest our LB'ers haven't been up to the task either. timmons maybe but he sometimes disappears. foote is no farrior. JH wasen't himself. woodley's been hurt. even back past last year to the year before, our LB'ers were dealing with injuries and age. is this making our DE's look worse then they are?

you can demand two blockers by making plays also. i know smith did it by design but, they also HAD to double smith to keep him from making plays.

amazing how he could tie up two and still be at the bottom of the pile with a death grip on the RB.

 

Cam is going to be good...honestly I felt they could have cut Keisel and there would be no real drop off....

Steelers are just afraid to cut the cord....

 

I agree with this assessment.

For a first rounder I would like to see Ziggy either make more plays or eat more blockers. He stays healthy and wins in the gym.

I think Gilbert is the left tackle, but may be cut; then Adams goes to left, Beachum at right. Gilbert seemed to have better, quicker feet while Adams was a road grader.

I am uncertain on Cam; he is showing flashes but seems to only take on one blocker.

I really think that Worilds will be good.


Smith and Kimo ate blockers and plugged the run. Smith could then also make some plays. A true starter has to do one or the other, preferably eat blockers.

 

Wow. You really think Gilbert may be cut? I think he's shown enough to be given every opportunity to step it up this year. I don't think there is any way he's cut.

 

I do not see anywhere that I said that I think he gets cut. I clearly said that I think he will be the left tackle. If he gets beat at both sides; I do see him getting cut. The team is cleaning out.

 

"I think Gilbert is the left tackle, but may be cut."
--You

Oh okay, I get it. I'll play along.
I DO NOT SEE ANYWHERE WHERE I SAID THAT YOU SAID GILBERT MAY BE CUT.

This game of I said it but now I deny it is fun!!

 

Sorry, I do not get it.


I think he is the starting left tackle. Said that, first, meaning what I think will happen.

However it is possible Adams beats him at left, and Beachum beats him at right. If so I think he is cut, or traded I suppose. Said that, second.

Not denying anything. I never outright said: "I think that Adams gets cut." I implied there is a chance; he did get thrown around last year.


This is not a Harvard English discussion board.

Must be a lack of material...

Again; I said first and foremost that I think he starts at left tackle. That is in red and I know it is, before the possible cut comment.

What is the big deal? I see the red, not denying anything.