Cajun's end of season thoughts

Painful season but all is not lost. First off briefly I want to touch on the last game of last year. If we'd lost that totally meaningless game we would have had a shot at Star Lotueli (?) instead of JJ. To start this season the Steelers were quick to snatch Worilds, start JJ and by the time we were virtually out of it the Steelers realized Worilds was in fact the real deal (when healthy) and JJ wasn't ready for the big time the way they presumed.

The above scenario set with me far too long and by the end of week 14 we were 5-8, no shot at the playoffs so mentally I wasn't upset if we'd lost the remainder of the games to gain draft position. Emotionally this was hard because I want us winning every game. We're picking 15 and if we'd lost just one more game we'd be picking 11. this on the outside seems like a fair tradeoff since we currently don't have a 3rd rd pick and could still possibly loose a pick due to Tomlins sideline antics.

For the record I'm now glad we won all the remaining games and ended up at 8-8. 1st off while picking higher does give you a better shot at "That" player there is no guarantee "That" player ends up being all you hope for.


Winning those final games did something, it showed the rookies and other young players that fighting to the very end is in fact worth it and even when all seems lost if there is a chance then it could really happen. Those final games showed who had heart, a warriors attitude and experience. This is important because they also now know the value of "Every" game ( 1 less loss and we'd be in post season play) so come the 4th QTR in close games I expect to see that fight and will to win in these guys.


Free agents: Sanders can go and hopefully he signs a huge contract. Woods needs to be resigned to a 3 yr deal. Hopefully a 4-3 team sees value in Hood and signs him to a huge contract. Keisel needs to be re-signed to a vet min 1 yr deal. Jerricho C. also needs to be re-signed, hopefully to a 2 yr deal worth no more than 3 mil. Hopefully Wallace and Velasco are brought back to training camp to fight for a roster spot.


Cajun-

edit: I forgot about Worilds- we must resign him. I'd also resign Dwyer and Felix for small money but keep in mind I'd draft a RB in rd 5 or six.

 

do you think keisel will play for league min? I did like what I heard from all the rookies. they all admitted they need to improve. jones was very critical of himself and seems to be willing to do all he needs to. is anyone concerned about giving worilds more money? I hate to see players kick azz in a contract year. kinda like Woodley. maybe he is different. I hope so cause it looks like he will be the one we keep

 

Getting Keisel, Hood, and Woods back in the fold makes us a much MUCH better team. Why? Because we can spend the draft in other areas. Hood, McLendon, Heyward, Keisel, Woods, Arnfelt, Nick Williams, Fangupo....These are the 8 guys I look to round out my DLine roster with for next year. Those first 5 we all know about...we know how they will perform and what they will do. The last 3 are ALL works in progress.

The LB position is a MESS! The CB position is the same way. Safety is actually the 2nd most comfortable position on this team even when/if Clark is not brought back. Troy, W. Allen, Thomas, Golden are all capable safeties.

The CB and LB positions need the most focus not only as to who we cut, but who we trust and who we are willing to bring back. We have 9 openings at the LB position. Timmons and Jones, IMO are the only long-term starters. Garvin, Wilson, Williams are all capable, but none should be starting. Worilds and Woodley are ???? marks right now.

 

They are high on Garvin as a situational player, but he isn't a starter. He isn't big enough to be an every down ILB like Timmons is. Wilson is easy to say that about. Williams came into the league with the rep of being a 2 down ILB...good against the run, not so much in coverage. Well that is exactly what he was this year. Unless we are okay with sub in/out at that position next year, we will need to address the ILB position.

 

If Hood wants a huge contract he can pack his bags. Hindsight on drafting jones is 20/20. Our situation at OLB is very tough but I think we let Worlids walk and take our chances with Wood and jones, we just don't have the cap flexibility for anything else. Personally I'm hoping Woodley comes back like a man possessed because it could make or break the steelers D in 2014.

 

I think that getting to at least a .500 season is huge for the collective mental health of the team.

A player like Bell wants to be on a team that's relevant in the hunt for a championship not a draft pick.

What say you?

 

I have to slightly disagree here. Saftey position is just much a mess as the corner position. With Clark gone, you have Troy and a rookie at your starting safteies. Will Allen is slow as Carter was and more of a strong saftey then a free safety. And with the complexities of Lebeau's defense and the chances Troy takes we need a slightly above rookie presence back there. Plus Allen is in his 30s as well. We don't know what Thomas or Golden brings but we know they are very inexperience in the system. I know we have to start the youth movement sometime but it will be alot of blown coverages next year if we don't upgrade the safety position more than what we have.

 

My point was NOT that it didn't need upgraded only that it was not nearly as bad as the LB or CB positions. I would be okay, not happy, but okay with going into the year with Troy, Shamarko, Allen, and Golden.

At CB we have this...

Ike - Old and may not be back due to salary, could move to safety, but I don't think he is a good fit there.

Gay - No better than a #2 corner, but I think fits better as a #3 in any defense.

Allen - We counted on him as a starter, but at the moment I wouldn't argue he is a #1 yet.

Nothing else....

So we have a #2 corner and a #3 corner and a former #1 who is slipping and you can tell who may not be back. I think we need 3 corners for next year. 1 or 2 of those, including potentially Brown or some of the special team guys who were here last year could be special team guys, but we need 4 CBs for next year who can cover. We have 2, maybe 3 if Ike is back and no #1.

 

Okay. I can see your point. CBs we need more than Safeties but they are not far behind in need.

If we go based on your scenario, we would have Gay and Allen as starters and nothing behind them. I don't know who would be the nickel corner. Yeah we need corners in a bad way.