Sudden Realization

You know, with the move of Colon to LG, it looks like all starters on the Oline will be signed for the next 3 years. This makes the assumption that Adams works out at LT. IF this is all assumed to be true, what amazes me is that for the first time in a while, the sudden realization for me is:

We will not show up at the draft with OL being one of our areas of need.

Did you read that? We won't have OL as one of our areas of need. That is incredible to me. As "OLD" as this team was supposedly getting, you have the draft and suddenly we are looking at a team which has young/younger starters at almost every position.

The Dline still has Keisel and Hampton so you will hear this season how "old" that group is getting, but with Ta'amu, Hood, and Heyward and probably Woods or Bryant, that is 4 of the 6 positions having very good talent...starting talent.

The LB crew isn't young any more nor is the Safety position, but I think we will address these next year.

The question about our RB crew is LACK of age, not talent and depth.

Our WRs are young, our starting TE is just hitting his prime. Our Oline....Adams...22, Colon...29, Pouncey....22, DeCastro....22, Gilbert....24. That is YOUNG and I think we just added additional years to the years that Colon will be able to play.

I am excited about the potential of this team. Yes, we have a new offense to adapt to this year, but you know what...I think that is going to help us. It will make us better when this group hits their prime...which is probably 2-3 years away yet. Incredicble!!!

 

I wanted to add to this. Here are the players on our roster who are OVER 27 years of age....

28
TE Pope

29
S W. Allen
OG Colon
WR Cotchery
OL Essex
TE Miller
OT J. Scott

30
QB Rothlisburger
K Suisham
LS Warren

31
LB Foote
S Polamalu

32
S Clark
QB Lefty
CB Taylor

33
Keisel

34
Hampton
Harrison

37
Batch

That is 19 guys total who are 28 and older. It is a mix of starters...backups...and special team guys.

 

Because it seems like only yesterday he was drafted, or because (dare I say) he doesn't always act it?

 

I was actually thinking about the Ben draft the other day.

I'm usually positive coming out of a draft, but I don't think I've been as positive going into a training camp since when we drafted Ben. Deljzc made a similar comment in his draft report, I think.

Hopefully this season won't be like Ben's first season, where we had to endure Tommy Maddox for those games before Ben finally got a shot.

(And who was the guy on the old MB, who was insistent for the whole season that Maddox should be the starter when he was healthy?)

 

This is the happiest and most optimistic I've been about the 90-man roster since 2006, maybe even more so.

I like our depth everywhere and I don't see many completely undersized or unathletic "coach's pets" on the roster like we used to see with Cowher. If a few players can step it up a bit going into their 2nd and 3rd years (I'm talking about you Ziggy!!!), I think we have a pretty special group brewing.

My only concern is the 2013 salary cap. I don't want to burst everyone's bubble, but that situation is looking pretty ugly.

 

we were very young on offense last year. wallace, brown,sanders. legs,pouncey,foster,gilbert. mendy,redman. d.j. saunders. elders were heath,ben,max,ward,cotchery.
defense: ziggy,timmons,mclendon,gay,lewis,mundy,heyward,worilds,kapinos,suisham. we are a young team overall. even moreso now.

 

I too am liking our depth Del,also thanks for the update on 2013 cap numbers.
Will the new TV contract eleviate some of these problems?

 

Somehow - some way - the Steelers always find a way to address salary issues. It may look ugly now, but you never know what kind of magic they may be able to work at the end of our 7th Super Bowl season.

 

i'm so excited that i think it's time they hire a carpenter to expand the trophey case. we're gonna need some more room.

 

Wow! Can't believe Ben is already 30 ! Time flys by.

 

Ha! Cardigan Sweater... the names come flooding back.

It's almost impossible to believe there was a serious debate about it back then. Those two/one just took it a little further, as I recall.

 

Fear not! Our new o-line will be a mobile brick wall, and it will simply be a case of paying someone minimum wage to hold the ball behind them as they march down the field.

 

I feel old