Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

by CarlWeathersMustache on Dec 15, 2009 4:09 PM EST

Everyone has their own ideas for what changes need to be made to the Steelers roster. After this season, more than most, those ideas will be all over the place (ruling out a miracle playoff run). Too often, fans advocate changes based upon the performance of the player in the game. While this is a large part of the equation, an equally large part is what is behind that player/availabe in the draft or free agency. Below are my thoughts for some changes for this season and/or next.

RB: Mendenhall has looked better than many, including myself, suspected. However, I'm not too high on Mendy for this reason: Willie Parker, the man who has been left for dead, has produced a better YPC average than Mendy over the last four weeks. Maybe Mendy's early to midseason success was more a product of the improved line play at that time, and less a product of his ridiculously numerous spin moves. Nevertheless, Willie is getting old and is not a viable answer at RB. What the Steelers need is to bring in some depth through FA or the draft in case Mendy is a flash in the pan/injured.

O-Line: Ramon Foster may be able to replace Trai Essex. Other than that, the Steelers are stuck with what they have on the line. There are no other current backups that would prove better than the starters. Maybe this year is the year the Steelers draft high enough to merit a first round selection on a lineman, before all the good ones are taken.

D-Line: Hoke will undoubtedly replace Hampton next year. Hopefully, Hood performs well enough to take over for Keisel and Smith regains his old form. Otherwise, the line will be exactly the same except older. Not a good formula for improvement.

Linebackers: My, how the mighty have fallen. Farrior and Timmons have been huge disappointments. In fact, Ed Bouchette nominated Timmons as the most disappointing player this year (along with Face Me Ike and Willie Gay), although I would say second most disappointing. The situation at ILB is startling because it is one of the few positions with proven depth. Keyaron Fox, in his short time on the field, outplayed both Farrior and Timmons. Granted, the sample size is small. But Fox looked downright impressive in the three games he played. In fact, I would grade his play as the best by any LB all year (not saying he is the best because he did it only over a short span). By the way, the Steelers were 3-0 in those games. I don't know how you keep this man off the field.

Secondary: You cannot replace Ike Taylor. He has played horrible this year and has been, by far, the biggest disappointment. The last two years, Ike has played fantastic while this year he has been atrocious at times. Still, there is no better alternative. Plus, Ike has had a similar season before and rebounded quite nicely. The Steelers only hope for next year is that he rebounds again. Willie Gay, on the other hand, should not finish the season as the starter. I will be surprised if he does, especially because Lewis and Burnett have both showed some promise.

Clark is gone. This is the right move only because the wrong move is to resign a 31 year old FS who is only slightly better than average usually and has played worse than average this year.

ST: Reed and Logan are gonzo.

By my count, that's up to six starters removed: Essex, Farrior or Foote, Gay, Clark, Hampton, Hartwig (if draft or FA replacement found). The "stand pat" approach did not work well this year, maybe the roster turnover will benefit the Steelers next year.

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By the way, the Steelers were 3-0 in those games. I don’t know how you keep this man off the field.

I’d say Troy’s presence in those games was the reason we won, not Fox.

The Hell that Tomlin & the Steelers have unleashed on me this December is indescribable.

by John Stephens on Dec 15, 2009 4:27 PM EST reply actions

Cue me up some Ziggy Stardust!

Sorry, I haven’t read the post yet, the title got me going all glam rock on you guys.

'I’ve learned to become a flat-liner. There’s a lot out there that’ll make your heart jump if you allow it."
-Coach Tomlin

by NYSteelersFan4 on Dec 15, 2009 4:27 PM EST reply actions

Why Ike has been "atrocious."

He’s getting zero support back there, so he’s trying to cover for other guys. Put a healthy Troy in ther and, suddenly, you’ll be OK with Taylor’s play.

by Billy52 on Dec 15, 2009 4:34 PM EST reply actions

RB – Mendenall is for real. He has vision and moves. Too bad they are wasted with BA as the play caller. The need a FB who can move mountains.

OL – Lacking a coach they did ok. Nobody is dominating, they need a dominating T and G to anchor either the right or left side.

TE – Get rid of Spaeth. He can’t block worth sh**t. Having him in there on running plays is a liability. He doesn’t even get in the way.

WR – OK except for too many drops by everybody in key situations.

QB – OK as long as BA is fired

DL – Need a NT if Casey moves on. Ziggy is a DE not a NT.

OLB – OK

ILB – Farrior has lost a step and Timmons did not live up to expectations.

CB – Ike needs a coach. Gay sucks. Towsend needs to reire. Lets see what Lewis and Burnett can do.

S – Troy is getting older and we may need to prepare for life after Troy. Mundy is a liability to his own team mates.

by Steeler Nation VA on Dec 15, 2009 4:50 PM EST reply actions

Troy is only 28

by GDEUCE on Dec 15, 2009 8:36 PM EST up reply actions

yea troy's fine. still got at least 5 good years in him

by steel.curtain.number2 on Dec 15, 2009 10:25 PM EST up reply actions

As long as Troy plays his physical style, he will not be able to play at the same level for 5 more years. Don’t get me wrong, I think Troy is great, but his style will lead to more injuries. I do not want him to change his style, but we need to prepare for the day when he no longer is able to play at the same level.

by Steeler Nation VA on Dec 16, 2009 9:02 AM EST up reply actions

Yeah, like we should have been doing to prepare for this year

I love being the most-hated guy here. I love beating them while [their fans] are flicking me off. --Hines Ward

by samliam on Dec 16, 2009 9:36 AM EST up reply actions

Tomlin quote on changes:

“Everyone understands the nature of this business. When you’re unsuccessful, changes come with that.”

Translation: Goodbye Bruce.

by Billy52 on Dec 15, 2009 4:51 PM EST reply actions

RB-Mendy needs a capable backup/ relief back. FA pickup would be nice.

FB- This is Steelers football. When Bruce is gone, ( Yes! ) then we should try and find an OC that will implement the power running game.

OL-Do we shore up the secondary? Do we shore up the O-line? I say we do what we always do. Take the best player that’s available.

TE-Spaeth is no good. I think we can all agree on that. I’m not a football guru but does that mean if we have a fullback we only have one TE?

WR- I like our squad and I’m one of the few that believes that Sweed will have his day and a star will be born. I also wouldn’t be upset if we used him to trade up.

QB- I like Dixon as our backup. Let’s keep BB upright for as long as possible.

DL- They are aging. But they are not down yet. Big Snack might be gone. Ziggy is steadily improving.

OLB- Still the best IMO.

ILB- Did Farrior age 10 years in the offseason or did he not condition like he did in 08? I think the SB victory cuts the guys some slack and makes them do 30 push ups instead of 40.

CB- We do need a coach for the DB’s. Gay isn’t a starter, Townsend should be gone. I’m with Steeler Nation VA. Let’s give the rooks some playing time.

S-Troy still has a lot in the tank. He needs someone who can help cover and that’s why I think that Eric Berry would make a monster safety combo back there with troy

Bring a towel to the game. Black or gold or yellow. If you don't have one buy one, If you can't buy one, dye one!!!

by SoCalSteelerFan on Dec 15, 2009 5:06 PM EST reply actions

No way you get Berry

Unless you trade up. What about Taylor Mays from USC?

You have to hate losing more than you love winning.

by Mr MaLoR on Dec 15, 2009 5:21 PM EST up reply actions

He sucks

Well not really but definitely overrated.

Earl Thomas is promising.

BTSC Obituaries

OldManSteeler, ominously died two days before Superbowl 123 where the Ravens are set to attempt their 7th superbowl win, facing the Detroit Lions on Sunday. He was 86. His last words are believed to be "MALOR CAN SUCK IT!!!". Like friends and family, we can only guess what this could mean.

by Tim Mullhaupt (HSS) on Dec 15, 2009 5:22 PM EST up reply actions

Mason retiring soon?

Might need a WR at Baltimore. Mason was raw last week, but there isn’t much promise after that.

by MSsteele on Dec 15, 2009 8:11 PM EST up reply actions

Well According to this http://www.walterfootball.com/freeagentscontractspit.php

Essex isn’t a free agent until 2011. I’m not sure if that’s accurate,

Anyway:

RB-Agree w/your assessment of Mendenhall, but I think he’s just worn down this year. You have to keep in mind that this still is his first full year of play. Still I think Mike Bell and Pierre Thomas-the guy who started over Mendenhall in college-of the Saints are both up for contract renewal at the end of this year, and I’m not sure if the Saints will keep both. Should be interesting to keep an eye on.

OL-Still patchwork, but improved this year. Definitely not an elite unit though, and could do with some young upgrades via the draft.

DL-Talent is plentiful, but so, unfortunately, is age. Maybe draft a guy high or sign a solid veteran. Ziggy will see increased playing time next year, but Kiesel and Smith will probably remain the starters. Hampton’s resigning status is unsure but don’t rule it out yet.

Linebackers: After a slow start, LaMarr Woodley is really coming into his own. No one has played better than he has the last 5 or 6 weeks (haha 56, purely coincidental I swear). Harrison still has some juice left. Farrior is aging no doubt about it. The draft holds multiple options for Farrior’s future replacement: Rolando McClain, Micah Johnson, Brandon Spikes to name a few. Timmons has been somewhat disappointing but has also played on two bad ankles for a large part of the year…has anyone seen an interview from him? I never seem to find any. Maybe the Steeler’s webpage has one. As for Fox, I remember seeing him for the first time in a Steelers uniform against the Eagles back in week one of the ’08 preseason, and I can remember being impressed. We may see more of him in the future.

DB: Polamalu needs to stay healthy next year. Hopefully his rehab goes as smoothly as his post ‘07 season did. Clark is getting older but I’ve always seen him as very solid. I think they’ll bring him back for a couple years to groom his starter. Taylor has played terribly this year, it’s a real shame to see. As for Gay, I’ll wait a little before I completely give up on him, as it took Ike Taylor a while to play well early off in his career. I would like to see Burnett and Lewis both involved down the stretch of this season to see if we can make anything out of them. Definitely a top priority for this year’s draft.

ST: Reed maybe gone. Not sure if there are any big time kickers in the draft this year. Would like to see more of Wallace and Burnett in the return role next year before cutting Logan.

Other notes: Offense should be under new management, which SHOULD mean more running and extensive use of the Fullback position. Get ready for more Tank and David Johnson. Nate Byham a very good blocking TE out of Pittsburgh might be a target in the later rounds. Should be interesting how the new OC handles Ben’s playing style. Also worth noticing who the new offensive line coach and ST will be.

BTSC Obituaries

by Tim Mullhaupt (HSS) on Dec 15, 2009 5:45 PM EST reply actions

Hmmmmmm...

Reed maybe gone.

Pitt Panthers has a PK that kicks at Heinz field half the year…He’s a Junior this year, but may declare if Colbert pursues him. Can’t find his damn stats now, but I think I remember him being a 75%+ at over 40 yards…

"Chris! That's a terrible word! Pussywillows..."
-Lois Griffin

by Steel Spike on Dec 16, 2009 2:05 AM EST up reply actions

On Mendenhall & Parker

If you look at the ypc of a lot of starting/backup backs in the league you’ll find the backup has the higher ypc – even in his limited time here Davenport totaled a higher ypc than parker, Moore did it last year with Parker starting.

In short, difference between the the yards per carry of a backup and starter in a given offense is often a misleading way of judging how effective they are. And besides, backs do a whole lot more than just run – catching from the backfield and blitz pickup are almost as important in today’s NFL as running for a starting back. And Mendy is head and tails above Fast Willie in those two categories.

The whole reason to have a change of pace backup is because given the short weeks defenses usually only have time to really game plan around the running style of the starter (unless your backup is Sproles or Leon Washington or someone like that). So, you can usually get a few 6 + yard carries from backups per game simply from the difference in where they like the run, how they hit the hole, how they read the defense, etc.

You also can’t overlook the fact that Mendy has been getting all the short yardage and goal line work as well – he may only get a yard or two on these carries, but they’re important yards to get, even if it lowers your overall ypc.

by BluegrassSteeler on Dec 15, 2009 6:30 PM EST reply actions 4 recs

good comments! REC’d

I'll drink your Milkshake, I'll drink it up!

by Frank Mineo (DYMS) on Dec 16, 2009 11:20 AM EST up reply actions

agreed

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Winston Churchill

by PixburghArn on Dec 16, 2009 11:26 AM EST up reply actions

And then there was green

Good stuff

The Hell that Tomlin & the Steelers have unleashed on me this December is indescribable.

by John Stephens on Dec 16, 2009 11:36 AM EST up reply actions

Mendenhall worn down?

How is Mendenahll worn down? BA does not use him. If he got 30 carries a game, I may agree. But he does not. Against Cleveland one of the worst rushing defenses he was barely used. 3rd & 1 and he is not used.

Also Parker has lost more than a step. He will be a free agent and sign with somebody as a back up, but not the Steelers. We will need a back up to complement Mendenhall and Moore.

What we need is a FB 5-10 to 6 ft 265-275 lbs (a small guard) who can block DT/DE and still get to the second level.

by Steeler Nation VA on Dec 15, 2009 7:27 PM EST reply actions

Legursky, anyone?

"Chris! That's a terrible word! Pussywillows..."
-Lois Griffin

by Steel Spike on Dec 16, 2009 2:07 AM EST up reply actions

Mendenhall needs

60 yards to get to 1,000 for the season… if BA uses him properly, he could have 1,300 or 1,400 by the end of the season. Just imagine if BA had used him more the whole season..I don’t think 1,800 would have been out of the question.

"Chris! That's a terrible word! Pussywillows..."
-Lois Griffin

by Steel Spike on Dec 16, 2009 2:12 AM EST up reply actions

RB- love Mendy, definitely surprised with him this year. I think he’s ready for a full season of work next year, especially with a whole offseason to work with the line and not sharing carries with willie in the offseason. yeah willie’s gone though
OL- Im happy with everyone except the RG, we’re not going to get a dominating tackle in the draft and i’m not sure we need one, at least not a first rounder. could definitely use a 2nd round pick on a RG (disappointed that kraig urbik didn’t show anything this season)
WR- happy, another year will make this unit really dangerous.
QB- 2 superbowls = no complaints
DL- very unsure about what will happen here during the offseason. I highly doubt we let hoke start at NT, and we didn’t just give brett keisel an extension for him to sit. so i dont know where that puts ziggy since i dont think he can play NT and isnt as good as keisel or smith. maybe a NT with our first round pick?
ILB- need an heir for farrior… i’ll give timmons some more time in the system before i dismiss him.
OLB- happy. mancrush on lamarr woodley
CB- unfortunately i dont see us upgrading this much unless a miracle free agency deal comes along. with 2 rookies this year i think we’ll let them develop before using a high pick on another
FS- clark might be gone, like i said in another post i’d love to get his replacement with our first pick. maybe taylor mays?
SS- please be healthy next year!
ST- Reed is gone, need a free agent or rookie to replace him. i expected a lot more from Logan but I dont htink hes done a bad job. still though we cant afford to use an extra roster spot for him. we need someone else

by steel.curtain.number2 on Dec 15, 2009 10:40 PM EST reply actions

Why would we not resign Reed?

We have no backup kicker and our offense can’t score in the redzone. This combination doesn’t make me want to release a proven kicker from the team.

by betelgeuse on Dec 16, 2009 2:36 AM EST reply actions

2 reasons not to resign Reed.

1) his kickoffs are short and have limited hang time. If he kicks it into the endzone, we do not have to worry about all of those returns for TD’s. The coverage guys still need to tackle when they do return it, but if it is 5 yards deep, the won’t return it. He could even do it in Denver with the thin air.
2) he has problems with alcohol that will blow up at the wrong time. Unless he gets help, the Steelers won’t tolerate it.

He is a reliable FG kicker, but the kickoffs have been below average.

by Steeler Nation VA on Dec 16, 2009 10:06 AM EST up reply actions

Good point

Instead of moving around 5 special teams coverage guys, find a kicker who kicks it into the end zone. Even if he misses one more field goal a game then Reed (which would be a terrible NFL kicker), his ability to kick for a touchback would make up the point differential on kickoffs. Plus, fewer roster spots would be determined based on kickoff coverage abilities.

by CarlWeathersMustache on Dec 16, 2009 11:14 AM EST up reply actions