Ike Taylor: Should I Stay or Should I Go Now?
by John Stephens on Jul 23, 2010 1:00 PM EDT
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PrintMost of the chatter this off season has been about LaMarr Woodley's contract and the moronic 30 percent rule under the current CBA. It has led some of us to push other expiring contracts to the backs of our minds. While most people are fretting about Woodley, they have forgotten about another important player, Ike Taylor, whose contract also expires at the end of this season. Ike has not been a big fan favorite because of his inability to use basic motor skills and catch a football, grabbing only 9 interceptions in 76 starts (109 games). However, most people can appreciate that he has been a shutdown corner that manned one side of the field for several great defenses and two Super Bowl teams. I actually believe that his stone hands have kept him from being a Pro Bowler and out of the conversation of the top CBs in the league.
Like Woodley's contract, Taylor's will expire at the end of the 2010 season. It is likely that Ike Taylor will be looking for a considerable raise over his $3.75 million 2010 salary. His current contract was signed in 2006 and was worth $22.5 million for 5 years. That included a $6.4 million signing bonus with a few performance and roster bonuses that he met. At the time, that contract made Taylor the highest paid defensive back in the history of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
This year will be one of the most important seasons in Ike's career. He will have to decide if he wants to remain a Pittsburgh Steeler or be bought in free agency for more money. Personally, I believe that he will not return to the black and gold. He will be looking for big money, and with a big contract like Woodley's on the horizon, there is likely not enough room for both. Additionally, there are rumors that Keenan Lewis is a rising talent in camp. Couple that with Bryant McFadden returning to the Black and Gold, and it looks like the Steelers might let Taylor shop around.
Now the question is, if he leaves, how much will it hurt the Pittsburgh Steelers defense? I am split on my opinion of Ike Taylor. On one foot (he has no hands), he is a great cover corner. Corners like Ike, who can shut out a receiver for most of the game, are few and far between. He is still blazing fast, as can be seen in this Woodley TD video. On the other foot, he could not catch a cold if an infected individual sneezed in his mouth. Tab Douglas did an interview with Eric Edholm of Pro Football Weekly on ESPN 1250: Stillers 365 and their first topic of discussion was Ike Taylor. Edholm elaborated on Ike being out there at camp running extra drills with quarterbacks and receivers to practice his catching. Personally, I do not believe anything will drastically improve. However, this is a contract year for Ike and there is not a more important time for him to figure it out. Creating turnovers are just as essential as shutting out a player as demonstrated by the strong correlation of the turnover ratio to wins.
What do you think Steelers fans? What will the Pittsburgh Steelers do with Ike Taylor at the end of this year?
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I like Ike
a whole bunch in fact. Yes, I curse him when he drops footballs that are thrown right at him. However, I have confidence that they will sign him if its reasonable and, if he ends up walking, someone will step in, step up and take his place. Plus, I believe the crop of talent entering the draft next season is heavy with corner talent.
Don’t get me wrong, I’d like to see him stay. I would like it if he’d knock off that “face me Ike” routine though.
"If a man watches three football games in a row, he should be declared legally brain dead." I say, "What a way to die." - Steve Sabol responding to an Erma Bombeck quote
Face me Ike?
"I'm from Maryland, and no one can beat me!"
by John Stephens on Jul 23, 2010 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions
Hmm
I wonder if he got flagged for that facial?
"If a man watches three football games in a row, he should be declared legally brain dead." I say, "What a way to die." - Steve Sabol responding to an Erma Bombeck quote
by chewiesteeler on Jul 23, 2010 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Facial?
I think you mean face-mask, facial is something VERY different.
….
Bungles Tank Stupidly like Clockwork
--------
Every night at the club the girls screamed when he'd come
He stood six foot five and weighed 241
Kinda meaty in the face with a head full of stone
And everybody knew you didn't go to the bathroom alone around Big Ben
(Big Ben Big Ben) Big Fat Ben (Big Ben)
"he could not catch a cold if an infected individual sneezed in his mouth"...
Ewww.
Any idea what the franchise tag would cost on a CB? Must be near 10 million by now.
Ike… Stay. Just stay. The last two “big time” free agents the Steelers let walk came back this year. What does that tell you Ivan?
"My ambition is handicapped by laziness"
— Charles Bukowski
Yeah they won't FT him
I just put it in there because I figured someone would suggest it.
"I'm from Maryland, and no one can beat me!"
by John Stephens on Jul 23, 2010 1:11 PM EDT up reply actions
Three have so far...
I mean, they could, but I think that would be less fiscally responsible than actually signing him. Good idea for a post though, Ike has been the forgotten man in our continuous contract debates.
"My ambition is handicapped by laziness"
— Charles Bukowski
by NYSteelersFan4 on Jul 23, 2010 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah
I thought a lot more people would vote let him walk.
"I'm from Maryland, and no one can beat me!"
by John Stephens on Jul 23, 2010 1:45 PM EDT up reply actions
i have no doubt theyll let him walk
keenan lewis, mcfadden and burnett will be our CBs in 2011.. hopefully in that order. i dont understand how the FO forsaw this going down, but drafting lewis and burnett in 09 is gunna turn out to be great for us because they’ll be ready for starting time in their 3rd season… i even think willie gay will stick around. i didnt realize until recently how young he is (going into his 3rd season) and i think we threw him into the starting ring a bit too early. he’ll continue to develop and get better i think
by steel.curtain.number2 on Jul 23, 2010 3:27 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't see why
He is a good player. You don’t let a player of that caliber walk without making a reasonable offer unless there is a serious underlying problem. I have never heard of any character issues and there is nothing wrong with his play so keep him as long as his contract request doesn’t get silly.
How do I break it to the cat that since he has been declawed, the rabbit he sees in our backyard would kick his sorry butt?
by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on Jul 25, 2010 3:50 AM EDT up reply actions
I think Taylor should stay
I just hope he doesn’t do this again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IAEgyrs1FI
Chris Andersen could be in a porno with his 'stache. Too bad he still wouldn't know how to box out.
Honesty may be the best policy, but it's important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy.
Quitter's Proud United Member #11
Is it too late to say that I think Pat White ...
got knocked the F****^^^ED OUT!!!! I was actually at that game New Year’s Weekend. And yes, South Beach was off the hook, even in January!
by datruth4life2.0 on Jul 27, 2010 12:08 PM EDT up reply actions
Not a big deal on his part. It is pretty hard for him to approach that tackle any other way.
"I'm from Maryland, and no one can beat me!"
by John Stephens on Jul 23, 2010 1:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Good clean hit..hard not to go helmet to helmet at the angles both were coming in at
Things can always be worse....
Lebeau likes him and thinks hes a top corner. And lebeau knows a metric crap ton more than me about defense. So, i say he needs to be kept.
How much longer leBeau gonna be around
I’m betting he retires if they don’t get a CBA in place. Oh, I dread that day.
"If a man watches three football games in a row, he should be declared legally brain dead." I say, "What a way to die." - Steve Sabol responding to an Erma Bombeck quote
by chewiesteeler on Jul 23, 2010 2:08 PM EDT up reply actions
That may be true, but somewhere there is a tipping point where money outweighs quality. And I think that could be the type of money Ike might look for.
"I'm from Maryland, and no one can beat me!"
by John Stephens on Jul 23, 2010 2:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Keenan Lewis
’nuff said.
To do a dull thing with style-now that's what I call art.
-Charles Bukowski
I think he'll stay for a reasonable price
The fact that he restructured his contract a year or two ago to help us out with cap space says a lot about him. I say he stays.
Well.........
Ike Taylor is not one of my favorites at the CB position and has not been for some time; IMHO he has been overrated for the past three or maybe even four seasons. Chewie summed it up when he coined the “face me Ike” phrase. Ike is guilty of what used to be called face guarding. This is not the way to play CB. Watch Revis if you want to see a classic corner. Better yet….our own Rod Woodson. Ike’s ball instincts suck. Pure and simple. Not only can he not catch it, he dose not know where it is. I like him for being a team player…renegotiating his contract, etc., but we could definitely use an upgrade at his position. Don’t pay him. He’s not worth it!
As long as Ike
shuts down the number1 receiver I don’t care about his technique or his hands.
by steelerstyle on Jul 23, 2010 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions
I kind of do
I am not sure where the balance lies in a complete shutdown corner who cannot catch vs. a corner who can shutdown less often but produces turnovers. If Keenan Lewis can be a corner with the same sort of cover skills, or somewhere near it, and can get turnovers, I think the Steelers should take a hard look at letting Ike walk. Just my opinion though.
"I'm from Maryland, and no one can beat me!"
by John Stephens on Jul 23, 2010 9:16 PM EDT up reply actions
Well obviously Johnny
If you have an upgrade in Lewis (what you described) then you would obviously keep the younger cheaper option and let the aging vet walk…
Oh momma I'm in fear for my life from the long arm of the law
Lawman has put an end to my running and I'm so far from my home
Oh momma I can hear you a'crying you're so scared and all alone
Hangman is comin' down from the gallows and I don't have very
long
If Troy, Harrison and Woodley are on top of their game, that is good for 9 wins right there, regardless of what is going on with their offense. - Mr MaLoR 28/6/10
by Josh Roberts (ESGB) on Jul 23, 2010 9:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Johnny, I'm hopeful for Lewis...
And think he’ll be good, but I worry you may be giving him far too much praise early on for a guy who hasn’t covered an NFL receiver yet (Maybe wrong, but wasn’t most of his time spent last year on special teams?), and has looked good in shorts.
If he’s your boy and all, I get it. He’s got promise, size and speed, but Ike is a blanket at times. Lewis might be good, or really good early on, but he’s not going to cover like Ike when Ike is on. I’m just going to have to see it first. If I’m wrong (hopefully) then we can start with the let Ike walk talk. Until then, he’s the only legit corner we’ve got (McFadden is right there, let’s see him do it again though), we may need Ike.
"My ambition is handicapped by laziness"
— Charles Bukowski
by NYSteelersFan4 on Jul 24, 2010 11:39 PM EDT up reply actions
Lewis was hampered for the entire season last year with a injured back. All I have heard out of camp from scouts, coaches, and players alike is complete praise. Its actually one of the things I have heard the most of out of camp. Sure, he has not played in an NFL game, but I am sure he is taking snaps against players like Ward, El, Wallace, etc. That’s not a shabby list.
I like Ike as much as anyone else, but the lack of turnovers is more crucial than most people let on. Turnovers win games. Just look at the Vikings game last year. We would have been blown out if it had not been for two key turnovers. I give credit where credit is due, because I know shutting out a WR is just as valuable. And Ike can do that. However, we have also seen he is not an absolute shut down guy, because in that same game his “man” had 136 yards.
Like I said, I don’t know where the balance lies. And if Ike is looking for a lot of cash, I think we should let him walk (if Lewis looks as good as people have said).
"I'm from Maryland, and no one can beat me!"
by John Stephens on Jul 25, 2010 6:31 PM EDT up reply actions
Ike could have career year in interceptions this year ...
Stranger things have happened in a contract year. I think his best year was 3 picks in 20007. I could see him getting 4 or more this year. Now I wouldn’t bet the mortgage on that, but U get my drift. If he does, then good for him and good for the team.
I betcha Lamarr Woodley’s agent’s ears perked up when he heard the final numbers with Elvis Dumervil’s contract (6 years, $61.5M, $41M guardanteed). Woodley’s going to get paid, but he ain’t getting $41M guaranteed from the Steelers. I think Ben only got about $28M guaranteed and he’s a franchise QB. Woodley will get his cheddar, but it won’t be Demarcus Ware or E. Dumervil type money from the Stelers.
by datruth4life2.0 on Jul 23, 2010 3:39 PM EDT reply actions
Chicago Steeler, your answer in one word ...
“everything.” I wanted to come up with something more clever to say but can’t do it at the end of the work day on Friday of a long work week. If I was Blitz, I could but I’m not of that rare air.
by datruth4life2.0 on Jul 23, 2010 6:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Denver seems to have gone gaga
and I don’t mean Lady.
I still can’t believe they wasted a first round choice on Tebow.
How do I break it to the cat that since he has been declawed, the rabbit he sees in our backyard would kick his sorry butt?
by Cold_Old_Steelers_Fan on Jul 25, 2010 3:53 AM EDT up reply actions
I totally disagree
Ike is one of the hardest working, reliable corners in the league. He’s great for team chemistry, and sets a great example for the new young corners coming in with his work ethic.
However, we can’t afford to keep him unless he will take less than market value. Since this may be his last chance for a big payday, I don’t see him doing that.
I will miss him, and I have a ton of respect for the job he did while on our team.
He’s a solid all around team guy.
Disagree?
I never said he was lazy, unreliable, and a bad example.
"I'm from Maryland, and no one can beat me!"
by John Stephens on Jul 23, 2010 3:47 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't know Johnny...
A direct quote on Ike from you:
he was lazy, unreliable, and a bad example.
"My ambition is handicapped by laziness"
— Charles Bukowski
by NYSteelersFan4 on Jul 23, 2010 4:11 PM EDT up reply actions
TWJS
"I'm from Maryland, and no one can beat me!"
by John Stephens on Jul 23, 2010 9:17 PM EDT up reply actions
TWJ_SS?
"My ambition is handicapped by laziness"
— Charles Bukowski
by NYSteelersFan4 on Jul 24, 2010 11:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Sorry, I was referring to Steelersrock's post
Where he said that Ike is not one of his favorites and is overrated.
if he had 10 more ints
the steelers wouldn’t have won additional rings, but the chances of him getting resigned become much lower. when a guy catches too may interceptions, like asante samuel catching 16 in 06-07, a team throws silly money at him.
if he is definitely going to walk, it would be great if ike improved to the mean and saw an increase in ints this year.
Very true
But if he had had more interceptions last year, we might have won one more game and been int he playoffs.
"I'm from Maryland, and no one can beat me!"
by John Stephens on Jul 24, 2010 9:19 AM EDT up reply actions
If he'll sign to stick around, then I think we need to keep him.
I think of last year, and while there were a ton of things that went wrong, one of the most glaring was McFadden’s replacement(s) on the other side.
I do like the 3 young guys, K. Lewis, Burnett and the rookie this year Butler, so I don’t think it’s the worst case if Tayler bolts. But Ike is still young, can still run, and can still play corner. Just can’t seem to catch.
worldtrip optimistic?
What’s the world coming to. (pun somewhat intended)
by Chicago Steeler on Jul 27, 2010 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Ike is one of the best CBs in the league
I have rarely posted this offseason, but I could not sit on the sidelines on this one. Over the past couple years, I have received lots of flak for this position, but I stand by it. I couldn’t care less if Ike gets INTs, two incomplete passes can be more valuable than one INT. Ike’s primary weakness is his mercurial nature.
The common thread in the Steelers up and downs since 06 has been Ike. Ike was lights out in 05/06 and 08/09. The defense was sick those years because a covered #1 WR means more sacks and strips and more INTs for a roving Troy P. When Ike has had poor seasons, the Steelers have fared equally poorly (see both post SB seasons).
You cannot overrate the value of a DB with the ability to completely negate a team’s #1 receiving threat. Remember the ridiculously low numbers opposing team’s #1 WRs had in 08. That’s why the defense was so good. IOnly two other CBs in the league can cover like Ike. He will be as hard to replace as Woodley. Just look what happened last year when Woodley had a great season and Ike had a terrible season.
by CarlWeathersMustache on Jul 23, 2010 8:22 PM EDT reply actions
I’m with you mustache-man. In any event, people seem to be overly concerned about him going for above free-market value, or that free-market value will be too expensive. Ike can be a shutdown corner…he isn’t always a shutdown corner, and was not special this last year. Anyone who believes he was not a pivotal part of SB43 doesn’t know anything. In the modern era you need a lot of good CBs, and Ike is good, if sometimes not great.
Once he loses his top-end speed in a few years he will probably have a hard time adjusting as that is his main advantage. He adjusts to sometimes poor positioning by using this. When it goes? I don’t know that he has the smarts (his interviews don’t help) to adjust to a nickel position, and that also is okay.
The above is probably the main sticking point. Ike may be just as fast in a few years, but I doubt it. If Ike believes he is going to lose his speed, he’ll want to negotiate a long contract and the steelers will not want to. I think they will get a deal done though, because Ike is a very serviceable CB and is easily worth a few million a year.
Anyone who thinks otherwise is deluding themselves regarding value per CB and the CB play around the league.
Also, a few intangibles:
Ike has re-negotiated his contract, TWICE, to lower it so that the steelers could get deals done with other members.
Ike is an upstanding citizen (no, really), has never done anything stupid besides buy his ridiculous IKE24 hummer
The steelers will keep Ike Taylor on board for a reasonable sum of money and a reasonable length of time. There is no surer bet in football.
You sure Ike isn’t reacquainting himself with his fingers, he certainly doesn’t use them for catching. - Brian (DaBolts) on "Face Me Ike"
Moustache and Steelguy?
Oldies but goodies coming out of the woodwork in defense of Ike.
Good to see you guys posting and I agree with what both of you said.
by Chicago Steeler on Jul 27, 2010 11:16 AM EDT up reply actions
Agreed 100%
"My ambition is handicapped by laziness"
— Charles Bukowski
by NYSteelersFan4 on Jul 24, 2010 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions
I Can't Resist!!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZBPu7jJbJU
As my parents said “I Like Ike!” Sign him but don’t break the bank…
When You Run The Ball Good Things Happen
The best part about Ike Taylor
is that he ALWAYS SHUTS DOWN chad
"But that's nothing new. We're going to be a running team whether it's Ben or Tommy or Charlie at quarterback. And we'll still throw the football, too." - Jerome Bettis
the best part of Taylor is that he has swagger
Healing from my new tattoos
Franco made that play because he never quit on the play. He kept running, he kept hustling. Good things happen to people who hustle."
heck yeah...Swagger U!
"In Hoc Signo Vinces!" (With this as your standard, you shall have victory!) -Constantine I
by Webslasher81 on Jul 26, 2010 9:09 AM EDT up reply actions
It would be funny
if Ike all of a suddens learns how to catch in a contract year, I’ll be watching.
Steelers football is 60 mins.
I like Ike as well.......
….but I also think he will command a bigger salary than the Steelers will pay if he hits the market. Only chance he stays is if they resign him before the season starts. It would be easier than resigning Woodley, no 30% rule for him. He is worth a solid deal.
Steelers rule, Phins are cool,
Pats and Jets blow donkeys
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