Steelers Sign OL Trai Essex
by Neal Coolong on Aug 22, 2011 7:06 PM EDT
in Steelers Roster
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PrintThe Steelers announced Monday afternoon the signing of veteran OL Trai Essex. To make room, they waived rookie OG Nevin McCaskill.
Essex was signed to a one-year contract with no financial terms released. His career began in Pittsburgh in 2005 after being selected in the third round of the draft out of Northwestern.
While no other statement was made, the timing of Essex's re-joining the roster will fire up speculation on the health of projected starter Jonathan Scott, who has suffered multiple injuries this preseason.
He went down early in the Steelers' 24-14 win over Philadelphia in preseason Week 2, but MRI results were negative. Rookie T Marcus Gilbert replaced Scott against Philadelphia, but he went down with an injury as well. His MRI results were also negative.
Essex contributed to both of the Steelers Super Bowl teams in 2005 and 2008, and has been seen as a valuable back-up and spot-starter for Pittsburgh. He has played both guard and tackle positions previously, but likely will be seen as a back-up tackle in 2011. The Steelers released veteran tackles Max Starks and Flozell Adams this offseason. They initially chose not to re-sign Essex.
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What????
Pittsburgh Steelers fan - nuff said.
Miami Hurricanes fan - nuff said.
Georgetown Hoyas fan - nuff said.
Cleveland Cavaliers fan - um yeah, about that...
by StoneColdSteel on Aug 22, 2011 9:11 PM EDT up reply actions
We couldn't get Starks or Flozell?
"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller
Follow me on Twitter
Who knows? I heard Starks failed the eye test (he was obviously out of shape when they first saw him), And Flozell may be saying he wants to start and to be paid like it.
If Scott keeps getting beat up the way he is, though…
by Neal Coolong on Aug 22, 2011 7:57 PM EDT up reply actions
heard from the post gazett that Adams may be resigned
by steeler_in_maryland on Aug 22, 2011 9:14 PM EDT up reply actions
The thing with Adams is he’s played long enough he probably doesn’t need much camp exposure. Assuming he’s in shape, he’s played the game long enough to know what he needs to do. He’s not necessarily someone they have to sign immediately, and it wouldn’t surprise me if both sides are interested in his return.
It’d be on the left side though, and I really don’t think they’ll bring him in to start. If there’s an injury, I could see him coming back.
by Neal Coolong on Aug 23, 2011 8:31 AM EDT up reply actions
The hotel doesn't have to go to Latrobe to get into mid-season form....
He could get out of a sick bed on Mother’s Day and still go offsides, commit a hold, and get an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty. And then get back into bed. Scowling.
I go with the Flo and loves me the hotel, but he has his own schedule and his own way of doing things. :-)
I’ll always remember him puking his guts out on the sidelines last year – sick as a dog – and trying to go back into the game. Tomlin personally had to stop him.
He saved the Steelers last year, and might do it again this year.
I would kill everyone in this room for a drop of sweet beer.
- Homer J. Simpson
it’s really amazing how the perception of flo has changed from the day he was signed and now. it’d probably be pretty interesting to read the conversations that day
+1
"The standard is the standard" - Mike Tomlin
by MDSTEELERSFAN on Aug 24, 2011 10:57 AM EDT up reply actions
Flozel must be too expensive.
A disparate move!
by ibygeorge on Aug 22, 2011 7:50 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
ESSEX is a better option
Essex is a better option than Max and Flo because he can still play the left tackle position at a average to above avg level as long as its n a spot duty role…Starks and Flo. can no longer hold down the LT position, that’s why they haven’t been contacted, Essex will be brought in to back up Gilbert for the season….i gotta feeling the rookie is goin to win out the LT position during the next 2 preseason games, at least i hope he does
essex can also back up both guard positions if need be…foster and essex along with j.scott(whenever he’s fully healthy) and legursky will be the primary backups all year
Move On and Prove On....Nice!
he can still play the left tackle position at a average to above avg level as long as its n a spot duty role
You and I must have been watching a different Essex the last 2 seasons.
"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller
Follow me on Twitter
by John Stephens on Aug 22, 2011 8:10 PM EDT up reply actions 4 recs
Amen, John
He was definitely not above average. I am not impressed with this signing.
Not even close!
This one time that the FO has completely mystified me! Somewhat like many feel about the re-signing of Willie Gay!
"He has the best ability, which is availability." - Mike Tomlin
"You can't make the club from the tub." - Mike Tomlin
"We have met the enemy and he is us" - Pogo (1970)
It's insurance
Standard Steeler policy.
by Steely McSmash on Aug 22, 2011 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Probably brought in...
to make sure we have enough people to play the next two pre-season games.
"He has the best ability, which is availability." - Mike Tomlin
"You can't make the club from the tub." - Mike Tomlin
"We have met the enemy and he is us" - Pogo (1970)
better?
Essex was a revolving door anytime he got playing time.
He was never able to play “at a average to above avg level”
The fact that you just said that reminds me just how atrocious our o-line has been for so long. I really can’t state strongly enough just how bad he is at tackle, especially the left side…There’s a reason he was still available, and it’s not his age/injuries like Flo or Starks.
It’s a good thing Ben is our QB, because most would have ended up like Carr or Couch the way he gets hit…
I really hope these are just some “preseason dings” that don’t continue into the regular season. If the Steelers have to go to backups this year on the o-line, we are going to see a significant drop-off in level of play, even more so that in past years.
Essex is an above average LT eh?
funny how few games he’s played there and how poorly he did it during his time in Pittsburgh. Oh – you meant he could play it when he was at NW? Not all great players at one level translate to the pros. I was a pretty mean left fielder in little league, perhaps I can be above average for the Pirates?
Great, a guy who can play many positions badly!
We didn’t call him Essux for no reason.
Versatility...
At all costs.
"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world" -- Ludwig Wittgenstein
by SubLime on Aug 22, 2011 8:31 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
Well ... ugh ... ugh ...
My mom always said if you have nothing good to say, then don’t say anything at all.
by datruth4life2.0 on Aug 22, 2011 8:40 PM EDT reply actions
$$
Hills is a better option at LT and Flozell at RG. #43 must want too much $$ to afford Flozell.
by ibygeorge on Aug 22, 2011 8:44 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
lol wat?
"It’s easy to lie with statistics, but it’s easier to lie without them." -Fred Mosteller
Follow me on Twitter
by John Stephens on Aug 22, 2011 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Maybe all contracts must be approved by 43...
(cough)
by Neal Coolong on Aug 22, 2011 8:54 PM EDT up reply actions
Well that is certainly a disparate viewpoint
by worldtrip on Aug 22, 2011 9:04 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
How the hell did you come up with putting Flozell at RG?
Pittsburgh Steelers fan - nuff said.
Miami Hurricanes fan - nuff said.
Georgetown Hoyas fan - nuff said.
Cleveland Cavaliers fan - um yeah, about that...
by StoneColdSteel on Aug 22, 2011 9:15 PM EDT up reply actions
HAHAHAHAHA
"The standard is the standard" - Mike Tomlin
by MDSTEELERSFAN on Aug 23, 2011 8:49 AM EDT up reply actions
....
Players who should be in the Hall of Fame: Pat TIllman, Dwight White, Donnie Shell, L.C. Greenwood, Ray Guy, Steve Tasker, Jack Butler, Greg Lloyd, Andy Russell, Cris Carter, Kevin Greene, Curtis Martin, Willie Roaf, Andre Reed and Jerry Kramer
CM PUNK IS MY HERO
Canal Chronicles resident Steelers Fan
by WVPiratesfan on Aug 23, 2011 11:53 AM EDT up reply actions 2 recs
One of my favorite pics
For that, you get a rec
A long way from Pittsburgh PA, in fact, 8653.2 miles to be precise. My blood still bleeds black and gold like the rest of Steeler Nation, proud fan since 2002.
BTSC's token Kiwi fan. That means I'm a New Zealander. Yes, that small country next to Australia....no we are not part of Australia
by Michael Hewitt on Aug 23, 2011 8:36 PM EDT up reply actions
I'd agree that Hills seems like a good option at LT based on this preseason, but the rest of what you said...
Flozell costs too much? The dude’s what, 40? He’s available because he plays RT now. He’s too slow to play LT anymore and we have Colon at RT again.
What the hell Troy has to do with any of this is beyond any reason. Perhaps if I started sniffing glue I could understand that thought.
Not thrilled but not surprised
there is really noone left to sign that is not not injured or too old for the job to be at OL. I can see perfectly that most the players being released this year being broken goods.
Adams was good as RT but put at left he is bad because of being deaf in his right ear.
by steeler_in_maryland on Aug 22, 2011 9:13 PM EDT reply actions
stinchcomb?
A man is innocent untill proven guilty...Even if it's Ben Roethlisberger!
'I rather have a German division in front of me than a French division behind me'..General George Patton
" I don't care if he has two horns and a tail, as long as he is anti-communist"..General Douglas MacArthur..
"The way to end our dependence on foreign oil is to keep our tires properly inflated"....B. Hussein Obama
"Government is not the solution to our problems, it is the cause of them" Ronald Wilson Reagan..40th President of the United States
is
that like a butt brush
People don't ever seem to realize that doing what's right is no guarantee against misfortune.
- William McFee
by stillergorillar on Aug 23, 2011 9:57 AM EDT up reply actions
Might as well bring back Stapleton!
"He has the best ability, which is availability." - Mike Tomlin
"You can't make the club from the tub." - Mike Tomlin
"We have met the enemy and he is us" - Pogo (1970)
Any guesses who gets sacked more this season -
Kyle Orton or Roethlisberger??
With these kind of moves, I might take Ben in that bet.
Let’s see. So far in your 10 days on this site you have negatively compared the Steelers front office to Philadelphia and New England in a posting about the salary cap and the decisions the front office made, criticized the signing of Cotchery calling it a terrible move, described the defense as being swiss cheese, and now this comment.
Have you ever considered cheering for a different team? You know, one that you actually like, because you clearly don’t like the Steelers.
by worldtrip on Aug 22, 2011 11:02 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
Did he really say "swiss cheese" ?
that is too absurd to even be amusing
by Nuts on Sunday on Aug 23, 2011 10:17 AM EDT up reply actions
Non-Guaranteed Veteran Minimum?
I am wondering if they signed Essex to a non-guaranteed, veteran minimum contract, and if they can cut him before the season without taking a cap hit. If so, it would not be a bad move for insurance purposes, in the event that some of their linemen have injuries that linger for a couple of weeks.
Good point
Pittsburgh Steelers fan - nuff said.
Miami Hurricanes fan - nuff said.
Georgetown Hoyas fan - nuff said.
Cleveland Cavaliers fan - um yeah, about that...
by StoneColdSteel on Aug 23, 2011 1:22 AM EDT up reply actions
I feel like this is almost absolutely the case. No one’s gonna confuse him for Anthony Muonz, but he knows the offense. There’s a lot of value in that.
by Neal Coolong on Aug 23, 2011 8:26 AM EDT up reply actions
Confuse Essex with Anthony Munoz? It's quite possible.
Neither one has had a decent game – or done a decent job protecting the quarterback – since 1994.
I would kill everyone in this room for a drop of sweet beer.
- Homer J. Simpson
Well that says a lot
Obviously Starks and Flozell want big money and we just can’t pull it off.
And clearly they’re concerned about our tackle and guard situation and want somebody who can handle both duties.
But Trai aint that good at either and I’d be really scared to start a lot of games with him.
or maybe it's got more to do with having 2 LT's dinged up for the next preseason game
and that his stint will only last a couple of weeks with the team.
Starks is out of shape and not fully recovered from the neck injury – that’s why he’s available.
Flozell did great for us last year, but we don’t need another RT, we need someone who can play LT and he cannot do it.
I don’t even think Essex will be at LT. My guess is he’ll play RG the next game while J. Scott and Gilbert are injured to allow HIlls to play LT. He’s available for the spot, but don’t expect to see him there unless hills gets hurt or in the second half when the coaches don’t care who is a crappy blocker for Dixon.
Essex will have to do, bite the bullet and swallow it
Essex is being brought in to be a backup, not a starter, why all the panic…the bigger concern is who’s goin to start opposite Ike Taylor, that’s the only real issue at this point cause McFadden is constantly hurt and Gay isn’t capable of playing the corner, he can barely play the defensive slot…I’m hoping Keenan Lewis continues to take hold and secures the job permanently
Move On and Prove On....Nice!
If he had been a 6th or 7th round pick
we would not be so negative. But he was a 4th rounder. He was a reach in 2005 and has not gotten any better. He is a below adequate swing OL, but the Standard is the Standard and Trai does not meet it.
But for the FO point of view, neither does C Scott or Williams and the jury is out on Foster. Hopefully he does not see the field all year. But that still does not excuse the FO for having an OL with this lack of talent.
by Steeler Nation VA on Aug 23, 2011 8:16 AM EDT reply actions
I'll bet a pint that he is released before Game 1
…because his salary (whatever it is, most likely the league minimum for a vet) isn’t guaranteed until week 1. If we got him as a backup, there’s a 50/50 chance we release him at the end of camp, and sign him monday morning after our first game.
We’re out of cap space, and certainly cannot afford dead contract money if we end up releasing him mid-season for say, another CB ;-)
The mind is a terrible thing to, um, uh, oh bollocks. -- Spacemonkey
We're set at tackle now
We’ve got a starter who played F- football for weeks, then when he actually made a few blocks folks were all gaga over his D- play. Now we bring in a solid backup who can play D+ football on his best day. I’m hoping for good days ahead of J. Scott, but realistically the Steelers gotta be ranked #32 at left tackle. I mean, the backup got no offers from anyone and the starter got cut by the Buffalo Bills!
by steelerwheeler on Aug 23, 2011 9:17 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
The truth in this comment makes me a little bit sad… Although we sure did go a long way with that " not so great" offensive line last year
by jat2339 on Aug 23, 2011 11:49 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Sure did
Thanx BB, defense, coaching and team effort to overcome weaknesses.
by steelerwheeler on Aug 23, 2011 12:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, I remember how everybody pulled the plug after the Iggles sacked Ben 53 times
…early in the season a couple of years ago. They did everything but remove his head.
Some way, some how, that line managed to help win the Lombardi Trophy. And Roethlisberger asked, “who’s laughin’ now?” during the after-game celebration.
And that Steeler team didn’t have Kugler or Pouncey.
As the boy says, “Everything will be fine. Krusty will come.”
I would kill everyone in this room for a drop of sweet beer.
- Homer J. Simpson
I just threw up in my mouth a little bit
Please GOD let this just be a signing to fill in during the preseason while J. Scott and Gilbert heal up. If Essux is the answer, then I hate the question.
Great signing
Let’s face it, we’ve done a shitty job drafting o-line talent and there’s nothing out there in free agency.
Immobile Ramon Foster or failed finesse tackle Tony Hills are your best bets at RG.
Chris Scott, Marcus Gilbert, and Keith Williams are a year away from being ready for prime time.
We’ve still got Chris K. at left guard, even though his great talents at pulling don’t make up for his boneheaded performance at everything else.
Jonathan Scott did much better as the season went on at LT, but he’s been injured a lot. Do you really want the joke that is Tony Hills at LT as our only backup there — or a not too bright rookie in Gilbert?
Essex can play 4 o-line positions, and right now our numbers are such that we’ll be handing jobs to young guys who didn’t deserve them. I’m very happy for more veteran talent on the o-line that forces young guys to step up and BEAT someone to earn a role.
And I’m happy that we have another option at left tackle.
Essex isn’t good. He’s certainly not great. Hell, solid might be a stretch. But when you look at this line and the overall market, it makes a ton of sense to bring him back as insurance for a number of positions and a veteran who others have to beat.
by syrsteelerfan on Aug 23, 2011 10:11 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
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