Listen, I know there are many Steeler fans bummed that we did not draft an ILB, that somehow LVE or Evans did not drop to us. That we did not get a Malik Jefferson or a Genard Avery or a Josey Jewel, etc.
But was ONE single draft pick going to replace everything that Shazier did in our defense? No, he was really special and was playing up to his massive potential. So, it was folly to think that just drafting a single player, even an LVE or Evans was going to plug the gaping hole in our defense.
Looking at what the Steelers have done this offseason, I really like their solution.
This is what they did after Shazier got injured. They were using Willie Gay as a nickel linebacker at times. They were using Robert Golden. LT Fort, they signed Sean Spence off his couch who was not with any team at that point. A 190 pound CB who is probably a 4.6 40 guy in the twilight of his career, a 5'11" 200 pound safety who is really a special teamer only, a small ILB in Spence which is not necessarily a bad thing but he is probably lucky to run a 4.8 40.
You now that line from Animal House? Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son! Well, that sort of describes the solution they had at end of last season in trying to overcome Shazier. Small, slow and stupid is what they actually had.
Small because Gay, Golden were 200 pounds or less and 5'10" , 5'11". Slow because Gay ran probably a 4.6, Spence a 4.8. And stupid because the reason they resorted to using Gay so much is because they needed a vet to get the communication up to speed and it never worked out or improved much. And also stupid because we had Mike Mitchell on the back end who was stealing a paycheck.
Contrast that with what we have going into training camp, with the players they have now assembled.
They first signed Morgan Burnett, who has experience at FS, SS and as a hybrid linebacker in Green Bay. He is a great communicator and leader. He is also a very underrated athlete. Yes, he is up in years now but consider this when he came out, he ran a 4.51 40, and had a 3.92 short shuttle and a 6.87 3 cone time, and a 39.5 inch vertical for a 6'1" 210 pound safety. When we played Green Bay, Burnett did as well as covering Bell as any player can.
They signed Jon Bostic from Indy. This was a very good signing. A player who has had some injury issues but seems to be on the verge of fulfilling his potential as well. He had a good season with Indy last year. Outside of Shazier, Bostic is probably the most athletic ILB that we have brought in since Lawrence Timmons. I think people really underestimate his speed and athletic ability. His combine 40 time was 4.61. By comparison Vince Williams Pro Day 40 time was 4.76, Dirty Red was 4.83. That 3 cone time to me really shows how an ILB can play in reverse, in space, in coverage. Vince Williams ran a 7.53 3 cone time, Bostic? He ran a 6.99 3 cone time. Bostic has the speed and quickness to go sideline to sideline, last season at the end of the year it was painful watching both Williams and Spence simply not have the wheels (speed) to reach the point to make a tackle.
Finally, they draft Terrell Edmunds in the first round. He was a team leader, and a freak athlete. 6' 217 pounds, but his long arms and frame makes him look bigger. He ran a 4.47, had a 41.5 vertical.
They brought in 3 players that have reps as leaders, top communicators, and they are all plus athletes.
Whereas last season we were using Willie Gay, this year it will be Morgan Burnett in that role.
We were using Sean Spence but now it will be Jon Bostic.
And instead of Robert Golden you will have Terrell Edmunds.
Mike Mitchell is gone and now we have Sean Davis who I always thought was a more natural FS ready to go. Davis is not really suited to be that physical enforcer type in the box but he can play that centerfielder role, make INTs, force contested catches, use that 4.45 speed of his to be the last line of defense.
Yeah, we didn't draft an ILB but the players we did add will make this defense better. In each instance we upgraded with faster, bigger, more athletic, more alpha dog, junkyard dog types
Bostic, Burnett and Edmunds with Davis at FS is infinitely better than Spence, Gay, Golden and Mitchell.
People I think miss the point of the state of our defense. Gay, Golden and Mitchell were problems and would continue to be problems even with Shazier healthy. If those 3 players continued to get as much playing time as they did, this defense was not going to improve even with Shazier.
Bostic, Burnett and Edmunds...
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Legacy User
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great post Scunge -- You've been on fire the last few weeks -- great stuff - 100% agreed
Great write up, Scunge
The D might surprise this year.
I still expect the O to lead us in the PS but here's to hoping the D is good enough to give us a fighting chance.
I'm really looking forward to training camp.
The D might surprise this year.
I still expect the O to lead us in the PS but here's to hoping the D is good enough to give us a fighting chance.
I'm really looking forward to training camp.
Throw. The. Football. On. First. Down.
I agree on this 100%. Of course Bostic has to stay healthy for this to work.
The one area of concern on D still is the edge rush though. It disappeared almost completely late last year. Watt hit a bit of a rookie wall and Dupree was his usual garbage self.
I think Watt will be great this year. Dupree though will be single teamed and stuffed allowing Watt to be doubled. The 4 man rush concerns me.
The one area of concern on D still is the edge rush though. It disappeared almost completely late last year. Watt hit a bit of a rookie wall and Dupree was his usual garbage self.
I think Watt will be great this year. Dupree though will be single teamed and stuffed allowing Watt to be doubled. The 4 man rush concerns me.
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Clearly they want that ILB/SS role, or maybe even 2.
I’ve been saying for years, hey four man fronts allow more creativity in the backfield, assuming stability from the outside cb.
I’ve been saying for years, hey four man fronts allow more creativity in the backfield, assuming stability from the outside cb.
The Steelers will have to change something on D. They moved very far to stop NE and are getting killed by power running teams.
When you see the writing on the wall, you are in the toilet. -- Fred Sanford
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Agreed, Scrunge.
The Steelers signed an ILB in FA to hedge their bets going into the draft. The idea is that they have someone at the position and don't need to reach for a player they don't like. None of the ILB prospects they liked fell to them. Would you feel better if they drafted an ILB who will likely wash out of the league in 1-2 years just to say they filled a need?
The Steelers signed an ILB in FA to hedge their bets going into the draft. The idea is that they have someone at the position and don't need to reach for a player they don't like. None of the ILB prospects they liked fell to them. Would you feel better if they drafted an ILB who will likely wash out of the league in 1-2 years just to say they filled a need?
I understand why no ILB drafted, and I have no problem with Terrell Edmunds the player. I think, had you wanted to, you likely could have dropped a few spots, picked up likely a 2nd or 3rd, and done just that. Use that 3rd on Harrison Phillips if you're worried about power run teams.
Nothing left to do but smile, smile, smile...
I get tired of the will Jon Bostic stay healthy argument.
Yes, I understand that but how do I ignore the lingering groin issues of Evans? Or the cervical neck issue with LVE? You ever watch his highlights and see the neck brace in the back preventing his head from moving back too much?
Are those two rookie ILBs any more healthy or injury-free than Bostic? Bostic has starting experience, 32 games, LVE and Evans are rookies and Evans doesn't have much experience playing in reverse, in coverage.
I feel drafting Evans wouldn't have given us much of an upgrade over Bostic, I am glad he was off the board.
In terms of dropping back picking up an extra pick before picking Edmunds that is all well fine and good but you have to find somebody to trade with and who wants to trade up for a player that they covet. That is a lot harder than it seems. We see all of these trades and think it must be so easy but it is not.
I haven't said much about run defense but I do know that the defensive line was not really the issue to me last year. I saw big runs happen because a player missed a tackle or could not reach the point to make the tackle, whether it was Sean Spence, Williams, Gay, Mitchell, etc. Having a big Casey Hampton NT was all about occupying two blockers and the Linebackers, Safeties cleaning up with the tackle and being the hero. Hampton himself really did not make that many tackles. He had seasons where he had just 20 tackles, 22 tackles, etc.
The defense beyond the defensive line have to do a better job of tackling, to me it is that simple. Also when you are out of your 3-4 base and only have 2 defensive linemen in the sub package defenses you are going to be more susceptible to runs, again, the linebackers and safeties have to do a better job.
Last season we had small, old, and/or slow players that just did not belong out there. Gay, Golden, Mitchell, Spence. I think the run defense is going to be like night and day with Burnett, Edmunds, Davis and Bostic replacing that quartet that ended the season.
Yes, I understand that but how do I ignore the lingering groin issues of Evans? Or the cervical neck issue with LVE? You ever watch his highlights and see the neck brace in the back preventing his head from moving back too much?
Are those two rookie ILBs any more healthy or injury-free than Bostic? Bostic has starting experience, 32 games, LVE and Evans are rookies and Evans doesn't have much experience playing in reverse, in coverage.
I feel drafting Evans wouldn't have given us much of an upgrade over Bostic, I am glad he was off the board.
In terms of dropping back picking up an extra pick before picking Edmunds that is all well fine and good but you have to find somebody to trade with and who wants to trade up for a player that they covet. That is a lot harder than it seems. We see all of these trades and think it must be so easy but it is not.
I haven't said much about run defense but I do know that the defensive line was not really the issue to me last year. I saw big runs happen because a player missed a tackle or could not reach the point to make the tackle, whether it was Sean Spence, Williams, Gay, Mitchell, etc. Having a big Casey Hampton NT was all about occupying two blockers and the Linebackers, Safeties cleaning up with the tackle and being the hero. Hampton himself really did not make that many tackles. He had seasons where he had just 20 tackles, 22 tackles, etc.
The defense beyond the defensive line have to do a better job of tackling, to me it is that simple. Also when you are out of your 3-4 base and only have 2 defensive linemen in the sub package defenses you are going to be more susceptible to runs, again, the linebackers and safeties have to do a better job.
Last season we had small, old, and/or slow players that just did not belong out there. Gay, Golden, Mitchell, Spence. I think the run defense is going to be like night and day with Burnett, Edmunds, Davis and Bostic replacing that quartet that ended the season.
I agree. The defense will be infinitely better, but what concerns me is depth.
Shaz went down and there was nothing. What if Bostic or Burnett get injured?
They're back to slow, drunk, and stupid.
Shaz went down and there was nothing. What if Bostic or Burnett get injured?
They're back to slow, drunk, and stupid.
Arguing with idiots is like playing chess with a pigeon. No matter how good you are, the pigeon is going to shit on the board and strut around like it won anyway.
COR-TEN wrote:I agree. The defense will be infinitely better, but what concerns me is depth.
Shaz went down and there was nothing. What if Bostic or Burnett get injured?
They're back to slow, drunk, and stupid.
i am happier with the secondary than I am at the LBs. I think Allen, Adams and Sutton improve and add depth and speed.
When you see the writing on the wall, you are in the toilet. -- Fred Sanford
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smithessmokin
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Couldn’t agree more Scunge. Might be the post of the offseason.
