mesaSteeler
01-30-2010, 12:42 AM
http://nfl.fanhouse.com/2010/01/29/colons-better-than-most-steelers-fans-think/
Colon Better Than Steeler Fans Think
o JJ Cooper
Willie ColonIf Willie Colon had been born a year earlier, he'd likely be a richer man right now. Thanks to the lack of a new collective bargaining agreement, the Steelers avoided a potential contract headache.
If Colon had finished his fourth year in the league last year, he would have been an unrestricted free agent in search of a long-term contract and a big payday. Instead, he'll be a restricted free agent against this offseason which means that the Steelers can almost assuredly keep him around with a reasonable tender offer. And another team tried to entice him away with a contract offer, Pittsburgh would have the choice of matching it or getting draft pick compensation (either a first-round pick or a first and a third-round pick depending on the tender offer).
If Colon had hit the market as an unrestricted free agent his agent makes it sound like he would have been looking for a big payday.
"The Steelers are watching the same films I am and it's pretty obvious he's in the top three players at his position in the league," Colon's agent Joe Linta said, "and they will make their decision accordingly."
A lot of Steelers fans probably read that and laughed. But here's the interesting part, Linta's not crazy.
Colon has gotten a reputation as a guard out of position thanks to his long-running problems in pass protection. But in 2009, Colon made some serious strides. He didn't give up his first sack in 2009 until the Steelers' 13th game of the season. He ended up giving up four sacks overall, but two of those were because Ben Roethlisberger held the ball for over 4.5 seconds. Throw it all together and by my charting Colon was beaten only twice all season for sacks that were his fault. I'll throw in the disclaimer I've mentioned in previous posts that assigning blame for sacks is more an art than a science especially since it's not possible to know what the line calls were, but it is clear that Colon had an excellent season as a pass blocker, one that would compare favorable with most right tackles in the league.
There has never been a problem with Colon's run blocking. He has a nice mean streak, an ability to get to the second-level to block linebackers and the kind of core strength that allows him to maul defensive ends.
Add it all up and there's a pretty good case that Colon has turned himself into one of the better right tackles in the league. Now that won't get you a spot in the Pro Bowl (all three Pro Bowl tackles are left tackles), but it does make him the Steelers' best offensive lineman. And after hearing for years that it might make sense to move inside to guard (consider me one of the guilty/wrong ones), Colon has shown that he deserves to stay at tackle because it's a lot easier to find a solid guard than a solid tackle.
Colon Better Than Steeler Fans Think
o JJ Cooper
Willie ColonIf Willie Colon had been born a year earlier, he'd likely be a richer man right now. Thanks to the lack of a new collective bargaining agreement, the Steelers avoided a potential contract headache.
If Colon had finished his fourth year in the league last year, he would have been an unrestricted free agent in search of a long-term contract and a big payday. Instead, he'll be a restricted free agent against this offseason which means that the Steelers can almost assuredly keep him around with a reasonable tender offer. And another team tried to entice him away with a contract offer, Pittsburgh would have the choice of matching it or getting draft pick compensation (either a first-round pick or a first and a third-round pick depending on the tender offer).
If Colon had hit the market as an unrestricted free agent his agent makes it sound like he would have been looking for a big payday.
"The Steelers are watching the same films I am and it's pretty obvious he's in the top three players at his position in the league," Colon's agent Joe Linta said, "and they will make their decision accordingly."
A lot of Steelers fans probably read that and laughed. But here's the interesting part, Linta's not crazy.
Colon has gotten a reputation as a guard out of position thanks to his long-running problems in pass protection. But in 2009, Colon made some serious strides. He didn't give up his first sack in 2009 until the Steelers' 13th game of the season. He ended up giving up four sacks overall, but two of those were because Ben Roethlisberger held the ball for over 4.5 seconds. Throw it all together and by my charting Colon was beaten only twice all season for sacks that were his fault. I'll throw in the disclaimer I've mentioned in previous posts that assigning blame for sacks is more an art than a science especially since it's not possible to know what the line calls were, but it is clear that Colon had an excellent season as a pass blocker, one that would compare favorable with most right tackles in the league.
There has never been a problem with Colon's run blocking. He has a nice mean streak, an ability to get to the second-level to block linebackers and the kind of core strength that allows him to maul defensive ends.
Add it all up and there's a pretty good case that Colon has turned himself into one of the better right tackles in the league. Now that won't get you a spot in the Pro Bowl (all three Pro Bowl tackles are left tackles), but it does make him the Steelers' best offensive lineman. And after hearing for years that it might make sense to move inside to guard (consider me one of the guilty/wrong ones), Colon has shown that he deserves to stay at tackle because it's a lot easier to find a solid guard than a solid tackle.