Time to stick a fork in Polamalu and Harrison

[Rockonsteel]

Originally Posted by Bayz101

I agree we need better backups in the secondary, but I disagree that we've neglected that. In fact, we've selected a LOT of corners in recent years, and a couple of them can start. Safeties will come next year. We did the right thing in addressing our offensive line future this year.

True about drafting O-line in this year's draft. Absolutely the right move. But, we need an infusion of youth/talent at safety position bad, and those guys are not on the roster right now, IMO. The last time they even looked in that direction was Anthony Smith. He turned out to be a bust and such a headcase, maybe he scared them off.

Rockon

[rich4eagle]

Originally Posted by TRH

Harrison : everyone has to be wondering if he'll EVER be back again. And if he can come back, he's likely to be much less the player of his former self. Hell, we seen that last year. Its certainly unfortunate, as i love James, but his days as an impactful player could very well be over.

Polamalu : I think he'll be a part for awhile, although i don't think we're going to see "all-pro" caliber play or those unbelievable, highlight-reel plays anymore. Plus he gets burned often. As state above in the thread...he can still get into a QB's head, so thats a plus.

You'll see us start addressing these positions in next years draft (and i'm talking about #1's and # 2's....). Remember, if DeCastro wouldn't have dropped so far down, we would have almost certainly picked D'ante Hightower, the LB, with our 1st pick (who is already becoming a monster over in NE....i wouuld have like to have got him here).

good thoughts and basically what the steeers have been doing for years......lets see how this plays out next year

Sunday was awesome.......GO

Steelers...........let the good times roll

[Bayz101]

Oh, and Goodell fined Harrison because the thread creator used violence in the thread title.

[teegre]

To clarify:  
Troy was sloooow in college.  He has never been fast.  That's why he didn't go top ten (despite being crazy good in college).  Obviously, he was a steal at 15 (thank goodness that 14 teams deemed him too slow).  

Anyway, Troy's knack in college & now is being in the right spot.  He out-thinks QBs.  

Again, he never had much straight-line speed.  And, he didn't need it, because he was always in the right position.  

Now... that said, what is indeed withering is his explosiveness (and/or suddenness)... his ability to close on a ball carrier, to change directions on a dime, and to break on passes.  He still knows where he should be/should go... he is just a split-second less explosive in getting there.  

And, even when (in two years) he's not explosive at all, he will still out-think the opposing QB eighty-five percent of the time.  Best example: Peyton (the master of the pre-snap) called a time out and looked flustered on back-to-back plays.  

Troy is to the SS, that Peyton is to the QB: 75% of their greatness comes PRE-snap.  

[LayingTheWoodley56]

I would agree that their are concerns with both, but they are mainly of the injury variety. Harrison's back and knees are extremely worrisome, but he was getting his sacks last year when he was actually playing. It depends on how he comes back healthwise, but he will still be a much better pass rusher than most teams have. Good point made above me; he does have a lot less wear and tear in the NFL than a lot of guys his age due to the fact that he was cut like 4 times. When it comes to his replacement, Chris Carter does not inspire much confidence in me at this point, but there is still a little hope for Worilds. And don't forget we have a young beast in Woodley on the other side!

As for Troy, he's always been nicked up the last couple of seasons. He doesn't make the explosive game-changing plays like he used to and that can be attributed to injuries and the fact that he's in his 9th NFL season. He still has a couple of starter-caliber years in him. We have time to draft a safety in the first round and develop him before then.

[casteeler]

Originally Posted by steeltheone

Well, problem is, Tomlin has not developed one good DB since he took over.... I think you are selling TP short, he will be a very big part of our defense.... Harrison is on his last year of his contract, he will probably be gone.

Excellent point! Tomlin hasn't even addressed the DB issue let alone developed one.

Originally Posted by teegre

To clarify:  
Troy was sloooow in college.  He has never been fast.  That's why he didn't go top ten (despite being crazy good in college).  Obviously, he was a steal at 15 (thank goodness that 14 teams deemed him too slow).  

Anyway, Troy's knack in college & now is being in the right spot.  He out-thinks QBs.  

Again, he never had much straight-line speed.  And, he didn't need it, because he was always in the right position.  

Now... that said, what is indeed withering is his explosiveness (and/or suddenness)... his ability to close on a ball carrier, to change directions on a dime, and to break on passes.  He still knows where he should be/should go... he is just a split-second less explosive in getting there.  

And, even when (in two years) he's not explosive at all, he will still out-think the opposing QB eighty-five percent of the time.  Best example: Peyton (the master of the pre-snap) called a time out and looked flustered on back-to-back plays.  

Troy is to the SS, that Peyton is to the QB: 75% of their greatness comes PRE-snap.  

I will try to be polite when I say this...dude you are clueless. Troy was very fast. He fell in the draft slightly due to team needs and also an injury that forced him to miss Senior Bowl and combine. He did have a pro day where he ran a 4.35 forty and had a 43 inch verticle. That is sick athleticism. I doubt there has ever been a faster safety. So you are kinda talking out your butt. Even then he was considered less than stellar in coverage and someone who took risks and bad angles. This has not been disproven up to this point. It's just his speed, quickness, and like you said, intelligence that has made him so successful. I don't think he even runs sub 4.5 now and that is a huge difference. It causes him to cheat a little more and he can be made to look foolish like he did vs. GB in the SB. He is all done. Great player. But he needed a couple of more dominant years to be a shoo in HOF. Now, not so sure. If we had one great corner and a serviceable 2nd CB then he would look so much better but his days of being able to compensate for poor CB play are over.

[teegre]

Originally Posted by steelfan23

I will try to be polite when I say this...dude you are clueless. Troy was very fast. He fell in the draft slightly due to team needs and also an injury that forced him to miss Senior Bowl and combine. He did have a pro day where he ran a 4.35 forty and had a 43 inch verticle. That is sick athleticism. I doubt there has ever been a faster safety. So you are kinda talking out your butt. Even then he was considered less than stellar in coverage and someone who took risks and bad angles. This has not been disproven up to this point. It's just his speed, quickness, and like you said, intelligence that has made him so successful. I don't think he even runs sub 4.5 now and that is a huge difference. It causes him to cheat a little more and he can be made to look foolish like he did vs. GB in the SB. He is all done. Great player. But he needed a couple of more dominant years to be a shoo in HOF. Now, not so sure. If we had one great corner and a serviceable 2nd CB then he would look so much better but his days of being able to compensate for poor CB play are over.

Clueless.  Good approach to a discussion.  

I'll continue WITHOUT the sophomoric name-calling.  

Obviously, I could be wrong (all I have is my memory, which isn't what it used to be), but I usually know what I'm talking about... and I'd hardly say that I'm clueless.  

Anyway... having watched nearly three years of his games, week in & week out, in college:  he was great, but deemed too slow.  Before the draft, due to this "too slow" label,  I remember that I was happy that he might fall, since the Steelers were picking late.  The two safeties that I was looking at were Troy & Asomugha... because both were graded as late round-one talents.  I hoped that Troy would fall, but was thinking that Asomugha would be the more "realistic" pick.  

And then, the Steelers traded up... and I nearly p*ssed myself with excitement.  

Again, my "memory" is not what it used to be... and I very well could be wrong... 

[teegre]

Originally Posted by Rockonsteel

True about drafting O-line in this year's draft. Absolutely the right move. But, we need an infusion of youth/talent at safety position bad, and those guys are not on the roster right now, IMO. The last time they even looked in that direction was Anthony Smith. He turned out to be a bust and such a headcase, maybe he scared them off.

Rockon

True: they haven't spent draft picks on safeties... because they already had two great starters.

They HAD to get O-linemen... they only had one good starter.

Safety versus O-line: two starters versus one real starter... again, O-line HAD to be the pick.

The GOOD news: this is THE year of the safety. There are a plethora of R1-R2 safeties: Reid, Lester, McDonald, Elam... and two or three others.

[Sean95m]

Anytime those guys are on the field they are 2 of the best at there respected positions. Until you can say they aren't have a coke and a smile and stop posting dumb stuff like this and waiting our times reading it. Just sayin.....