Steelers’ offensive front may see familiar faces leave

[Hawaii 5-0]

Ed: Steelers OL to Have Different Look in '13

WEDNESDAY, 09 JANUARY 2013 WRITTEN BY ED BOUCHETTE

Good morning,

Three regular starters in the Steelers offensive line likely won’t return in 2013 and all three players who took turns starting at right tackle should start at three separate positions next season.

There is a caveat to all of this, of course – provided they all stay healthy.

Look for Max Starks and Ramon Foster to leave in free agency and Willie Colon to be released. Colon’s knee injury that placed him on injured reserve for the third straight season was the last straw. The Steelers want to move on and they believe they have the right man to replace him.

The Steelers drafted Kelvin Beachum – their fourth and final pick in the seventh round last year – to play guard even though he started all 52 games in his four years at SMU. When Marcus Gilbert and Mike Adams were shelved by injuries after starting at right tackle, the Steelers turned to Beachum. He started there the final five games and did a nice job. It helped convince them he can start at guard – coincidentally, moving from and to the same position that Colon did.

They will turn the right tackle job over to Adams. Gilbert will start at left tackle. There was a time many assumed Adams would play left tackle, but he is a more natural right tackle, a better run blocker, and Gilbert’s more natural position is left tackle.

David DeCastro will take over at right guard as he did at the end of the season when he became healthy from his preseason knee injury. And, of course, there is three-time Pro Bowl center Maurkice Pouncey.

Their backups are to be determined because at the moment only John Malecki is under contract from their season-ending roster.

That, ladies and gents, is your 2013 Pittsburgh Steelers offensive line. Check back for medical updates.

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/i...ent-look-in-13

[FrancoLambert]

A lot of uncertainty across the line: youth and inexperience, propensity for injuries, positional changes.
But the changes are necessary. Time to freshen up this unit and the team. Let the young guys play and hopefully they show they were worthy picks.
Goes for the D-line too.

[GoFor7]

Originally Posted by FrancoLambert

A lot of uncertainty across the line: youth and inexperience, propensity for injuries, positional changes.
But the changes are necessary. Time to freshen up this unit and the team. Let the young guys play and hopefully they show they were worthy picks.
Goes for the D-line too.

When the team proclaims it wants to make protecting its QB a top priority, you don't just throw in a bunch of inexperienced guys and hope it works. If Bouchette's report turns out to be accurate, and the Steelers keep more dead weight on defense instead of spending money to keep Ben upright, then they look very hypocritical.

[teegre]

Originally Posted by GoFor7

When the team proclaims it wants to make protecting its QB a top priority, you don't just throw in a bunch of inexperienced guys and hope it works.

Two R1 picks (Pouncey & DeCastro) and two R2 picks (Gilbert & Adams), plus a R7 pick who played very well as a rookie (Beachum). That is indeed making a commitment to the O-line.

Cutting The Colon not only leaves more money for signing Wallace (which BB would like, no?), but gives the team a healthier player at his position (The Colon has not played a full season in three years, with only one game in the previous two... so, was he even really a starter???).

[GoFor7]

Originally Posted by teegre

Two R1 picks (Pouncey & DeCastro) and two R2 picks (Gilbert & Adams), plus a R7 pick who played very well as a rookie (Beachum). That is indeed making a commitment to the O-line.

Cutting The Colon not only leaves more money for signing Wallace (which BB would like, no?), but gives the team a healthier player at his position (The Colon has not played a full season in three years, with only one game in the previous two... so, was he even really a starter???).

You really think Beachum is the long term solution at LG? Hell, I'd take Foster over him. Remember, Jonathan Scott played well enough in 2010. How'd he do in 2011? When it comes to protecting the franchise, you need to put more money into it than just guys that have been in the league for 1 or 2 years. A guy like Starks should not be allowed to just walk away.

It shouldn't come down to cutting good o-linemen to keep Wallace. Like I said, cut the dead weight from the defense.

[Hawaii 5-0]

Ed: Legursky Important for Steelers to Sign

TUESDAY, 08 JANUARY 2013 08:51 WRITTEN BY ED BOUCHETTE

Good morning,

--- Mike Tomlin continues to have his exit interviews with players. He’s dragging this thing out, probably because he’s not used to having so much time on his hands.

--- Of all the Steelers free agents, Doug Legursky may not seem to be the most coveted, but he will be by his own team. Legursky is the only legitimate backup to Maurkice Pouncey, and he also can fill in at guard. That’s a two-for they’re not likely to find elsewhere. With Ramon Foster also an unrestricted free agent, signing Legursky is important for them.

http://plus.sites.post-gazette.com/i...eelers-to-sign

[teegre]

Originally Posted by GoFor7

You really think Beachum is the long term solution at LG? Hell, I'd take Foster over him. Remember, Jonathan Scott played well enough in 2010. How'd he do in 2011? When it comes to protecting the franchise, you need to put more money into it than just guys that have been in the league for 1 or 2 years. A guy like Starks should not be allowed to just walk away.

It shouldn't come down to cutting good o-linemen to keep Wallace. Like I said, cut the dead weight from the defense.

Foster was an URFA.
Beachum is a R7 pick.

Get it?

As in: who's to say that Beachum isn't the next Foster? Beachum played very well at RT.

Agreed: I'd keep Starks, and slide Gilbert to LG. Although, the rationale might be that Starks will cost more... and that money can be used for Wallace.

Agreed: don't bring back Foote & Hampton... and... who else???

[BKAnthem]

Hopefully we get an Oline coach who gets in Gilbert ass, dude was like a 300lb weakling out there

[Hawaii 5-0]

Steelers Expected to Keep Ramon Foster over Willie Colon for Left Guard Position

When the Steelers were put on the clock during the 2012 NFL Draft they were ecstatic to see that the top guard in the draft, David DeCastro of Stanford, was still on the board. They wasted no time making DeCastro their selection and added him to a young core of players on their improving offensive line. DeCastro, a right guard in college, is expected to play on the right side for many years to come and the Steelers hope he will help improve a struggling running game.

On the left side the Steelers have been looking for a replacement sine Alan Faneca left via free agency. Chris Kemoeatu gave the Steelers four penalty filled, but decent years at left guard. Kemoeatu was never the player the Steelers hoped he would be however, and they are still looking for their guy. In 2012 they moved Willie Colon from right tackle to left guard and he played well at times, but doesn’t seem to fit the position.

The Steelers are looking for young athletic offensive lineman. Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro fit the bill as do Mike Adams and Marcus Gilbert, who project as the offensive tackles of the future. Pittsburgh would like to use their guards to pull and get to the edge, but Colon is unable to move well enough to do so. Ramon Foster may also struggle to pull due to his size, but a lighter more athletic Foster could be the perfect answer at left guard.

Foster just turned 27 and hasn’t had any injury issues during his career. He was the Steelers second most consistent lineman in 2012 behind Max Starks and the Steelers will try and lock him up this off-season. Willie Colon, on the other hand, will turn 30 in a few months and hasn’t played a full season of football since 2009.

Colon is still under contract for the 2013 season, but cutting him is a very likely option for the Steelers as it would save them around $1.2 million in total. However, it would save them around $5.5 million in 2013 and cause a cap hit of around $4.3 million in 2014. Therefore, the Steelers would open up the space to sign Foster as well as save some extra cap space, but they would have to deal with that cap hit in 2014.

So the Steelers best bet would be to cut Colon and resign Foster to a long-term deal. One thing they must do this off-season, however, is to get Foster into a training regimen. Foster should look to lose around 10-20 pounds, add strength, and improve his agility this off-season. If he can do that the Steelers should have a very strong interior on the offensive line with Foster, DeCastro and Pouncey; of course that all depends on if they can stay healthy.

Both Gerry Dulac and Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette have said this is the scenario that they expect to see play out this off-season. Willie Colon is a talented football player, but bad luck and not fitting into the scheme that Todd Haley is looking for will force him out of Pittsburgh. When Haley was in Kansas City as the Chiefs head coach he had one of the lightest offensive lines in the NFL, but he also led the league in rushing.

If Foster and other Steelers players are looking for a good training system to get into better shape they may want to talk to Ziggy Hood. During the 2012 off-season Hood trained with Outer Limits Sports and cut his body fat percent, dropped weight, added muscle, and got more athletic.

http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/ar...ition/12635485

[teegre]

Originally Posted by Hawaii 5-0

Steelers Expected to Keep Ramon Foster over Willie Colon for Left Guard Position

When the Steelers were put on the clock during the 2012 NFL Draft they were ecstatic to see that the top guard in the draft, David DeCastro of Stanford, was still on the board. They wasted no time making DeCastro their selection and added him to a young core of players on their improving offensive line. DeCastro, a right guard in college, is expected to play on the right side for many years to come and the Steelers hope he will help improve a struggling running game.

On the left side the Steelers have been looking for a replacement sine Alan Faneca left via free agency. Chris Kemoeatu gave the Steelers four penalty filled, but decent years at left guard. Kemoeatu was never the player the Steelers hoped he would be however, and they are still looking for their guy. In 2012 they moved Willie Colon from right tackle to left guard and he played well at times, but doesn’t seem to fit the position.

The Steelers are looking for young athletic offensive lineman. Maurkice Pouncey and David DeCastro fit the bill as do Mike Adams and Marcus Gilbert, who project as the offensive tackles of the future. Pittsburgh would like to use their guards to pull and get to the edge, but Colon is unable to move well enough to do so. Ramon Foster may also struggle to pull due to his size, but a lighter more athletic Foster could be the perfect answer at left guard.

Foster just turned 27 and hasn’t had any injury issues during his career. He was the Steelers second most consistent lineman in 2012 behind Max Starks and the Steelers will try and lock him up this off-season. Willie Colon, on the other hand, will turn 30 in a few months and hasn’t played a full season of football since 2009.

Colon is still under contract for the 2013 season, but cutting him is a very likely option for the Steelers as it would save them around $1.2 million in total. However, it would save them around $5.5 million in 2013 and cause a cap hit of around $4.3 million in 2014. Therefore, the Steelers would open up the space to sign Foster as well as save some extra cap space, but they would have to deal with that cap hit in 2014.

So the Steelers best bet would be to cut Colon and resign Foster to a long-term deal. One thing they must do this off-season, however, is to get Foster into a training regimen. Foster should look to lose around 10-20 pounds, add strength, and improve his agility this off-season. If he can do that the Steelers should have a very strong interior on the offensive line with Foster, DeCastro and Pouncey; of course that all depends on if they can stay healthy.

Both Gerry Dulac and Ed Bouchette of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette have said this is the scenario that they expect to see play out this off-season. Willie Colon is a talented football player, but bad luck and not fitting into the scheme that Todd Haley is looking for will force him out of Pittsburgh. When Haley was in Kansas City as the Chiefs head coach he had one of the lightest offensive lines in the NFL, but he also led the league in rushing.

If Foster and other Steelers players are looking for a good training system to get into better shape they may want to talk to Ziggy Hood. During the 2012 off-season Hood trained with Outer Limits Sports and cut his body fat percent, dropped weight, added muscle, and got more athletic.

http://network.yardbarker.com/nfl/ar...ition/12635485

I think that 96% of us would agree with this move. Cut The Colon... and re-sign the dude who has started in 31 out of 32 games (and played well while doing so).