Keenan Lewis Worth 8 Million a Year?

[SteelerinSevern]

Originally Posted by pete74

Agreed. Ike is almost done and a Lewis-Allen combo will make a great combo for the next 7 years

My question is and this is just a thought. Would you cut Ike now and Start Lewis and Allen immediately? If you're going to have a youth movement, yoou might as well address all of the positions.

[harrison'samonster]

Originally Posted by SteelerinSevern

My question is and this is just a thought. Would you cut Ike now and Start Lewis and Allen immediately? If you're going to have a youth movement, yoou might as well address all of the positions.

I wouldn't cut Ike now, I wouldn't mess too much with the secondary we've got if I could avoid it. I still think signing Lewis should be the most important part of the FA period for out defense.

[pete74]

Originally Posted by SteelerinSevern

My question is and this is just a thought. Would you cut Ike now and Start Lewis and Allen immediately? If you're going to have a youth movement, yoou might as well address all of the positions.

We can't afford to keep all three. That's a fact so yes I would cut Ike now if it meant keeping Lewis. Lewis and Allen make an awesome combo and there younger then Ike who is closer to the end of his career then the beginning

[teegre]

Cortez still has two years left on his rookie contract. Let him play one more year, and then re-sign him.

Re-sign Lewis now.

Ike plays one final season, and after winning Pittsburgh's seventh Lombardi, he, James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, & Ryan Clark all retire.

[Thus, in the 2014 season: Ike is retired, Lewis is under contract, and Cortez has a new contract right before the season starts.]

[SteelersCanada]

Originally Posted by teegre

Cortez still has two years left on his rookie contract. Let him play one more year, and then re-sign him.

Re-sign Lewis now.

Ike plays one final season, and after winning Pittsburgh's seventh Lombardi, he, James Harrison, Troy Polamalu, & Ryan Clark all retire.

[Thus, in the 2014 season: Ike is retired, Lewis is under contract, and Cortez has a new contract right before the season starts.]

That sounds like a movie script. If that's how things really played out, though, that would be fantastic.

[teegre]

Originally Posted by SteelersCanada

That sounds like a movie script. If that's how things really played out, though, that would be fantastic.

I forwarded it to Martin Scorsese.

[WVABE]

4 mil. + bonus's, 1/4 mil per INT or a PIK 6 for 1/2 mil.

That will motivate those hands a little.

[teegre]

Originally Posted by WVABE

4 mil. + bonus's, 1/4 mil per INT or a PIK 6 for 1/2 mil.

That will motivate those hands a little.

The problem with incintives for INTs is that players are then forced to "go for the ball" instead of doing what they "need" to do.

I know, I know: some will say that going for the ball is always the best option. But, not true.

Sometimes, in man coverage, when the defense rushes a bunch of people, the CB's job is merely to stop the hot read. Sometimes the blitzers get there; sometimes they do not... and, when they do not, the CB's job is to minimize the completition. Whereas, the worst-case would be a CB, with no safety help (due to blitzing), attacking a three-yard hot-read... and that three-yard completition gets turned into an easy TD.

Better yet, at the end of the Balt-Denv play-off game, the safety WENT FOR THE INT. Here are three better options in that case:

a) He tackles the WR in bounds, the offense was left with NO time-outs, and 40 yards to cover... taking away all of the clock... and ending the game.

b) He tackles the WR as the ball arrives, hopefully, dislodging the ball... but, with the worst case being that the WR gets tackled out of bounds (stopping the clock). But, even in that case, the Ravens would still have had to score a TD... (as opposed to giving up the easy score).

Either of those was much smarter than "going for the INT"... which he did... and, in turn, lost the game.

[SteelersCanada]

B/R NFL 1000 2013: Top 100 Cornerbacks

By
Matt Miller

34. Keenan Lewis, New Orleans Saints

Coverage

A flexible, athletic cornerback with good size, Keenan Lewis is poised to become one of the NFL’s best. He has good speed to turn and run with receivers on deep routes, and he uses his length well to get his hands on the ball and to shield targets away from the quarterback.

Opponents targeted the former Steeler often in 2012, but he responded by limiting completions and keeping catches to a minimum. Lewis doesn’t give up big yards after the catch, showing a good ability to stay in position to make a tackle post-catch. He has the height to high-point the ball and make plays on passes. He did notch an impressive 23 passes defensed, showing he can break on the ball and impact the play.

57 / 70

Run Defense

Lewis has the strength to help set the edge in the run game. He attacks well and takes smart angles to the ball, rarely getting caught out of position or overpursuing the ball.

12 / 15

Tackle

Lewis missed more tackles than we wanted to see. He has a nasty habit of dipping his head and losing sight of the ball-carrier.

10 / 15

Overall

A talented young cornerback, Lewis has the skill set to soar up the rankings in 2013. Keep an eye on him.

79 / 100

16. Cortez Allen, Pittsburgh Steelers

Coverage

An exciting young player, Cortez Allen didn’t make our 2011 rankings but shoots up the board in 2012. He has ideal length and quickness in and out of his breaks, and that shows up on film and in his production. He shows good timing and anticipation in coverage, which allows him to be on point and in position to limit receptions (just 58 percent of passes thrown his way) and keep receivers from turning upfield after the catch to make plays.

Allen allowed just one touchdown on 77 attempts this season—a very good rate for anyone, excellent for a second-year cornerback. The more we scouted Allen, the more we fell in love with his potential.

63/70

Run Defense

Allen has the mentality and frame to be a player against the run. He has to work better to get off blockers and come free to make plays.

10/15

Tackle

Allen does a good job bringing down receivers after the catch but struggled with running backs coming at him full-throttle. He’ll need to get better at using his shoulder to put a hurt on ball-carriers.

10/15

Overall

One of the more exciting young cornerbacks in the NFL, Allen has enough potential that the Steelers let Keenan Lewis walk to the Saints in free agency.

83/100

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1...00-cornerbacks

-- A couple of things to note, Ike ranked 23rd. It's also interesting to note that he, like the rest of us, like Allen more than Lewis in terms of his potential and ceiling. I didn't know that Allen hit his 200-snap minimum, but Matt and friends obviously liked what they saw.

[VaDave]

Again, for the record, the reason Lewis in in New Orleans, and not re signed as a Steeler, is because he was not going to be the starter and the Steelers were not going to pay him starting pay. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if the Steelers bring him back when he is a cap casualty in a year or two..