Heath Miller- A waste of $7,000,000/year?

[ricardisimo]

Originally Posted by steelerjim58

I for one fully expected Miller to leave at the first opportunity. Unless he truly likes blocking this much, I am thinking he either believed that things were going to change offensively or was led to believe that by the coaches. In any case it is a shame to see him being wasted like this. It bugs me when some people want to compare him less favorably to other tight ends because of numbers. I am quite certain that it is a very rare instance when Gates, Witten, Finley, Gonzalez, et. al. are held in to block on passing downs.

They all block on passing downs. That's what tight ends do. Unlike the other linemen they then release and go downfield as a pass option. Heath just happens to block more than those other guys (because he can) and he blocks on running plays as well.

[finesward]

Worth 7 mil? Yes. Utilized? No. If the pats have shown us anything its if u invest in a oline that can give the qb enough time for the te to get free you can find em cheap in the draft. Looking back its safe to say we have had to use his blocking skills more than his catching b/c of the o line. He may have the best hands on the team but when ur getting only a few targets what's the point? Let him walk next year and spend his salary on a solid guard or tackle. Him and smith are great quiet guys that go about their business and I admire that. But as a business move it has to be done to improve the team. Let the young studs we have at wr earn their keep. This team should be drastically different next year.

[steelerjim58]

They all block on passing downs. That's what tight ends do. Unlike the other linemen they then release and go downfield as a pass option.
.


No disrespect intended, but I am not sure what you are seeing. The guys I mentioned, I am sure are seen as first or second options on virtually every passing down. They are getting off the line with the snap the vast majority of the time.

[steeltheone]

Originally Posted by mikegrimey

While I do think Heath is underused some people are totally fantasizing about his production pre-Tomlinn/Arians

In the colts/steelers playoff game in 06 he had 3 catches for 61 yards and
a TD, I think all 3 were on the opening drive, this is good, but hardly pure domination.

His most productive years were 07 and 09, both Tomlin/Arians years.

I really don't like defending the use of Miller in Tomlin/Arians offense but some of the extreme remembrances of seasons past that goes on here is kind of making me now

Lets remember BR7 was a rookie in 05 and bounced head first off the pavement in 06...

[steelerjim58]

on most pass plays.

[PhantomJB93]

You know when you look at it that way Heath is a big waste of money. As much as I love him, the way he is utilized in this offense, the money could be much better spent elsewhere.

[plenewken]

Originally Posted by ricardisimo

They all block on passing downs. That's what tight ends do. Unlike the other linemen they then release and go downfield as a pass option. Heath just happens to block more than those other guys (because he can) and he blocks on running plays as well.

If TEs block on passing downs, how come Gronkowski had 42 receptions and 10 TDs in his rookie season with the Pats?

[Steel4ever95]

Some of you mentioned that Arians is the waste of money and not Heath, I tend to agree with you. Heath if used right can be a top tight end if they use him when the pass the ball, I was excited as hell when the Steelers drafted him. I'm not saying they have to pass it to him every down, but if they go to him a little more often the opposing d will have to account for him, and eventually your gunna hit gold on a play when the d decides to blitz and Heath is wide open for a big play. Arians and to an extent Tomlin are the ones to blame, Tomlin really has to start stepping in and making some calls and the Steelers front office has to give Arians his walking papers very soon.

[plenewken]

Originally Posted by steelerjim58

. No disrespect intended, but I am not sure what you are seeing. The guys I mentioned, I am sure are seen as first or second options on virtually every passing down. They are getting off the line with the snap the vast majority of the time.

You should tell him to look at the 2011 stats for receivers on nfl.com and to count the number of TEs in the top.20.

[ricardisimo]

Originally Posted by plenewken

If TEs block on passing downs, how come Gronkowski had 42 receptions and 10 TDs in his rookie season with the Pats?

He blocks and releases. That's what TEs do. He could be lining up wide, of course, but then he's not a tight end.