Why would we give up on Gay now?

[LayingTheWoodley56]

Gay was everyone's favorite whipping boy last year. He showed vast improvement this season, came up with two big interceptions against Cincy and Cleveland to clinch both games, and he was one part of a two-corner tandem that anchored the best passing defense in the league. He is getting a raw deal now because of his past reputation. It seems questionable as to whether or not he's going to be brought back, with numerous people on this board calling for us to draft a cornerback. We just drafted two last year in Allen and Brown. Why not let those guys back up and develop, along with Lewis, and bring Gay back on a one-year deal? I was impressed with his improvement this season, and I want to see if he can develop further here.

[Black N' Yellow]

When people talk about corners, they want an elite shutdown in the likes of Revis/Taylor/Asomugha and those guys are typically found in the first round. We don't have any on the roster other than Taylor (but he was a fourth round pick if I remember correctly).

I think we're more likely gonna see the Steelers draft a safety or two before picking up a shutdown corner. And the safety replacements won't come until both lines are addressed.

[finesward]

There is no reason for us to draft a CB #1 this year, or #2 for that matter. Like above poster mentioned we need immediate impact players on both lines, as well as the ILB position and safety. We also need to start looking at the QB position. I like our depth on offense minus the oline. We need 2 guards and a tackle , or most likely 2 versatile players that can do both. Overall I think if we make the right additions we can wave good bye to a lot of the modern classic steeler players, especially on defense, and not miss much of a beat.

[ItalianSteelersFan178443]

Gay has been very good for us throughout his hole tenure in my opinion. He wasn't brought in to be the next best CB for the Steelers, but he has shown that he is willing to get their. He had a great season for many teams only throwing his way. He made a lot of bonehead plays and screwed up on some coverages, but he is still improving. I still think that we should draft a CB this draft in the later rounds just to shore up that position. With the league becoming pass happy you can never have enough good CB's on the team and for the Steelers we still have yet to get 2 or 3.

[Darkstorm05]

If you can change just one play this past season, and undo gay's horrifying failure against Baltimore, we get the tiebreaker and have the bye week. gay cost us that, and no matter how high the "Gay meter" goes, or how much love his fans give up to him, it won't get us that bye week back.

Everyone sings his praises when he has a few weeks in a row where he doesn't cost us major losses. I guess that makes him a hero. FYI, Ike isn't so hot either. he just happens to be the best. All that said, is till wouldn't draft a CB in round one. I think we have young guys already on the roster that should step up, and even if not and the secondary continues to suck, we need those high picks elsewhere first.

[ggoldman]

I can't wait to see Cortez Allen and Curtis Brown on D, not just special teams

[jjpro11]

Originally Posted by Darkstorm05

If you can change just one play this past season, and undo gay's horrifying failure against Baltimore, we get the tiebreaker and have the bye week. gay cost us that, and no matter how high the "Gay meter" goes, or how much love his fans give up to him, it won't get us that bye week back.

Everyone sings his praises when he has a few weeks in a row where he doesn't cost us major losses. I guess that makes him a hero. FYI, Ike isn't so hot either. he just happens to be the best. All that said, is till wouldn't draft a CB in round one. I think we have young guys already on the roster that should step up, and even if not and the secondary continues to suck, we need those high picks elsewhere first.

oh please.. Taylor got burned worse a a couple plays prior to Gay in the Baltimore game.. Flacco just overthrew it.

[skinart82]

Bunch of good plays......"he's ok i guess." One bad play....."he's the worst player in the NFL and we should just cut him." Got to look at the whole body of work! I was actually quite pleased with him this season and think he earned the right to stick around and get better. Just my opinion though.

[former RB]

Gay's main problem is that he tries to do too much. He doesn't want to give up anything. He plays so tight on the short stuff that he sets himself up for the long stuff. But it usually takes a perfect throw to beat him. Gay doesn't like to give up either side of the field. As a DB, you can only take away inside or outside, you have to take one and give the other as the recievers only option. You take away the sideline, and let the reciever have the middle of the field, or vice versa. You can't take away the outside AND the inside.
My nephew finally got that. He always tried to take away the inside and outside since high school. In his last year of college, after getting beat quite often. I finally convinced him to just take away either the sidelines or the middle on every play. Then play the reciever to the side you give him.

He started denying either the sideline or the middle on every play. Then he covered the WR on the only option he gave him. His play really improved. He spent most days getting screwed on quick slants because thats the only thing they can throw on him now. When he took away the inside, they couldn't beat him on the sideline. He started to let the safety know when he was giving the sideline , so the safety could help deep.

Steeler safetys play agressive, so they aren't much help deep. Gay has to try to take away one side, and cover short and deep. If he played in a Tampa 2 scheme, he would be a top rated DB.

[Curtain_of_Steel]

Gay has been fine this year, but he is a little to inconsistant, but it could be from the dumb ass plays we run where we keep the corners back on 3rd and short so we give up the first down, lol.