Beachum will be part of rebuilt offensive line

[TheVet]

Look for Max Starks and Ramon Foster to leave in free agency and Willie Colon to be released.

This is all good news if true. Foster is just a weak link on any line. Starks is a career underachiever, although he looks good on a bottom tier line. Colon is too injury-prone, and when he's healthy, he hurts the team by killing drives with untimely penalties. These aren't the kind of players a team should overpay for.

[TheVet]

Originally Posted by pete74

Starks said he wants to return but only as a starter and there is no way he will do league minimum again. He took that two years in a row and since we can't afford to pay him what he is worth he will be playing for another team next season. I wish we could keep him but we won't. This is his last opportunity to get paid and I won't blame him when he takes it. Most teams left tackles are there second highest paid position. Ours played for league minimum for two years and was our most consistent and healthy lineman. He deserves to get paid.

There were a lot of years where we paid him quite a bit more than he was worth, including two years with the franchise tag. On average, he was a big underachiever who was greatly overpaid.

[tony hipchest]

i appreciate max starks contributing for 2 years at vet minimum to even out the 2 years we franchise tagged him. he basically showed the rooneys the same loyalty that they showed him and took the hometown discount.

despite his play on the field, he is a good guy and a team guy.

[ricardisimo]

Originally Posted by GoFor7

Yes, lets cut Colon and let Foster go and start the 7th rounder in their place. Jonathan Scott did a good job in 2010. How'd he do in 2011? Sometimes, guys do better the fewer games they play.

I don't remember Scott being anything more than a warm body his first season, not even that the next year. Where do you get this idea that he was good?

[El-Gonzo Jackson]

Originally Posted by Fire Arians

wouldn't it be preferable for decastro to be the starting LG where his pulling ability can be used more?

I never get this arguement. Its always assumed that teams dont pull guards to the left. DeCastro goes where he plays best, maybe its LG and maybe RG.

Foster can pull from LG spot. Beechum has the technique, but I am still not sold on his strength vs interior linemen.

Adams may well play LT someday, but I said from the day that he was drafted that he should apprentice on the Right Side. Most here thought I was a downer and should give the kid a shot.

Its the makings of a decent O line. I still think we need Foster at one of the OG spots.

[TheVet]

Originally Posted by tony hipchest

i appreciate max starks contributing for 2 years at vet minimum to even out the 2 years we franchise tagged him. he basically showed the rooneys the same loyalty that they showed him and took the hometown discount.

despite his play on the field, he is a good guy and a team guy.

Yes, I would love to have him back for a fair price. He's great for depth - or even usable as a starter if Adams doesn't progress and Gilbert turns out to actually be as bad as he looked during his sophomore slump. OT is still a big problem on this team; we don't have anything that has proven out beyond the journeyman starter level (Starks). It's frustrating.

But sooner or later, we need to field an NFL caliber starting line. I thought we might get there last season, but the injuries (Adams, DeCastro, Gilbert, Colon) and the disappointing performances (Colon, Gilbert, Adams) killed us.

[wwhickok]

I wouldn't be surprised to see us draft another OL within the first 4 rds.

[wootawnee]

Max Starks is not going anywhere....Why does year after year everyone say he's gone......He has been with Ben forever and will be the starter next season....IMO

[bornaSteelersfan]

Originally Posted by wootawnee

Max Starks is not going anywhere....Why does year after year everyone say he's gone......He has been with Ben forever and will be the starter next season....IMO

For the last two pre-seasons we saw Ben support Starks by wearing his jersey. I am sure Max wants to get paid, but his loyalty to Ben and vice versa will keep him in Black and Gold.